The first five Medals for Arts Philanthropy, created by HRH The Prince of Wales, have been presented at a ceremony organised by Arts & Business, of which Prince Charles is President. The medal recognises the contribution of philanthropists in the UK. The first to be honoured are Dame Vivien Duffield CBE, Roger de Haan CBE, Dr Carol Høgel CBE, Mr Martin and Carmel Naughton, and Lord and Lady Sainsbury, chosen after open nominations from a shortlist of 20. The medals will now be presented annually.
w: http://www.aandb.org.uk
A national arts manifesto is being developed by the National Campaign for the Arts (NCA), in consultation with a wide range of artists and arts organisations through a UK-wide seminar tour. Previous NCA election and arts manifestos (written after consultation with NCA members) will be examined, and the NCA will then draw together contributions from across the country and collate them into a new Manifesto for the Arts. A full calendar of seminars will be published soon.
w: http://www.artscampaign.org.uk
An Incident Enquiry Form for recording accidents and near-misses in the theatre has been adopted by the Theatre Safety Committee (TSC), a cross-industry body which brings together theatre specialists, trade unions and employers. From January, the form will be available to everyone involved in the theatre industry, and aims to help theatre professionals to understand better the health and safety issues that arise in their working environment. The form is anonymous, which it is hoped will encourage people who might usually be reticent to come forward without fear of retribution.
The Arts Theatre in London is reopening following renovation, and will be available for bookings from January. Opened in 1927, the 347-seat venue was originally a private members’ theatre in order to avoid the censorship of the Lord Chamberlain. In the 1950s it was run by Sir Peter Hall, who presented the English-language première of Samuel Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’ there in 1955.
w: http://www.artstheatrewestend.com
Mind the Gap theatre company has opened its £2.1m performing arts workspace, Mind the Gap Studios. A theatre company that supports people with learning disabilities to become professional actors, it’s new space will help the company to create and tour productions of classic texts and original new work.
w: http://www.mind-the-gap.org.uk
Architecture Week, the annual national celebration of architecture, is to be discontinued, following a comprehensive review by Leeds Metropolitan University for Arts Council England (ACE). A new policy to support art, architecture and the built environment will provide a framework for developing future initiatives. The decision not to continue Architecture Week was agreed with ACE’s partners the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Architecture Centre Network.
w: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk
The Creative Blueprint, a plan of action written by Creative & Cultural Skills in collaboration with employers, unions and government, has been launched in Wales and Northern Ireland. The plan aims to address the skills and training gaps prevalent in the Welsh workforce, and ensure skills development in the Northern Irish workforce. It recommends further research on, and better access to, information on the types of skills and qualifications needed to enter the sector, better opportunities for career progression and better guidance for managers and leaders within the sector. Just under 900 businesses in Northern Ireland and more than 1,600 in Wales have been identified as being within the creative and cultural industries.
w: http://www.ccskills.org.uk
The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) has launched a new website to ask for views to help it plan for the future. BIG distributes National Lottery funds for health, the environment, education and charitable purposes, and feedback from the website consultation will help to shape funding policies from 2009 to 2015. The survey will close on 27 February 2009 and a summary of the responses will be published in summer 2009.
w: http://www.big-thinking.org.uk/consultationsurvey.aspx