Local authorities

Sheffield's live music venue, The Leadmill, has launched a campaign to save it from closure that has resulted in more than 5,000 supporters emailing Tom Hunt, the new leader of Sheffield City Council.

Hunt, who has been in post less than three months, has yet to publicly express an opinion about the 'hostile' takeover of The Leadmill, 

The Leadmill's campaign - dubbed ‘Battle for the Soul of Sheffield’ - is calling on Hunt to back its bid to save the historic venue and has asked supporters to lobby him via email or postcard or by using the #TellTom hashtag on Twitter/X.

“This isn’t just about The Leadmill,” a spokesperson from the venue said. “Everything that’s made our city what it is today is at stake. 

“It may start with us, but it goes much further than that. If we don’t stop this hostile takeover, the very soul and character of our great city is at risk.”

The spokesperson said that the venue’s 80 staff members were “all so tired of the ongoing situation”, adding that “time and energy is being spent on trying to retain our jobs and The Leadmill”.
 
Hunt “of all people, should know that this hostile takeover risks fundamentally and forever changing the course of our city, heritage, and culture”, the person said.

Bristol City Council has said it will miss a deadline for a lessons learned report into its budget-busting refurbishment of a city centre concert hall.

External auditors Grant Thornton had called on the council to issue a report "as soon as possible" and prior to the completion of the Bristol Beacon project, which has seen costs rise steeply from £48m to £132m. 

The venue is set to reopen to the public in November, but the council has admitted that its full report will not be published until February 2024.

Grant Thornton criticised the council for “underestimating the complexity and difficulty” of the project, resulting in the spiralling costs.

Council management said its review exercise began at the end of June and is “designed to provide critical lessons learned and stimulate important insights".

When it reopens, the council-owned venue will be managed by the charity Bristol Music Trust.

Bradford’s City of Culture team has been awarded £300,000 by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

At is most recent meeting, the authority approved the funding which will go towards building capacity for the city’s year of events in 2025.

According to local press, the latest investment will help 15 organisations with capacity building and training, develop approximately 30 events, and create some 10 jobs and 200 volunteering opportunities.

At the meeting, Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: "It will create a long lasting impact for the residents of Bradford - that’s what we want City of Culture to be."

The funding follows a £20m cash injection from government, Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund announced last month.

The Alun Armstrong Theatre in County Durham is set to close this week due to repair costs that outstrip the town council’s budget.

Stanley Town Council, which leases the premises from Durham County Council, said the theatre no longer meets health and safety requirements due to problems including broken boilers, a leaking roof and damp.

The council said it was told that it would cost more than £100,000 to replace the boiler system, which would be “outside the realms of [its] financial capabilities”, the BBC reported.

“In addition to this, the roof in areas needs replacing, there is flooding in the cellar, damp throughout and the sewage blocks up regularly,” it said.

“Unfortunately, the building is not as it was in its heyday. However, the town council has endeavoured to keep the building open to the public and service users for as long as possible.”

It said it had given notice on the lease in February and would “look forward to investing into the community more without the burden of paying for a large, aged building”.

The theatre has been operating at the venue within Stanley Civic Hall since 1961. 

Local amateur dramatics groups expressed fears that members would be left with nowhere to perform once the venue closes. Chair of Oxhill Youth Club Gale Wilson called the closing of the theatre “the death knell for the town”.

Building owner Durham County Council said that it was assessing options. 

“Until the lease ends, any operational decisions regarding the building, including its use by community groups, are made by the town council,” said the council’s Asset Strategy and Property Manager Anna Wills

“We know the building is used and valued by the community and any feedback from the public will be carefully considered in determining the site's future.

“We are currently working with the town council to carry out surveys of the building to identify any repairs or investment that may be needed to make it suitable for future community use and we will not be making any formal decisions until these assessments are complete.”
 

Newham Council and the University of East London (UEL) have announced a partnership aimed at increasing cultural and creative opportunities for young people in the area.

The partnership, based at Stratford Youth Zone, will see a £733,000-a-year investment go towards supporting creative and performing arts opportunities in Newham.

The venue will host social and emotional learning programmes, along with activities focused on drama, music, dance, fashion, games design, filmmaking, screenwriting and visual and digital arts. 

The programme will also include education workshops led by art students from UEL and the university will draw on staff and student expertise in education, youth work, social work, business, events and hospitality to involve young people – particularly those deemed disadvantaged and at-risk – in research and the production of arts activities. 

The partnership will also seek to make available opportunities for young people to undertake work placements, mentorships, internships and apprenticeships offering experience and paths to career opportunities in the creative industries.

“Providing exemplary youth service provision is a central objective of my administration because we want Newham to be the best place for a child and young person to grow up, so that they reach their potential and thrive,” said Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz.

“Through this pioneering collaboration with the University of East London, the Council’s Youth Empowerment Service will progress with its ambitious plans to offer a range of enriching and empowering opportunities for young people through an exciting curriculum anchored in culture, creativity and the arts.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has accredited three new Creative Enterprise Zones in the capital.

Westminster, Brent and Islington are the latest areas to be given Creative Enterprise Zones status, bringing the total number to 12.

Across these zones, £1.2m will be allocated to nine projects seeking to make workspaces more sustainable, which is expected to benefit more than 500 businesses in the creative industries.

The Creative Enterprise Zone scheme launched in 2018 and was designed to help communities, artists and businesses enter the creative sector by providing more permanent workspaces, creative skills training, and support for start-ups.

According to the Mayor’s Office, the 12 zones will deliver 71,000 sqm of affordable creative workspace, support 800 businesses, deliver 500 jobs and support 5,000 young Londoners to get jobs in creative industries by 2026.

Khan said the zones have been “a game changer for culture in London”.

“I’m proud that our investment has helped these areas to protect local artists and enable them to bounce back from the impacts of the pandemic faster and stronger than the wider industry,” he added.

“It is vital that we continue to invest in our creative future, providing opportunities for young and emerging talent to thrive as we continue to build a better and fairer London for everyone.”