Newsreel

A strategy for building relationships with the Higher Education (HE) sector has been published by Arts Council England. Key actions within the strategy include the establishment of high level strategic relations with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and the implementation of significant pilot projects with clusters of HE institutions.
w: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publications/publications.php

A Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) scheme to develop student creativity in schools through the teaching of Shakespeare is being given a £200,000 investment by Creative Partnerships. Launched earlier this year, the RSCs Learning Network (pictured) involves 1012 hub schools, each with its own local network of 68 schools with which it shares best and innovative practice. The additional funding from Creative Partnerships will enable the RSC to extend the reach of its scheme to more schools.

The latest round of funding for Liverpool Capital of Culture has opened for applications. Grants of between £500 and £5,000 are available for diverse community arts and sports activities to celebrate the citys heritage and its 800th birthday. Grants of between £500 and £10,000 are available specifically for arts and cultural organisations based in the city who want to deliver benefits to communities and build the capacity of artists.
t: 0151 225 2316

Rannsachadh Mòr, the largest ever survey into Gaelic and the arts, generated a total of 1,250 responses after being sent to 1 in 4 houses in the Western Isles and Skye and Lochalsh. The study confirms an important link between the Gaelic arts and language survival, with 80% of respondents agreeing that the growth and development of the Gaelic arts are essential to Gaelic language maintenance. The study also found that three-quarters of those surveyed see the Gaelic arts as a major motivation for young people to learn and develop their Gaelic.

Learning To Drive, a new eLearning scheme to help trustees improve their skills, has been launched by the Governance Hub in partnership with Suffolk Association of Voluntary Organisations. The scheme outlines the roles and responsibilities of trusteeship and covers the main principles of the National Occupational Standards for Trustees and Management Committee Members and the Code of Governance.
w: http://www.trustee-elearning.org.uk

The National Galleries of Scotland website has been recognised with an award from the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions. Judges commended the site for covering multiple venues well, and for its user-friendly ticketing function, provided by ts.com.
w: http://www.natgalscot.ac.uk

Theatre company, Improbable, will be running its second Devoted and Disgruntled event on the 13 and 14 January 2007 at Battersea Arts Centre. The event, which first took place early in 2006 and was attended by 200 people from the theatre community, called on theatre practitioners to work on how to make better theatre and make theatre better. Facilitated by Phelim McDermott, it will explore what practitioners are devoted to and what they are disgruntled about.
e: [email protected]

The UK Film Council is assessing the impact of its Cinema Access Programme by commissioning consultants to evaluate the accessibility of film and cinema consumption for those with sight or hearing impairments. Two separate surveys on audio-described cinema and subtitled cinema will take place, and anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing, blind or partially-sighted can complete the relevant survey online, by telephone or by post. Contact Tom Wilkins.
t: 0161 839 3311; e: [email protected]; SMS: 07969 995038