As ArtsProfessional was going to press it was announced that EQ, the national agency for diversity in the creative industries, is to close. The organisation, previously known as Metier, was rebranded as EQ in 2005. In March this year, the organisations Chief Executive, David McCall, resigned and, last month, the Board of Trustees decided to move the company into liquidation, blaming a lack of core funding.
The Touring Exhibitions Group, a membership organisation which supports the development of touring exhibitions, is calling for theatres which display exhibitions, or are thinking about doing so in the future, to contact them to contribute to a major piece of research, funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. The findings will enable the group to work more strategically with bodies such as the national Arts Councils and Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
t: 0161 718 2909 or 07855 490643; e: [email protected]
To celebrate the opening of its new temporary venue, The Courtyard Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company will be offering 100 free tickets per performance to young people under the age of 30 during the months of July and August in conjunction with ITV Central. The offer is valid for all performances of Shakespeares Henry VI Parts I, II and III. The venue opens on 7 July.
The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation and Classic FM are calling on all arts organisations to get involved in Arts & Kids Week, which runs from 21 to 29 October. Throughout the week, Classic FM will be advertising cultural events for children. Project packs are available online.
w: http://www.artsandkids.org.uk
An Arts Council England award of £78,000 to Live Music Now, Yehudi Menuhins charitable scheme, has been made to encourage a wide range of musicians from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds to consider outreach work as a career. The investment will enable Live Music Now to recruit musicians from areas in the UK that are traditionally hard to reach, and provide a training programme that will help them to become music leaders in their own communities.
An international whos who of cultural policy, planning and research has been launched online, containing profiles of experts in cultural policy. ConnectCP is an initiative of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies and the Boekman Foundation of the Netherlands. It aims to increase the international flow of ideas, skills and knowledge about developments in cultural policy, and to improve the quality of cultural policy debate by increasing access to and interaction between experts in the field.
w: http://www.connectcp.org
The Unicorn Theatre (pictured) at London Bridge has won a RIBA award, given for buildings that have high architectural standards and make a substantial contribution to the local environment. The only theatre to win in London this year, The Unicorn was designed by Keith Williams Architects as a contemporary space for children. Local school children played a role in a three-year consultation process about the new building, as well as the selection of its public art.
National charity Youth Music is planning to establish a new MusicLeader network in the East Midlands, and is seeking input to its development from musicians working with children and young people, music teachers, organisations that run projects with young people and employ music leaders, and organisations that offer professional training for musicians. The aim of the network is to help improve standards of music leadership so as to deliver better music-making opportunities.
t: 0115 914 6949 or 01332 203690; e: [email protected]
A new interactive website has been launched by the European Cultural Foundation, aimed at those in arts and cultural sectors who collaborate, create, share and produce work across borders in Europe. The site offers information and debate on European cultural co-operation, case studies of cross-border collaborations, signposts to project funding and links to key cultural organisations and networks.
w: http://www.labforculture.org
Charities that publish their financial information online are being given the opportunity to enter for cash prizes. The Charities Aid Foundation is offering five income-related awards to recognise online reports and accounts which demonstrate the highest levels of accuracy and transparency, and which communicate effectively with beneficiaries, donors and stakeholders. The winning charity in each category will receive £5,000, with additional prizes for the charities placed second and third.
w: http://www.cafonline.org/onlineawards
