Monday, 19 February 2024
Arts Council Northern Ireland (ACNI) has published its first 10-year strategy for public consultation.
The funding body developed the long-term plan last year following engagement with artists, arts organisations and representatives across government, businesses and the public sector.
It is now seeking responses to the proposals from individuals, businesses, and organisations via an online survey... read more
10-Year Strategic Plan, 2024-34 (Arts Council Northern Ireland)
Monday, 19 February 2024
The British Museum deactivated the responses on a social media post after being flooded with comments from Chileans demanding that the institution return two moai statues from Easter Island.
Comments of "return the moai" began to inundate the museum's social channels after Chilean social media influencer Mike Milfort, who has 7.5m followers on TikTok, encouraged his fans to spam the museum’s... read more
Thursday, 15 February 2024
A project looking at the future of the BBC’s performing groups has concluded with the announcement that a sustainable future has been secured.
The BBC Singers will remain integral to the BBC’s classical music provision, working in partnership with The VOCES8 Foundation.
BBC Singers staff will continue to be employed by the BBC and remain core to Radio 3 and the Proms.
The announcement comes... read more
Thursday, 15 February 2024
Soho Theatre, London, has issued a statement apologising for an “incident” on 10 February that is understood to have involved a comedian directing chants of "free Palestine" toward an Israeli man.
The National Portfolio Organisation said it was “sorry and saddened” by the incident that took place at a performance of Paul Currie: Shtoom on Saturday, 10 February, which “caused upset and hurt to... read more
Paul Currie in antisemitism storm (Chortle)
Thursday, 15 February 2024
Schoolchildren in the West Midlands will benefit from a new pilot scheme promising free travel for theatre visits.
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is offering the scheme, estimated to be available to more than 300 pupils in Dudley.
Any school in Brierley Hill, Dudley that receives a minimum 25% pupil premium will qualify for transport when booking tickets to a Grand Theatre production.
The Richardson... read more
Wednesday, 14 February 2024
A law that would have allowed the restitution of artefacts on moral grounds will not apply to national museums and galleries, the government has confirmed.
Currently, most national cultural collections in England are prohibited from deaccessioning items. However, sections 15 and 16 of the Charities Act 2022 would have allowed trustees to request permission from the Charity Commission if they felt... read more
National museums to be excluded from law enabling restitution on moral grounds (Museums Association)
Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Greenham Trust has granted £20k of match funding to Watermill Theatre to help “secure the future work” of the former Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisation.
The support is being offered via a fundraising alliance established by Greenham Trust to support the Newbury venue following its 100% ACE funding cut announced in November 2022.
The alliance, which also includes The... read more
Wednesday, 14 February 2024
A group of 30 Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) responsible for producing around a third of the portfolio's total carbon output have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by two-fifths since 2018, a new report commissioned by ACE has revealed.
The Culture, Climate and Environmental Responsibility annual report 2022-23 utilises data provided by 2018-23 NPOs... read more
Arts Council England Environmental Responsibility Report 2022/2023 (Julie's Bicycle)
Wednesday, 14 February 2024
The National Coal Mining Museum has proposed using geothermal heat to help it decarbonise.
The museum pumps an average of 1.5m gallons of water out of Hope Pit daily, which could be used as an alternative energy source. The scheme, which would cost an estimated £2m, could also heat nearby homes,
Mine Director Shaun McLoughlin told the BBC: "Here at the National Coal Mining Museum, we've... read more
Tuesday, 13 February 2024
Plans to de-list a statue of the transatlantic slave trader Edward Colston so it can be permanently housed in a museum are set for approval by Bristol council.
The Grade II-listed statue was toppled by protesters in 2020 before being plunged into Bristol Harbour. It was included in a temporary exhibition at the city's M Shed Museum but has been out of public view since January 2022.
Bristol City... read more
Tuesday, 13 February 2024
Internationally renowned speakers have withdrawn from engagements at the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA) after members of the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) called for a boycott of the institution in a dispute over pay and concerns about leadership.
Staff at the RSA, who went on strike in December, are calling on fellows, guest speakers, academics and the public not to attend or... read more
Monday, 12 February 2024
Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) has voted to continue supporting the redevelopment of Ipswich Museum after a £2.7m overspend.
The museum closed in October 2022 for renovations and expansion, initially budgeted at £8.7m, half of which was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF).
Now with an estimated cost of £11.4m, after rising inflation and supply chain issues, IBC voted on 6 February... read more
Monday, 12 February 2024
The Chief Executive of the Royal & Derngate in Northampton has said the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) that forced the building to close for a month in September is less of a problem than initially feared.
The theatre reopened to audiences in October and is operating at full capacity despite parts of the foyer being closed.
Chief Executive Jo Gordon said: "The... read more
Monday, 12 February 2024
Musicians from London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) walked out of a rehearsal on 7 February ahead of a performance in protest over unpaid wages.
Around half the players, who are all freelance, took action after voicing objections to five months of overdue payments, according to a report in The Observer. A subsequent performance by LCO at Cadogan Hall went ahead after other musicians were brought in to... read more
The Observor (Musicians walk out after London orchestra leaves them unpaid for months)
Thursday, 08 February 2024
A West End theatre has cancelled a speaking event to be hosted by journalist Douglas Murray called 'Standing with Israel' following claims that staff refused to work after receiving outside pressure.
The event was due to be held at the Apollo Theatre on 4 February to raise scholarship and support funds for student members of the Israel Defense Forces' military reserve force.
Less than five hours... read more