The future of cultural devolution
The UK is among the most centralised and unequal countries, which has a profound impact on where culture and creativity has flouri…
Posts
Community arts should not be segregated from ‘real’ art
This week Fun Palaces celebrates its tenth anniversary. During that decade, as Kirsty Lothian and Amie Taylor write, they have bec…
The future of the London Sinfonietta
In response to ACE's decision last November to cut the London Sinfonietta's funding by 41%, Chief Executive Andrew Burke&n…
Safeguarding artistic freedom
Last week in Stockholm, Josette Bushell-Mingo hosted the opening ceremony of IFACCA’s 9th World Summit on Arts and Culture….
The coronation: A showcase for ‘world class’ orchestras
If there is one thing the UK does well it’s royal celebrations, and none come bigger than a coronation. But, as Mark Pembert…
Eurovision has brought me out in a cold sweat
Europe, Eurovision, pressure-selling, ticket queues and… Candide? Robin Cantrill-Fenwick examines what goes wrong whe…
Arts funding in the Carolean era
London’s South Bank has been an extraordinarily successful regeneration story. Elaine Bedell thinks it’s now time for…
Why are disabled people asked to work for nothing?
In a survey of disabled arts professionals, Unlimited found 87% had been asked to do something for nothing. Lucy Peters asks Jo Ve…
Visa system needs urgent reform to ensure global standing of UK’s creative industries
Without urgent reform there is a danger our creative industries – once the envy of the world – won’t be able to…
Anatomy of a project grant application
Applying for project funding from Arts Council England is time-consuming, fraught and very often unsuccessful, as Tony Haynes know…
UNBOXED: unpacked
A new evalution into UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK has been published. Vikki Heywood believes it shows the programme was a good us…
Where’s the Arts Premium for schools?
The cultural learning sector was hoping Jeremy Hunt would use his first budget to deliver one of the Conservatives’ manifest…
Creative decision-making is better shared
There is, David Micklem hopes, a quiet revolution happening. A revolution in how our arts and cultural spaces are taking decisions…
What caused the axe to fall on the BBC Singers?
The announcement of the closure of the BBC Singers – the UK's only full-time professional choir – has caused wides…
How to get ahead in arts management
If you don’t have industry connections, trying to break into the sector can be overwhelming. So, courses that provide work e…
Diversity data: colour or ethnicity?
With all the ambiguity around ethnicity terminology, Kevin Osborne is gradually coming to the view that identifying people by thei…
What’s happening to sector support for marginalised people?
The latest in a series of closures of organisations supporting and advocating for diverse groups is cause for concern, writes Aman…
What does DCMS reform mean for the UK’s creative industries?
Last week’s reshuffle saw DCMS lose its digital remit to a new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Benjamin K…
Leading culture in our time
The start of a new year is always a time of reflection and optimism. But this year Hilary Carty finds she’s rather hesitant…
Can ‘artistic citizenship’ be taught?
When asked if the performing arts should simply entertain or whether they have a higher social calling, Jonathan Vaughan is very c…
The arts divided cannot stand
Kevin Osborne calls on leaders of the major classical music organisations to join his campaign to close the racial equity gap as a…
Mind your language
In the world of public relations and, more importantly, in the world of activism and advocacy, language is critical. Binita Walia…
Museums’ dirty secret: a failure to shift the dial on inclusion
Why do museums remain stubbornly non-inclusive? Because the solution is deeply unpalatable for many stakeholders, writes Amanda Pa…
Unboxing the future
There has been considerable criticism of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK – from the sector, in the press and in parliament. He…
