A survey of digital marketing activities in the cultural sector has revealed that few organisations appreciate the opportunities created by digital media: although 70% of respondents expressed a wish to make greater use of digital media, over two-thirds have budgets of less than £10,000 for this activity. The survey, commissioned by London Calling, also found that 76% of respondents felt that their websites failed to meet all of the needs of their audiences. The findings were released at the launch of a new agency, London Calling Digital.
w: http://www.londoncalling.com
Re-Imaging Communities, a £3.5m arts programme aimed at tackling visible signs of sectarianism and racism, has been launched in Northern Ireland. The initiative will help communities replace existing paramilitary murals and emblems with positive imagery and focus on broader expressions of civic and cultural identity.
A new guide to recruiting, selecting, appointing and inducting trustees has been published by the Charity Commission. Finding New Trustees What charities need to know answers common questions faced by charities in this area and sets out a framework for the recruitment of trustees.
w: http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications/cc30.asp
In a move to challenge the notion that sight is essential to artistic achievement and appreciation, visual arts organisation BlindArt is planning an interactive, multi-sensory exhibition for this September. The exhibition, at Bankside Gallery in September will feature 75 works by visually impaired and sighted artists, including Anemone by Kate Wells (pictured). All the pieces in the exhibition can be explored by touch.
Based at the Brewhouse Theatre, a new £300,000 project called BOOST (Building On Original Somerset Talent) will be providing advice, support and training to the creative industries across Somerset. Although Somerset records more than 6,000 people employed in creative industries across 800-plus businesses, the sector is growing at half the regional rate and a quarter of the national rate.
The Society Of London Theatres annual Box Office Data Report has found that, despite the terrorist attacks of 7 July, 2005 was a record year for London theatres. 12,318,625 attendances were recorded at qualifying productions a rise of 2.4% from 2004, and an all-time high.
A new Performing Arts Mediation Service has been set up by the Independent Theatre Council in collaboration with CEDR Solve, the leading mediation dispute resolution service. The mediators for the scheme, all of whom are accredited by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, are drawn from a range of backgrounds including the arts, media, legal and business professions.
A free event about email marketing will take place at Sadlers Wells Theatre on 19 July, hosted by marketing software company Lyris. The conference, designed with arts organisations in mind, will feature technology guru Bill Thompson, and case studies from a variety of email marketers in the UK.
w: http://www.lyris.co.uk/conference
Arts Training Wales has established a new partnership, Cyfartal (Equal), whose aim is to help people from minority groups to join the arts workforce. Disability Arts Cymru, ProMo-Cymru and South Wales Intercultural Community Arts (SWICA) are also involved investigating the possibility of establishing apprenticeships, fellowships, work placements and other schemes for people who are currently under-represented in the arts workforce in Wales.
t: 029 2056 9898; w: http://www.a-t-w.com
Lift, the London International Festival of Theatre, and The Architecture Foundation have announced that a structure by architectural practice AOC with engineers Momentum and Mark Prizeman is the winning design for the Lift New Parliament (pictured). The structure will host performances, ceremonies, forums, talks, workshops, virtual conferences, installations, and exhibitions by day, and at night become an installation, transmitting sound and image, radio broadcasts, films and documentation of the days activities.
