Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Arts Council England has teamed up with Goldsmiths, University of London, to develop best practice guidance on using artificial intelligence (AI) in the cultural sector.
The work is being led by Dr Oonagh Murphy, Senior Lecturer in Digital Culture and Society at Goldsmiths, who has received a fellowship award from a three-year national research programme funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities... read more
Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Almost a quarter of secondary schools are not meeting a new government expectation for Key Stage 3 pupils to be taught an hour of classroom music a week, a survey has found.
Schools Week reports that the expectation was introduced in September as part of the government’s national plan for music, with similar expectations also introduced for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
However, a survey of senior... read more
Quarter of schools missing one-hour music target (Schools Week)
Tuesday, 07 May 2024
A scheme to renovate an Isles of Scilly building and turn it into a museum has secured an additional £3.4m in funding.
The project, led by the Council of the Isles of Scilly and the Isles of Scilly Museum Association, aims to restore and extend the Grade II-listed St Mary's Town Hall and turn it into a museum and cultural centre.
The latest money, which comes from a programme managed by Cornwall... read more
Tuesday, 07 May 2024
A theatre in Wales has said it hopes to become a destination for food, drink, and culture after announcing that an award-winning chef will open a restaurant at the venue.
Theatr Clwyd said Bryn Williams, a Michelin award-winning chef and restauranteur, will open a restaurant at the venue next year following the completion of a redevelopment project.
Liam Evans-Ford, Theatr Clwyd’s Executive... read more
Friday, 03 May 2024
Cuts to a wide range of services across Birmingham including arts and culture are based on "imagined data", it has been claimed.
According to The Guardian, sources inside the Labour-led council said the local authority’s finances were in disarray as a result of a faulty IT system rollout and a £760m equal pay liability bill, which led it to effectively declare bankruptcy, and could be hugely... read more
Wednesday, 01 May 2024
London drama school ArtsEd has revealed it will delay publishing a public statement and summary of conclusions from an investigation into alleged misconduct by its senior leadership team.
The school's Acting Chair, Farida Mannan, said that although an update had been due on 30 April, it would now be deferred until 28 June.
Earlier this year, the board appointed barrister Ghazaleh Rezaie to... read more
Tuesday, 30 April 2024
A campaign group has written an open letter to the Charity Commission expressing “deep anxiety” over the financial management of Seven Dials Playhouse after the charity failed to submit its annual return and financial statements, which are 89 days overdue.
In their letter, the campaign group Actor at the Centre (AATC) calls on the Charity Commission to “urgently engage” with the trustees at Seven... read more
Letter To The Charity Commission (The actor at the centre)
Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Cleveland Orchestra has reportedly withdrawn from performances in the UK over cost concerns, according to a report in Slipped Disc.
The orchestra had reportedly accepted invitations to play at both the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh Festival as part of a ten-stop European tour this summer.
Slipped Disc claims the orchestra would have incurred a sizeable financial loss from the UK stops, which... read more
BBC PROMS CAN NO LONGER AFFORD US ORCHESTRAS (Slipped Disc)
Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Shakespeare North Playhouse and Warrington-based independent theatre company Not Too Tame have partnered with Warrington Borough Council to offer a programme of local events and workshops aimed at communities who may otherwise not be able to afford theatre tickets.
The scheme will see spoken word events and workshops held across Warrington in May and "pop-up performances" of Twelfth Night in June... read more
Partnership to ‘open the door’ to theatre for thousands in Warrington (Warrington Guardian)
Tuesday, 30 April 2024
A community theatre in Kent has asked the public for help maintaining its programme of activities after rising energy and supply costs have strained its resources.
The Astor Theatre in Deal said it has a £20,000 financial shortfall and needs to raise money to help support events, including theatre, film screenings and creative classes.
A crowdfunding campaign has raised nearly £4,000.
Board... read more
Monday, 29 April 2024
An art gallery in Oxford has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £25,000 toward a £2m renovation.
The campaign by Modern Art Oxford, run on Art Fund's Art Happens platform, will support an overhaul of the Victorian building's ground and lower ground floors.
Plans for the gallery include revamping the entrance, creating a social area with a digital display, a new gallery for exhibitions... read more
Monday, 29 April 2024
More than £100,000 in grants will be split between 24 theatres across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales through the Theatres Trust Small Grants Programme.
The scheme, run with The Linbury Trust, funds projects with up to £5,000 to improve the resilience, sustainability, or accessibility of theatres by making building improvements.
Recipients of the latest round of funding include... read more
Monday, 29 April 2024
Residents and cultural organisations are being asked to share their views on a draft strategy for the future of arts and culture in Central Bedfordshire.
Central Bedfordshire Council said the draft strategy, which will become the district's first arts and culture strategy, sets goals to create a "thriving cultural landscape" over the next five years.
A consultation on a draft library services... read more
Monday, 29 April 2024
Building work to transform a former industrial building in Loughborough into a creative arts centre will begin this month.
The BBC reports that the £2.5m project to create a large-capacity, multi-purpose cultural centre for the town at the Generator Hall is due to be completed by next spring.
The Generator CIC, a community interest company managed by volunteers, said it has "been working hard for... read more
Friday, 26 April 2024
Attendees at the Northern Music Awards in Manchester have criticised a lack of support for young musicians.
Speaking to The Guardian at the event, singer and songwriter Lisa Stansfield said: “There aren’t enough platforms for young musicians. It’s made very, very difficult by this government for them to do anything.
"They don’t have any money, and they’re being charged to go everywhere to do gigs... read more