Embracing the excitement of resilience
Resilience in the arts may be linked with finance – but for Debbie Richards, it’s really about making bold and excitin…
Posts
Spying on your audiences
How can you find out what your audience really thinks? Ron Evans recommends observing them using your very own spy network.
Unpicking prejudice
It is exciting to explore and own the biases that we impart to audiences, argues Bea Udeh.
Sharpening your sense of purpose
Tamara McNeill and Thanasis Spyriadis introduce the 'Theory of Change' approach, and Paul Steele explains how he used it t…
Being prepared
Arts venues programming an act that could attract the attention of trans activists should be aware of the issues involved and the…
How to… develop a fundraising strategy
What would the ideal fundraising strategy look like? Michelle Wright discusses the key elements – from inspiring donors with…
A different kind of dialogue
Approaches to assessing cultural value are stuck in a financially reductionist ‘value = money’ orbit. We should be exa…
The value of creative thinking
What exactly do we mean by creativity, and how will the UK measure up when the world education league tables start assessing it in…
Creative ageing: a flourishing field
There has been a dramatic expansion in the number of organisations supporting arts activities by and for older people in the UK &#…
A snapshot of older audiences
What are the characteristics, interests and motivations of the over-65 demographic? Lucie Fitton reveals all.
How does it feel to have dementia?
The arts have helped scientists gain a better understanding of how it actually feels like to live with dementia. Julian West share…
Off the shelf
As local authority cuts continue to squeeze culture and heritage budgets, libraries offer a way for councils to preserve access to…
The consistency illusion
The arts are important because they matter to us, and any attempts to further justify them lead to an impoverished and less human…
Doing the impossible
The success of Hull City of Culture shows what can be achieved in the arts when we come together to achieve a common goal. Positiv…
How can cultural districts be democratic?
If cultural districts are to operate sustainably they need to make sure the voices of all stakeholders are heard, says Beatrice Pe…
Fostering young talent
Nurturing young people’s talent is a key part of improving diversity in the arts sector, says Jacqueline Haxton.
A kinder commissioning process
It can be brutal to have your work rejected. Tom Harvey has devised a ‘Humane Commissioning Manifesto’ to fight back a…
Are we misunderstanding cultural democracy?
Has Arts Council England got cultural democracy wrong? Steven Hadley and Eleonora Belfiore argue for a more thorough questioning o…
Embedding the arts in healthcare
Clinical psychologist Katherine Taylor explains how Greater Manchester is putting the arts at the heart of its mental health strat…
Measuring the difference you make
Arts organisations are under growing pressure to demonstrate social impact. Emma Taylor-Collins explains how they can gain robust,…
A stage for experimental theatre
Ovalhouse’s FiRST BiTES programme ensures that it takes the risks necessary for creating diverse and experimental theatre, e…
Using data to find the right schools
How can an arts organisation be sure it is working with schools that represent the community? Lucie Fitton and Ashleigh Hibbins su…
Business skills for creators
Effectively monetising creative work ensures that artists can continue to do what they love. Ros Gilman offers advice on pricing,…
Arts in schools: the end of an era
As performance targets squeeze the arts to the margins of the curriculum, only the most courageous of state schools are continuing…
