Monday, 17 June 2019
Government officials are encouraging the Hallé Orchestra to resubmit plans for a school in Stoke-on-Trent next year. The orchestra hopes to provide mentoring for 11 to 16-year-olds, opportunities to perform in its choir and youth orchestra, and a musician in residence scheme.
Monday, 17 June 2019
An increasing reliance on sponsors and ticket sales has “put pressure on the [festival] team to support established artists and ‘safe’ work”, evidence submitted by the festival to a Scottish parliamentary review of arts funding in the country has found. The organisers say the cost of pursuing donors and grant funding means money is being diverted from the festival programme.
Funding squeeze is making Edinburgh Festival ‘safe’ (Edinburgh News)
Friday, 14 June 2019
Manchester Arena claims it could lose business if the city council approves a second 20,000-seat venue. John Sharkey, Executive Vice President of European Operations at SMG, which runs the venue, said the city would have to double the number of events it hosts each year to sustain both.
Friday, 14 June 2019
Artistic Director Rufus Norris admitted he had taken his “eye off the ball” in April when hundreds of writers complained about the company’s lack of diversity. Eight of 15 plays in its newly-announced season are by female writers.
Thursday, 13 June 2019
The Eastern Angles Theatre Company has launched a campaign to fundraise £50,000 for a new site adjacent to Ipswich Waterfront. A company spokesman said it plans to apply to Arts Council England for a grant to cover the remaining £150,000 cost.
Theatre company’s bid for £200k community arts hub (Ipswich Star)
Thursday, 13 June 2019
Work will begin in August on a new café and rehearsal space at Omnibus Theatre. Artistic Director Marie McCarthy said the new spaces would “enrich the experience for both audiences and theatre makers who use our facilities on a daily basis” and attract new patrons.
Thursday, 13 June 2019
Organisers warn the city council’s “salami slicing” strategy could cause the event’s decline or even demise. Arts groups have lost direct funding and are being told to share resources or collaborate on their programmes.
Edinburgh Festival funding slashed by city council (Edinburgh News)
Wednesday, 12 June 2019
Protests are planned for Widdecombe’s first show since her comments on gay conversion therapy prompted two other venues to cancel bookings. Lowther Pavilion chairman Tim Lince said “the right to free speech in the theatre was long fought and should be protected”.
Wednesday, 12 June 2019
The inaugural Largo Arts Week will star comedian Phil Jupitus and renowned sculptor David Mach. Organiser Dougi McMillan said talent in the Lower Largo villages is “often overlooked” and hoped the festival would address that.
Famous faces will headline village’s first arts festival (The Courier)
Wednesday, 12 June 2019
A court has ruled the school wrongly claimed a door between its Reid and Assembly buildings was a fire exit to claim VAT. Its historic Mackintosh building has burned down twice in the past four years.
Tuesday, 11 June 2019
Birmingham Airport will fund the company's latest film 'After Bach - Freefalling with Bintley', which focuses on its award-winning programme for adults with severe learning disabilities. The partnership will also include other activities such as dance workshops with airport staff.
Birmingham Royal Ballet announces partnership with Birmingham Airport (Shropshire Star)
Tuesday, 11 June 2019
More than half a million people attended a Capital Theatres group event in the last year, Chief Executive Duncan Hendry said. He attributed the group's success to new mobile-friendly website where nearly 58% of sales are now made.
Capital Theatres group closes curtain on record year (The National)
Tuesday, 11 June 2019
A group in Newmarket in Suffolk hopes to raise £650,000 to convert the Palomino Pub into a permanent arts space. Campaigner Lousie Eatock said the centre would offer events and exhibitions, adult and youth classes, and music nights.
Group calls on Newmarket residents to back art centre project (Newmarket Journal)
Monday, 10 June 2019
Reiach and Hall Architects will renovate the existing Edinburgh gallery and convert a neighbouring warehouse into a two-storey installation space by 2020. The project has "opportunities for artists and audiences at its heart", gallery Director Fiona Bradley said.
Reiach and Hall submits plans to revamp Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket Gallery (Architects' Journal)
Monday, 10 June 2019
Performances of 'Rotterdam' at the Nuffield Southampton Theatre have been called off after one of its cast was injured in a "homophobic hate crime", the show's producers said. Actress Lucy Jane had stones thrown at her from a moving car while kissing her girlfriend, castmate Rebecca Bantlava, in the street.