Policy & Funding
City of Culture creates extra £1bn investment in local economies of winners
The UK City of Culture (UK CoC) initiative has resulted in more than £1bn of additional investment in the local economies of winning cities, research has found. A study carried ou…
Equality Act ruling: Arts sector reacts to landmark judgment on definition of a ‘woman’
Organisations and individuals in the arts sector have responded to the UK Supreme Court Equality Act ruling, with a number criticising the judgment, while Arts Council England has…
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…
Deadline for ACE review submissions extended
The deadline for submitting responses to a survey that will inform the ongoing review of Arts Council England has been extended by two months. The survey was initially due to close…
Welsh National Opera musicians accept deal after part-time proposals dropped
Musicians from the Welsh National Opera (WNO) orchestra have said that they are putting a year of industrial action behind them after voting to accept a deal that ends the threat o…
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…
Serota warns of political interference in arts if ACE is abolished
Arts Council England (ACE) chair Nicholas Serota has defended the continued existence of the organisation following the announcement that all quangos across government will be cons…
Trump’s culture cuts ‘jeopardise independence celebrations’
Donald Trump’s cuts to US cultural agencies could jeopardise the delivery of the “extraordinary celebration” he has called for to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the D…
‘Fragmented’ creative sector must embrace collaboration in face of ‘global megatrends’
The UK’s “notoriously fragmented” creative industries sector could be “rapidly eroded” unless it rethinks its approach to public funding, according to a new report. The Next Ac…
New research highlights economic and ‘spillover’ impact of subsidised arts
The wider arts and culture sector contributed £19.1 billion of Gross Value Added (GVA) to the economy in 2023, with £1.35 billion stemming from publicly funded organisations, acc…
DCMS ministers receive £20k in freebies since Labour election win
Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have declared nearly £20,000 in hospitality for various high-profile events since Labour was elected to power, late…
Former bank to become new cultural venue after securing grant
A former bank in Sheffield city centre is set to be transformed into a new cultural venue after securing £1 million in funding from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority…
Irish Culture Minister failed to disclose issues with Arts Council’s €6.5m IT system
Ireland’s former Culture Minister, Catherine Martin, was aware of a botched €6.5 million IT system at the country’s Arts Council six months before the controversy became public….
Director says government too ‘terrified’ of Trump to protect UK TV
Director and screenwriter Peter Kosminsky has said the UK government is too worried about “poking the US presidential bear” to protect British TV storytelling. Speaking to Holl…
Tax breaks, mergers and overseas opportunities: New thinking on arts funding
Wigmore Hall’s announcement that it would voluntarily withdraw from Arts Council England’s National Portfolio, having successfully raised £10m to become self-sustaining, has i…
Legacy grants totalling £18m announced by Foyle Foundation
Funding for legacy projects ‘of long-term benefit, national importance and strategic value’ has been announced by The Foyle Foundation. The £18m funding will support 14 projec…
Arts ‘bearing brunt’ of university cuts, British Academy president warns
Arts and humanities subjects are “bearing the brunt” of cuts to the university sector, according to British Academy president Julia Black. Delivering the keynote address at the Bri…
US culture cuts: Grants worth millions cancelled
Thousands of US culture and history programmes awarded grants by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) have had their funding pulled with immediate effect as part of a fe…
Tax breaks and ‘streamer levy’ urgently needed to support UK’s drama sector, MPs say
A new report has called for an urgent package of support for the UK’s ‘crisis-hit high quality drama sector’. The report from the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee said “al…
Music industry urges MPs to continue accepting free tickets
Politicians should feel able to accept free concert tickets so they can develop their understanding of the issues facing the sector, according to the Council of Music Makers. The o…
