Newsreel

Eight new arts schemes judged to have made an outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the environment have been recognised in the latest round of Civic Trusts Awards for architecture. Awards recognise buildings that demonstrate excellence in architecture or design, sustainability, inclusive design and make a positive social, cultural, environmental or economic benefit to the local community. This year’s winners include The Apex, Bury St Edmunds; the Lyric Theatre Belfast (pictured); the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh; the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff; The Hepworth Wakefield; the Holburne Museum of Art, Bath; the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres, Stratford-on-Avon; and the University of Winchester’s Performing Arts Faculty Studios.

HMRC has introduced changes to the information required on Gift Aid declaration forms which may mean that charities have to contact all previous donors and ask them to sign updated declarations. New donors must now confirm that they pay UK income tax and/or capital gains tax at least equal to the amount that will be claimed by the charity. HMRC has not stated that current Gift Aid declarations are valid, as they have done for past amendments, but law firm Bates Wells & Braithwaite advises charities to update Gift Aid declarations for new donors immediately, but to wait for confirmation from HMRC before contacting existing donors.

UPDATE: Since AP went to press, Bates Wells & Braithwaite has received clarification from HMRC of its intentions. HMRC will continue to accept Gift Aid claims on donations made using forms based on the wording in the old HMRC model declaration until 31 December 2012. It is also going to revise its guidance to confirm that chairites do not need to ask their exisiting donors to supply a new declaration with the new wording to support their donations for gift aid purposes. BW&B said: "We think that HMRC could have handled this much better. They have updated the gift aid declarations without giving thought to the consequences…"

Arts Development UK is preparing to document “as complete a picture as possible” of the challenges facing local authority arts departments across the UK. It has been collecting financial data on local government arts spend for the past six years and is keen to continue this to support future advocacy for local arts delivery. Whether or not they are members of Arts Development UK, authorities are being invited to complete a questionnaire giving information about their current strategies and budgets. The survey will be open until 4 May.

The UK’s City of Culture competition is to be repeated for 2017. Derry-Londonderry will be the first UK City of Culture in 2013, after it won the competition in 2010. The winner of the second title will be announced in 2013.

The impact of arts projects in healthcare is reviewed in a new report assessing medical literature published from 2004-11. The Arts and Music in Healthcare report gives an overview of 103 studies of projects in healthcare environments, the majority of which focus on music interventions. The Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity commissioned the research and will use it as a basis for work carried out by its Hospital Arts programme.

Museum and gallery professionals are being invited to nominate an exceptional member of staff, or a volunteer, for the Museum Prize Trust’s Unsung Museum Heroes award. Ten individuals will receive the prize, to be announced in June. Winners will be profiled in the Museums Journal, given a tour of the British Museum and invited to attend the award ceremony for the Art Fund Prize 2012. The deadline for nominations is 12 April.

A new award for Wales-based drama writers has been launched by BBC Cymru Wales and National Theatre Wales. Writers are invited to submit a full-length, unperformed, English-language script to be considered for the Wales Drama Award. First prize is £10,000 and the opportunity to develop a script with either BBC Cymru Wales Drama or National Theatre Wales. Two runners-up will each receive £1,000 and a script development opportunity. The competition closes on 16 June.