Wednesday, 12 September 2012
A new initiative to cut arts organisations’ energy costs has been launched by Arts Council England (ACE) which is encouraging the sector to join the Government Procurement Scheme’s energy procurement framework. This offers energy at a cost lower than market prices and is open to all not-for-profit arts organisations, museums, galleries and libraries.Helping arts and culture organisations become... read more
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
The Musician’s Union has gained the support of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over its fight against unfair pay in the music sector. At the TUC Congress held in Brighton earlier this week, their motion was passed asking the TUC for help tackling the idea that musicians are hobbyists who are happy to work for free. They also had a motion passed for the TUC to lobby the government to standardise... read more
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
A competition offering €40,000 prize money to reward innovation in musical communication is moving into its second round. The YEAH! Young EARopean Award looks for musical formats and staging that appeal to young people and is open to those working across the musical professions, including orchestras, theatres, teachers and artists. The deadline for entries is 31 January 2013.
www.yeah-award.com
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
The Musicians Union (MU) has published an education pack for those running the recently created Music Hubs. Arts Council England has awarded funding to 122 Hubs across the UK, designed to get children involved in music and offer them opportunities to develop their talents with portfolio organisations. The pack includes information on issues such as child protection and employment rights and will... read more
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
A turbine blade gifted to the Tate Modern by protest group Liberate Tate is to be put under consideration by their board to see if it will become a permanent part of the galleries’ collection. Liberate Tate, who protest against the Tate Modern’s sponsorship deal with BP with acts of ‘creative disobedience’ deposited the turbine blade entitled ‘The Gift’ in the turbine hall in July 2012, along... read more
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Artists and arts organisations in Wales are being encouraged to contribute their opinions to a government ‘task and finish’ group investigating the way the arts and education sectors work together. A questionnaire asks how different ages, special educational needs and genders are currently supported and whether planned arts activities support literacy and numeracy learning. They also want... read more
Monday, 10 September 2012
A report forecasting Local Government spending over the next eight years sees a £16.5bn funding gap by 2020 and a further squeeze on heritage and culture funding. The report, published by the Local Government Association,(LGA) also predicts further outsourcing of Culture and Recreation services to trusts and the private sector. The LGA also expects a reduction in planning and redevelopment money... read more
Monday, 10 September 2012
A campaign to get the Government to return £425m to the Big Lottery fund is gathering pace as nearly 3,000 people sign up to a Big Lottery Refund campaign. Launched by voluntary sector charity the Directory for Social Change (DSC), the campaign aims to persuade the government to repay the £465m they believe is owed to the National Lottery charity distribution arm, due to government re-direction... read more
Monday, 10 September 2012
The successful New Arts Sponsorship Grant fund that encourages business investment in the arts has been granted a further £150,000 by the Scottish Government. The scheme matches every £1 of sponsorship obtained by an arts organisation with £1 of additional investment and is estimated to have generated an extra £4.5m in the Scottish cultural sector since its inception in 2006.
www.scotland.gov.uk/... read more
Monday, 10 September 2012
A musical scheme that eases the transfer between primary and secondary school has been praised by Ofsted. 'Musical Bridges: Transforming Transitions’ is an initiative set up by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to get Year 6 students involved in the musical activities of their prospective secondary school. The scheme’s successful work with schools in Cornwall will be featured in a report published this... read more
Monday, 10 September 2012
A new social media site for the cultural sector, World Cultures Connect, is aiming to promote British work internationally and to enable artists to form links with arts organisations across the world. The project is being led by Visiting Arts, who describe the project as an ‘intelligent’ arts directory combined with a professional online network. It will allow online communities working in... read more
Monday, 10 September 2012
Campaigning group Culture Counts has written to Scottish Local Authority leaders to express their feelings on the importance of the arts to communities, and to encourage a commitment to the arts from those leaders. Their letter specifically highlights the economic and social benefits of art programmes. The campaign is supported by many of the leading creative bodies in Scotland, including the... read more
Monday, 10 September 2012
New pension rules are to come into effect in October 2012 for larger organisations, with smaller organisations being required to comply in stages in subsequent years. The new rules require workers to be subscribed to a work based pension scheme and for employers to offer a 3% minimum contribution, but employees may opt out if they wish. The Pensions Regulator has published an online leaflet on... read more
Friday, 31 August 2012
Scotland is to launch a commemorative blue plaque scheme by celebrating significant Scottish figures from arts and culture, to tie in with their Year of Creative Scotland 2012. Historic Scotland is taking suggestions via its website on who should appear on the plaques, which will be mounted on former homes or other buildings that are synonymous with the person’s creative achievements. 12 plaques... read more
Friday, 31 August 2012
A new social media site for the cultural sector, World Cultures Connect, is aiming to promote British work internationally and to enable artists to form links with arts organisations across the world. The project is being led by Visiting Arts, who describe the project as an ‘intelligent’ arts directory combined with a professional online network. It will allow online communities working in... read more