A report examining different approaches to measuring the economic contribution of arts and cultural organisations’ work has been published by Arts Council England (ACE). Written by BOP Consulting, it aims to offer guidance to organisations undertaking or commissioning economic studies. ACE said: “Understanding the economic contribution of the organisations we fund is both an important advocacy tool and is crucial to our goal of making the arts more sustainable.”
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The Southbank Centre is opening its doors to night owls this summer, as it plays host to midnight-to-dawn, interactive performances by Zecora Ura. The multi-media production begins with a performance and DJ set, moves on to a live documentary and hot chocolate, and concludes with a “twisted” game of hide and seek before participants share breakfast at dawn. Zecora Ura is a site-specific theatre company based in London and Rio de Janeiro and the event is part of Southbank’s ‘Festival of the World with MasterCard’.
Forty-four affordable artists’ studios will be the latest addition to the Thames Gateway’s creative industries centre, High House Production Park (HHPP), pending approval from stage two of Arts Council England’s capital investment programme. The £2.4m project is a partnership between HHPP and Acme Studios, who will run the studios. Acme is involved in a government-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, which has enabled research into contemporary artists’ studio practice to be fed into the design.
Arts Council Northern Ireland has published a guide on EU funding and will hold a one-day event, with the aim of improving Ireland’s international links and helping those seeking funding abroad. Published collaboratively with Creative Partnerships, the guide contains information on organisations including the European Commission, Ecorys, Visiting Arts, the British Council and Euromedia Training. A database of more than 300 cultural network organisations has also been made available online.
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A new jazz development agency for the North of England will be fronted by Jazz Yorkshire, after it, alongside NWJazzworks and JazzAction, loses its funding at the end of September. The Jazz North consortium will receive £465,000 from Arts Council England over two and a half years. Working with Jazz Yorkshire will be representatives from Manchester Jazz Festival, Creative Arts Promotion and Live Music Now.