Latest News
MPs probe PwC’s ‘cosy’ contract for ‘flawed’ Covid loan management system
Senior civil servants from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have been quizzed by MPs over the decision to hand PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) a £1.9m contract in February 2023 to develop a data collection and stor…
Council grants 10-year extension on Covid loan for performing arts company
A Blackpool performing arts organisation has had a Covid-era loan from the city’s council extended to support its recovery. Blac…
Unions sign agreement with Bradford 2025 on creative workers pay and conditions
A memorandum of understanding between four trade unions and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture has been agreed, securing creative wo…
Greenpeace stages ‘performance art’ protest at oil giant’s HQ
Activists from Greenpeace UK have staged an elaborate performance art protest at Shell’s London HQ to highlight the oil and gas…
‘Troubling drop’ in socioeconomic diversity in UK creative industries
The number of people working in the creative industries from working class backgrounds is declining, according to findings from a…
Debt-ridden council denies plan to sell major cultural venue
London Borough of Croydon is not planning to sell one of its major cultural venues, its mayor has said. In a statement released on…
ACE-funded theatre cancels all events amid uncertain future
A Halifax theatre in receipt of Arts Council England (ACE) funding as part of the National Portfolio has announced it is closing i…
Henley urges investment in cultural education
Addressing inequality in cultural education requires sustained long-term investment, not “short-term governmental funding cycles”,…
Performing arts leaders departing roles at highest rate since 2018
At least 44 leaders within the performing arts sector moved on from their roles last year, the highest number since 2018, analysis…
Music in curriculum leading to pupil benefits
A musician-in-residence scheme in a Nottinghamshire primary school has improved pupils’ concentration and behaviour, and crea…
Music education hubs facing £160m ‘black hole’
There is a £32.3m annual budget shortfall between the demands being placed on music education hubs to deliver the National Plan f…
EXCLUSIVE: NPOs merge following ACE talks
Two poetry charities have joined forces following discussions with Arts Council England (ACE) in what is the first merger of two m…
National Lottery Community Fund tells charities to hold off applying for £362m programme
The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) is urging voluntary and community organisations to delay applying to its £362m communi…
Creative Scotland funding package sees small shift from Edinburgh and Glasgow
The share of core funding for arts and culture organisations in Edinburgh and Glasgow is set to fall slightly, following previous…
Welsh Culture Minister refutes claims of ‘crisis’ in the country’s arts sector
The Welsh government’s culture committee has said it has “significant concerns” about whether Wales’ Culture Minister Jack…
Ticketmaster tells MPs price rises during purchase are ‘an illusion’
Prices of concert tickets sold by Ticketmaster do not change between the time they are added to an online basket and the point of…
Museums ‘must take risks’ to boost engagement, citizens’ jury says
Museums in Birmingham must be prepared to take risks to drive engagement and inspire, a report by a citizens’ jury convened by Bir…
Key dates for the arts sector in 2025
As 2025 gets into swing, the year ahead will bring a raft of events that will have significant implications for the arts and cultu…
Arts University Bournemouth considers compulsory redundancies
Jobs at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) could be at risk as the institution tries to address ongoing financial pressures, it has…
Crafts Council magazine closes after more than 50 years
The Crafts Council has closed its twice-yearly Crafts magazine due to “ever-rising costs” and declining advertising revenue. T…
Arts Council England responds to Sacha Lord claims over Covid grant investigation findings
An Arts Council England investigation into a now revoked Covid-era grant did not determine whether misleading information had or h…
Scottish multi-year grants: Cultural organisations receive big funding boost
A total of 251 cultural organisations in Scotland will be funded for the next three years through Creative Scotland’s multi-year f…
Cardiff University to axe 400 academic staff and close its music course
Cardiff University has announced plans to cut 400 academic staff jobs and close a number of courses entirely, including music. The…
Women must ‘sue senior managers’ to tackle music industry harassment culture
Endemic sexism in the music industry will not change unless women take legal action against senior managers who discriminate again…
ACE revokes Sacha Lord Covid grant over ‘unintended oversights’
A Covid-era grant of more than £400,000 has been withdrawn by Arts Council England (ACE) following concerns raised last year over…
British Council ‘at risk of disappearing’ over government Covid loan
The British Council is in danger of disappearing within a decade due to ongoing financial challenges, the organisation’s chief exe…
Changing Faces
