Monday, 14 October 2019
The Government’s “biggest ever single investment in cultural infrastructure” will pay for building maintenance in musuems, technology for libraries and regeneration projects.
Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan has announced a new £250m Culture Investment Fund, calling it “the biggest ever single investment in cultural infrastructure, local museums and neighbourhood libraries” in England.
The fund comprises four separate allocations: £7m for Coventry and the UK City of Culture programme, £18.5m for York’s National Railway Museum, £90m to extend the Cultural Development... read more
Friday, 04 October 2019
New figures from the Department for Education show the number of arts, media and publishing apprentices has fallen by a third since 2015 – but the data doesn’t tell the full story.
Participation in creative apprenticeships has fallen by a third over the past three years, data released by the Department for Education (DfE) shows.
There were 1,830 apprentices in arts, media and publishing in the 2017/18 year, according to the department’s figures, down 32% from a high of 2,700... read more
Wednesday, 25 September 2019
Joint venture aims to 'supercharge' UK arts lobbying and business development
Creative England and the Creative Industries Federation have jointly announced they will merge, with Creative England's CEO becoming responsible for the day-to-day business management of the new organisation.
The Creative Industries Federation (CIF), which advocates on behalf of the UK’s creative... read more
Friday, 11 October 2019
Deputy Leader Tom Watson says his party would compel the Lottery operator to release ticket sales data to address the unequal distribution of funding.
Photo:
K J Payne
Labour would compel the release of National Lottery ticket sales data to provide “transparency” and encourage fairer distribution of money for good causes like the arts if elected, Deputy Leader Tom Watson says.
The party also says it wants to consult on introducing “new mechanisms to better... read more
Thursday, 10 October 2019
New analysis of employment and productivity in the creative industries concludes “it is unlikely that the rest of the UK would catch up” with London in less than 20 years, “even with an ambitious and effective set of policies”.
Photo:
Andy Bird (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Employment in the UK’s creative industries outside of South East England would have to grow five-fold over the next 20 years to match the economic clout of London’s creative sector, according to a new report.
Research by the Creative Industries Policy & Evidence Centre (PEC) also found that... read more
Thursday, 10 October 2019
A festival left with a £30,000 deficit after Waltham Forest’s decision claims the authority is “seeking to justify a refusal to pay compensation”.
Photo:
Bill Boaden
A festival offered £35,000 to contribute to the London Borough of Culture claims the council responsible is “seeking to justify a refusal to pay compensation” after its explanation for withdrawing the offer changed.
Waltham Forest Council’s position is that HighTide Festival did not meet the... read more
Thursday, 10 October 2019
The agency has said it will not fund applications that don’t commit to paying artists union minimum rates “at the very least”.
Photo:
Rhodri ap Dyfrig (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Arts Council of Wales (ACW) has introduced minimum pay rates for artists, saying it will not fund applications that don’t commit to meeting pay levels recommended by unions and professional associations.
The rates will apply to applicants seeking National Lottery grants of all sizes, new funding... read more
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Monday, 07 October 2019
New figures show a continuing trend of disabled adults engaging with the arts – but an ongoing decline in creative pursuits among children.
Photo:
University of Michigan
Adults’ engagement with the arts dropped off slightly in the 2018/19 year, despite an overall trend towards higher engagement over the last decade.
‘Taking Part’ figures released by DCMS indicate about 77% of English adults engaged with the arts at least once in the past 12 months, a drop of about... read more
Wednesday, 02 October 2019
The rise of populism, rejection from investors, a volatile labour market, climate change, digitisation and "economic crisis recovery": a new study surveys the threats and opportunities facing Europe's creative and cultural sectors.
Photo:
Denis Bochkarev (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Funding pressures, digitisation and the dominance of global players in local markets are among the pressing challenges facing the culture and creative sectors in Europe, according to a new European Union (EU) report.
The study for the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education (CULT... read more
Wednesday, 02 October 2019
Protesters say the funder’s draft strategy “neither addresses the urgency of the climate and ecological emergency, nor grasps the chance to trumpet boldly the pivotal role arts and culture play in bringing about societal changes”.
Photo:
Culture Declares Emergency
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has cuts its sponsorship links to oil giant BP as climate change campaigners turn their attention to Arts Council England (ACE).
The theatre company has called time on an 8 year partnership in which BP supported its discounted tickets offer, allowing RSC to offer... read more
Tuesday, 01 October 2019
A survey of arts leaders, teachers and musicians finds composing is being sidelined, with unclear progression routes and declining confidence among aspiring young composers.
Photo:
Eaglebrook School (CC BY 2.0)
Young people and children are being denied the opportunity to learn music composition skills due to serious shortcomings in music education, a new report claims.
The Can Compose National Music Educators’ Survey from national new music charity Sound and Music found that, despite being widely... read more
Tuesday, 01 October 2019
Library and museum staff planning 14 days of industrial action hope it will be "a wake-up call for the council to come to the table for constructive negotiations".
Photo:
Jon Farman
Library and museum staff in Bradford are to take industrial action in protest at planned cuts to their services, following recent strikes by other museum workers.
Members of the Unite union voted for a total of 14 days action from October to December – a move described by Unite regional officer... read more