The Wales Arts Review is setting up a programme of public consultation across Wales for anyone wanting to have their say on arts funding and the future of the Arts Council of Wales. The consultation starts on 19 June at Blackwood Miners Institute, Caerphilly. Contact Peter Harding.
t: 01443 336142
Consultants have been appointed to facilitate the merger of North Cornwall Arts and Restormel Arts, with the aims of establishing a single organisation to deliver community arts in East Cornwall and shaping the future direction of community arts provision in the area.
A report examining the ways that charities handle complaints has been published by the Charity Commission, following new research findings that over two-thirds of charities dont have complaints procedures in place. The Commission has warned that those without complaints procedures are failing to account fully to their service users. Cause for complaint? How charities manage complaints about their services is available online.
w: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk
Eileen Dobson (pictured), who has not missed a performance staged by the University of Portsmouths Dramatic and Musical Society in 60 years, has been honoured with a seat dedicated to her at the New Theatre Royal in the city centre. She joined the Dramatic and Musical Society in 1945 when she started at Portsmouth Municipal College.
Free Verse, the first ever survey into publishing opportunities for Black and minority ethnic poets commissioned by Arts Council England and Spread the Word, has concluded that Black and Asian poets are facing barriers to publication, despite their success on the performance circuit. Eight per cent of poets published by major publishers in the UK are Black or Asian. Forty-three per cent of all Black and Asian poets surveyed regarded opportunities for them to be poor or very poor, compared to only 12% who regarded opportunities as good or very good.
w: http://www.freeverse.org.uk
Creative Links Expo:06, a two-day event designed to offer creative businesses advice and support, will take place on 22 and 23 June at The Old Truman Brewery in East London. The free conference will include panel discussions on intellectual property, access and sponsorship.
e: [email protected]; t: 020 7247 4710
A new website developed through a collaboration between nalgao and Arts Council England East Midlands, has been launched to provide a range of information that will be of value to arts officers taking up posts at local authorities. The current emphasis is on the East Midlands area, but the aim is for other parts of England and Wales to add content to develop the site further.
w: http://www.nalgao-goodcompanion.org.uk
The work of Core Arts Education Project in Homerton, East London, has been recognised with an Opening Doors to Adult Learners award, presented by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education. The project provides participatory arts opportunities for 320 members, all of whom experience mental health problems, are registered disabled and have complex care needs.
National Galleries of Scotland has launched its summer season of exhibitions with a new online ticketing system by ts.com, enabling visitors to preview the exhibitions online before buying and printing out their own tickets at home. Five exhibitions being held at different venues have each been given bespoke micro-sites, all linked with the National Galleries of Scotland brand.
w: http://www.nationalgalleries.org/vangogh/
Ticketing company Ticketmaster has signed an online event ticketing agreement with Aloud.com, the online ticketing portal run by media company Emap. An online data feed will enable Ticketmaster clients events to be delivered to aloud.com users.
w: http://www. ticketmaster.co.uk
The first ever National Youth Dance Festival, taking place in Leeds from 17-21 July, will see more than 130 dancers taking part. The Festival, organised by Youth Dance England, will include three days of dance technique classes and choreographic investigation, and will culminate in public performances at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.
Britdocart, a new funding scheme created by the Channel 4 British Documentary Film Foundation in conjunction with Arts Council England (ACE), will be giving four UK-based artists up to £30,000 each to make a documentary film. This is the first time ACE has invested directly in the documentary film format. The four finished films, which will be between 3 and 30 minutes long, will premiere at the Institute of Contemporary Arts and tour leading regional galleries and sites.
w: http://www.britdoc.org
A new online directory has been created by PLOT, the Light House initiative to support creative media industries in Wolverhampton and the West Midlands. Plotnet is designed to support creative individuals and companies who want to promote their services and link up with other creatives and potential business partners in the region.
w: http://www.plotonline.co.uk
