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The Scottish Arts Council has appointed seven new members to its governing council, including its youngest ever member, nineteen-year-old Annie Marrs, a leader of Highland Youth Voice. Council members serve for three years and their responsibilities include developing and improving knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts in Scotland and increasing public accessibility to the arts.

Dance UK in collaboration with Dance Umbrella is holding a symposium based on the connection between dance and politics. The event is free and will take place at the South Bank Centre in London on October 23. t: 020 7228 4990; e: [email protected]

A new agency promoting, selling and commissioning the work of craftsmen, designer makers and applied artists has also set up a website to provide a one-stop virtual tour through a range of craft disciplines. Commission a Craftsman is a sister agency to Commission a Portrait, which represents more than 150 portrait artists. w: http://www.commissionacraftsman.com

A day of debate and workshops about engaging young people with arts activities will take place at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on November 12. The seminar, Learning to Listen, will be addressed by the Arts Minister, Estelle Morris and is free to practitioners working in the cultural, media or sports sectors. e: [email protected]; t: 020 7211 6185

The October issue of Cultured, a free monthly email publication for people working or studying in the arts and cultural sector in Scotland, will see the first publication of Cultured On Tape, produced to RNIB guidelines and to be released simultaneously with the e-bulletin. e: [email protected];
w: http://www.culturedmag.com

The National Network for the Arts in Health is hosting a conference, ‘Speak Out’, on November 12 at the Café Royal in London. The event will examine a range of current issues and practices in the arts in health. t: 020 7261 1317;
e: [email protected]; w: http://www.nnah.org.uk

Six regional museums have been awarded grants of up to £100,000 under a new initiative from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. The Regional Museums Initiative favours projects that involve touring and aims to provide funding for temporary exhibitions which will bring in new visitors and encourage them to keep coming back. It will enable museums to display works of art of ‘historical significance’ created before 1970.
w: http://www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk