Arts Audiences
Government urged to establish emergency fund for at-risk arts organisations
A permanent fund providing support for at-risk organisations should be established by government to address the “escalating crisis” in the arts sector, a new report has said. Pre…
Orchestras reach growing number of young people
The number of events aimed at children and young people delivered by UK orchestras has nearly tripled since 2019, according to the findings of a new report. The Association of Brit…
Scottish youth music projects share £1.7m
A total of 61 projects supporting young people’s access to music education and industry opportunities across Scotland are receiving a share of £1.73m. The investment is being de…
Introduce national arts pass for under 25s, says report
The UK government should establish a national arts pass for under 25s, according to a new report. The Arts for All: Tackling Barriers to Arts and Cultural Participation in London r…
Mercury Music Prize winners launch initiative for young Black women
London jazz quintet Ezra Collective has announced a new initiative to help young Black women gain backstage experience in the music industry. The winners of the 2023 Mercury Music…
£20m regional museum fund opens for applications
A new £20m fund announced by the government in February has opened for applications. The Museum Renewal Fund is for regional museums with a ‘local authority link’. Funding is avai…
Paris theatre plans to reopen following 99 day occupation
A Paris theatre which was forced to close in December after being occupied by hundreds of unhoused young people has said it is working on a reopening plan after a mass eviction by…
Arts and culture websites ‘among worst for accessibility’
A new report has revealed museum, theatre and gallery websites rank among the worst performing in terms of meeting accessibility needs. The 2025 WebAIM Million Report, which assess…
ACE chief Henley rejects ‘ugly’ criticism of community engagement efforts
Arts Council England chief executive Darren Henley has responded to renewed criticism that the funding body prioritises community engagement over artistic excellence, calling chara…
Inequalities in school arts take-up labelled a ‘national scandal’
Children living in the most deprived parts of England are less likely to study expressive arts subjects at GCSE and A Level, according to new research, with the situation being lab…
BBC commits to new radio drama slot
Performers’ union Equity has welcomed confirmation from the BBC that longform audio drama will remain a feature on national radio. The move follows criticism of the BBC’s decisio…
Youth arts charity gets £2.7m to redevelop venue
Westminster City Council has awarded £2.7m to Paddington Arts to fund a major redevelopment and extension of its building. Founded in 1988, the charity runs creative programmes fo…
Match funding campaign raises £2.7m for the arts
A match funding campaign has raised £2.7m for hundreds of arts charities across the UK. The Arts for Impact campaign, run by the Big Give, ran online from 18 to 25 Marc…
Museum admission fees ‘raise little income and keep out potential visitors’
A study by US-based research project Remuseum has found museums in the United States that do not charge entry typically have lower costs per visitor. The research analysed publicly…
Disabled audiences report struggles with online ticket booking
Disabled audience members are nine times more likely to struggle with an online booking to attend an arts event, according to research from audience specialist consultancy Indigo….
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust vows to stay ‘radical’ amid decolonisation row
The chief executive of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has vowed to continue taking an “absolutely radical” approach to inclusivity following media criticism for a project exp…
Visitor attraction numbers draw closer to pre-pandemic levels
Visitor numbers to the UK’s leading attractions reached 157.2 million in 2024, according to figures published by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA). The total,…
‘National treasures’ travel to regional museums
‘National treasures’ from major museum collections will travel to smaller institutions across the UK in the latest round of the Weston Loan Programme. The grant programme, run by t…
Youth arts projects awarded crime cash
Money seized from criminals will be invested in projects working with vulnerable young people in West Yorkshire, including initiatives focusing on music, drama and martial arts. We…
DfE announces National Centre for Arts and Music Education
A National Centre for Arts and Music Education will be established to promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school,…
