The Jerwood Foundation plans to work with Hastings Borough Council to explore the potential for a new gallery in Hastings to house the main body of the Jerwood Art Collection and receive temporary exhibitions. The gallery would allow the Jerwood Foundation’s collection of 20th and 21st century British art to be displayed in public for the first time.
w: http://www.jerwoodvisualarts.org
Responses are solicited for new research into the issues surrounding professional dance and pregnancy, parenthood and returning to work. The research, by Dance UK, Vincent Dance Theatre and Creative & Cultural Skills, will explore how companies and choreographers can better support women in work before, during and after pregnancy, and help parents – both mothers and fathers – to continue to make work, perform and tour. The final research document will provide an analysis of dancers’ and companies’ experiences, best practice case studies and advice on how to support dancers in continuing to perform after having children.
e: jane@vincentdt.com
Two ‘save our theatre’ groups on the social networking site Facebook, with a combined membership of over 3,000, are campaigning and petitioning the Government to save the Theatre Royal in Lincoln, after Lincoln City Council announced that its 2008/09 grant of £172,850, will be the last it gives to the theatre. Competition from new cultural facilities such as The Drill Hall, The Collection and The Terrace has “significantly improved… Lincoln’s cultural offer over the last few years”, said Councillor Hilton Spratt, but he admitted that cutting the funding was still a “very difficult decision”.
The ‘Save the Watermill Appeal’ has announced that it has reached its £3m target, three years after it was launched. Over 4,000 individuals, trusts, foundations and businesses donated money, which was used to buy The Watermill premises and fund a number of improvements. These included creating extra space for patrons, workshops and meetings, refurbishing the actors’ accommodation and building a new rehearsal studio.
w: http://www.watermill.org.uk/save_the_watermill.html
The final phase of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council’s ‘Their Past Your Future’ programme has been launched. The project explores 20th and 21st century conflict and its impact. Grants of between £500 and £10,000 are available for venues to develop programmes, workshops, exhibitions and events designed to inspire inter-generational activities around the themes of remembrance and commemoration, identity, reconciliation, citizenship, diversity, asylum, conflict resolution and peacekeeping. The deadline for applications is 16 January 2009.
w: http://www.mla.gov.uk/aboutus/grants
When, why and how individuals are moved by a piece of art will be examined in a new, interdisciplinary research project at the Department of Museum Studies and the Department of Engineering at the University of Leicester, in collaboration with The Art Fund. The project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council as part of its ‘Beyond Text’ initiative.
w: http://www.beyondtext.ac.uk/
A report looking at the potential market for captioned, signed and audio-described performances has been published by the Visitor Development and Access Initiative. People are more likely to attend theatre as they get older, but they are also more likely to have a sensory impairment, creating a potential market of 3.9 million sensory impaired people across the UK. Recommendations for marketers include a diary to ensure assisted performances do not clash, which has been started by The Society of London Theatre. Attracting young people and families is also explored.
w: http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/access