A campaign to open up Londons cultural attractions to disabled people has been launched by disability arts development organisation, Shape. The Open the Door campaign, which has enlisted the support of some of Londons major arts organisations, is offering venues information and training on how they can improve access for disabled customers, including seminars on developing a disability action plan and employing disabled and deaf people.
w: http://www.shapearts.org.uk/shapetickets
Tate galleries have released full details of all loans and acquisitions. Published as part of the organisations accounts for 200406, the list included £600,000 on the Upper Room by Chris Ofili, the piece which prompted a Charity Commission investigation into the organisations governance procedures and £483,000 on Ishi's Light by new Trustee, Anish Kapoor.
In a competition linking with the Identity theme of National Poetry Day 2006, the Childrens Poetry Bookshelf is asking children, aged 711 years, to write a poem on the theme of Me. Teaching materials are available online to help students write poems suitable for competition entry.
w: http://www.childrenspoetrybookshelf.co.uk
A consultation is taking place in the East Midlands with people who manage, host or deliver music projects aimed at young people, to help develop an initiative which aims to provide access to training and professional development for music leaders at every stage of their career. Two questionnaires are available online, aimed at musicians, practitioners and organisations which employ people to lead music workshops for young people. A series of focus groups will also take place across the region in October. To reserve a place, contact Jennie Jordan or Frances Newbury.
w: http://www.musicleader.net
Oldham MBC and its Cultural Partnership have commissioned management consultants Knight Kavanagh & Page to develop a performance management system to monitor the impact and progress of their initiatives aimed at increasing adult participation in the arts, drama, music and creative activities across the borough.
Billed as an ethical ticket exchange forum, a new website aimed at stamping out ticket touting is enabling sports, theatre and music tickets to be bought and sold at face value.
w: http://www.stoptout.com
LONSAS, the online resource for London-based teachers, artists and arts organisations, is holding an event at the Hayward Gallery on 28 September. The theme of the evening is speed-dating, echoing the organisations commitment to the online matchmaking of artists and schools. Seventy per cent of all London schools are now registered users of the LONSAS website.
w: http://www.lonsas.org.uk
Northern Print Studio, the North East based centre for contemporary printmaking, is to re-locate to a new creative hub in the Ouseburn Valley from its North Shields base where it has been situated for 13 years. The organisation will be branded Northern Print as part of the relocation, and will offer 24 hour access to many professional self-employed artists who rely upon its facilities to produce their work. Its opening exhibition, Making a Mark, will feature work by international artists including collagraphs by Eriko Yamamoto (pictured).
A new website and free monthly e-newsletter has been launched to promote classical music, opera and ballet in Northern Ireland. Subscribers to Classical Arts NI will receive advance notice of season launches and special events, as well as ticket offers. Classical Arts NI is supported by Belfast City Council and the National Lottery Millennium Commission.
w: http://www.classicalartsni.com
This years Big Draw takes place from 1 to 31 October with over 1,000 events nationwide. The launch event, Amazing Space, at Somerset House in London on 24 September, will focus on drawing architecture, with Norman Foster speaking on his experiences and launching a Blueprint Drawing Workshop.
w: http://www.thebigdraw.org.uk