Arts and Business is conducting a survey to enable it to assess the skill level of professional arts fundraisers, build a wish list of the full range of competencies required for successful fundraising, map the professional development opportunities currently available and build an understanding of the need for training services. The online survey, targeted at UK arts fundraisers, is available at w: http://www.audience.co.uk/a&b.html
The British Council, which has consistently supported young artists at an early stage in their careers, has launched its entire Collection online. Comprising 8,000 works by British artists including Lucian Freud, Henry Moore, Anish Kapoor and Chris Ofili, the Collection has never before been seen in its entirety as over 80% of the works are being exhibited overseas at any one time. w: http://www.britishcouncil.org/collection
A new website has been launched, displaying online preview trailers of arts and entertainment events across the UK. Previews are linked to further information about the event, including dates, times and ticket prices. The site has been created through a partnership between mixed media Director Gary Tanner and Will Lewis and Dan Pursey of Mobius, a London-based marketing agency specialising in the arts and entertainment. w: http://www.seeitfirst.co.uk
A community garden initiative designed to improve community cohesion has been awarded gallery space at the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow. The project, which involved more than 200 adults and children over a year-long period, included the creation of a 23 metre-long mosaic (pictured).
A partnership between Starbucks and the Africa 05 Festival will include four in-store events across the UK, enabling customers to sample the diversity and vibrancy of African culture. The Festival opened at Starbucks New Oxford Street with an exhibition by South African photographer George Hallett, and the opening evening included a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, an installation by Simphiwe and a poetry performance by Roi Kwabena.
The Nyasa art project, which aims to make the work of Malawi?s street artists available to a wider, international audience, is being supported by Artyfarty.com, a showcase for artists. Through the site Malawian art will now be available to the general public and sales revenues from the artwork are being used to finance the construction of a specialist art college in Malawi. w: http://www.artyfarty.com/artistshowcases.aspx?itemid=243