The ‘new normal’: will the only artists left be enthusiastic amateurs?
Our much-discussed social and mental health relies on having something to live for and cherish during and after this existential s…
Posts
Five steps towards a new future
A structured reflection process can support arts leaders to find tentative answers to the overwhelming problems they are facing. R…
Artists with learning disabilities deserve critical review: we can all help make that happen
Theatre critics don’t engage with the work of artists with learning disabilities, but it’s time to change that and we…
A fairer Lottery – would it work here?
Elsewhere in the world national lotteries are being run in ways that don’t rely on the profits from gambling, while providin…
Learning the art of ‘un-producing’
How are small theatre companies living through the current crisis – and what does the future hold for them? Matthew Austin&#…
No community spaces? No community arts
Community arts organisations are at the heart of the response to the Covid-19 crisis, but their spaces are threatened by arguments…
When the Games can’t go on
The stories behind the Olympic Games and other cultural mega-events are important, says Beatriz Garcia. Now is the time to look be…
The best laid plans…
Being fleet of foot and digitally prepared means MSL is ahead of most in re-configuring its programme online. But in a landscape t…
The joy of mentoring
The rewards of helping an early career fundraiser with their goals and development are amazing, says Samir Savant. So anyone think…
Why are arts workers always pigeonholed?
By labelling people as either creators or administrators the sector is losing out on a host of valuable skills, says Rachel Griffi…
After the crisis – a new model for the arts?
Subsidy doesn’t shield or separate arts activities from the economic system; it enables them to be part of it, says Stephen…
Still waiting for the breakthrough
2008 saw the publication of New Flow, a radical vision for a new framework that abandons narrow definitions of the arts and embrac…
Crises can bring out our best selves: let’s not waste yet another one
Post-Covid, the twin pillars of cultural policy should be social justice and environmental concern – but collectively we hav…
Failure seems to be the hardest word
When it's time to rebuild, the cultural sector will have to start owning up to failure if it is to learn from its previous mis…
Cultural infrastructure doesn’t deserve to be the poor relation
Investment in soft power assets can deliver huge financial returns – and could be the catalyst for redressing regional econo…
Why hitting diversity targets won’t make your organisation inclusive
Inclusion means ensuring workers can fulfil their potential, regardless of their background, identity or circumstance. Is now the…
Reasons to be cheerful
“You may be down, but you're not out”, says Ron Evans, who is convinced this pandemic is poised to be the biggest…
Can cultural organisations ever be radical?
Once-ridiculed activists are increasingly setting the agenda, but can radical practices co-exist with organisational forms adopted…
A gentle way to change the world
The combination of the pandemic and impending climate change means the world we have known is about to change. As young people wor…
Falling between the cracks
The financial fallout from the cancellation and postponement of hundreds of orchestral performances is taking a heavy toll on both…
Maintaining focus in the eye of the storm
Once the initial storm of Covid-19 closures and lockdown subsides, rapid and focused medium-term planning will be essential for th…
When the audiences go, what happens to the buildings left behind?
While our concert halls, theatres, galleries and museums sit empty, dedicated teams take centre stage to make sure venues are read…
Food bags, laundry and companionship… a different type of community service
Being at the heart of its community is the hallmark of Slung Low’s creative work. Its doors may be closed but its community…
Working together to articulate cultural value
When the coronavirus crisis ends and government is prioritising what happens next, nothing will be more important than being able…
