Cornish shipwreck museum put up for sale

A Cornish museum with a collection of more than 7,000 shipwreck-related items has been put up for sale.

The Shipwreck Treasure Museum in Charlestown, which is owned by Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit, is on the market for £1.95m.

The museum is known for having one of the largest collections of its kind in the UK, including artefacts recovered from the Mary Rose and the Titanic.

The proposed sale has raised concerns among local people about items that have a strong connection to Charlestown.

A museum spokesperson said it is hoped that some items with "specific heritage interest to Charlestown" will stay in the village.

Cornish historian Elizabeth Dale said items which were donated by local groups and families should not be sold off.

She said: "It's sad for Charlestown on a local level, but it's sad for Cornwall as a whole because we're losing a wonderful museum."

Rural touring companies to benefit from press support

The National Rural Touring Forum (NRTF) has launched an in-house rural and regional press agency to provide its members with specialist publicity support while also highlighting "the stories, challenges and successes of rural touring and rural life."  
    
The agency will act as a remote PR department - writing press releases, checking strategies, maintaining press lists and managing communication with media. 
  
Holly Lombardo, Director of NRTF, said: “We want the Press Agency to be an important advocacy tool and contribute significantly to the visibility of rural and community touring across the UK.  
  
“Smaller arts organisations often have less capacity for press and PR coverage. Publicity is the thing our members have said they’d like more help with, so we are delighted to respond to that with dedicated support in this area.” 
 
  

Pentabus moves to new premises

Rural touring company Pentabus has annouced it is moving to new premises at the recently refurbished Ludlow Assembly Rooms.

Having spent the past 40 years on the farm estate at the Old School in Bromfield, Pentabus said the move will make the organisation more accessible to artists and audiences, adding that it will work alongside the Assembly Rooms team to ensure a thriving creative community in the heart of Ludlow.

Verity Overs-Morrell, Executive Director at Pentabus, said: "The entire Pentabus team are thrilled to make Ludlow Assembly Rooms Pentabus' new home, deepening our existing close ties. 

"The warmth received during our recent production of Driftwood [at the Assembly Rooms] and our Young Writers showcases was truly heartening."

Steve Catanach, Interim Business Manager at Ludlow Assembly Rooms, said: “Everyone at Ludlow Assembly Rooms is delighted to welcome Pentabus to our building. 

"Whilst we will continue to maintain and broaden our own programme of cinema, live events, and workshops, it’s fitting for us to now be home to one of the most esteemed national theatrical production companies.

"We look forward to enjoying the mutual benefits that come from sharing our resources and knowledge. Together we will be able to provide high quality, theatrical productions that will be accessible to Ludlow’s residents and visitors alike."

Rural arts in Northern Ireland receive £400k

A total of 63 rural arts projects will share £400,000 of funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, it has been announced.

The money, which is coming from the third round of the National Lottery's Rural Engagement Arts Programme, will go to community groups, arts organisations and local authorities in communities across Northern Ireland.

Organisations set to benefit include Dylan Quinn Dance Theatre Company in Fermanagh and Omagh, which has been awarded £9,000 to undertake a 40-day programme of dance workshops.

Meanwhile, £5,640 will go to Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Craobh Boirche in Newry, Mourne and Down, which will use the money to provide traditional Irish music classes. 

Gilly Campbell, Director of Arts Development at Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said: “We know that taking part in arts activities can raise self-esteem, boost confidence and motivation, as well as alleviate isolation and loneliness. 

The Rural Engagement Arts Programme has supported a total of 135 arts projects in rural areas with fudning of £898,780 since its establishment in 2022.

Film and TV worth over £5m to Cornwall in 2022

Film and TV production was worth more than £5m to the Cornish economy in 2022, new figures reveal.

The data comes from a Screen Cornwall economic impact analysis into Gross Value Added (GVA) by the sector.

It found there were 422 filming days and 101 pre-production days in the county during 2022, which generated an estimated GVA of £5,040,000 – an 8% increase on 2021.

Screen Cornwall also announced it will receive a further £395,650 through the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Managing Director Laura Giles said the GVA figure was “a significant contribution for our rurally dispersed sector”.

“For the first time, we have a reliable estimate of what film and TV production is worth financially to Cornwall’s economy," she added.

“Momentum continues to grow for both location filming and independent production, so this funding boost comes at an important time.

“A diverse and robust talent pipeline is vital to developing a healthy screen ecosystem, so people are at the heart of our vision for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to become the UK’s most vibrant, rurally dispersed content production region.”

New funding round for Northern Ireland's rural arts programme

Rural arts organisations in Northern Ireland are being invited to apply for funding as part of a programme to increase access to and participation in the arts.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland's Rural Engagement Arts Programme (REAP) was launched last year.

The £1.5million inititiative is now on its second funding round, with grants from £500 to £10,000 available.

The focus of the scheme is to tackle isolation and loneliness through the arts. It was conceived as a post-pandemic recovery programme aimed at rural communities that were particularly hard hit by Covid-19.

Projects already funded through REAP include Glenlough Community Choir in rural North East Antrim, and Portstewart-based Big Telly Theatre Company, which created a touring, interactive piece of 'hybrid street theatre'.

Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said REAP will "increase opportunities for people living in rural communities to engage and participate in meaningful arts activities, enriching their lives for the better. I would encourage organisations to apply.”

Welsh cultural hub receives £36k grant

The Neuadd Dwyfor Arts Centre in Pwllheli has received a £36,000 grant from Arts Council of Wales to develop a new programme.

The funding will allow the cultural hub, situated on the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, north-western Wales, to offer more live events, including music, cabaret, comedy, dance and theatre.

The theatre and cinema is due to reopen this week following a period of maintenance work to safeguard its historic building, which was built in 1900 and has been an entertainment space since 1902.

Recently completed renovations include re-rendering the external red brickwork, renewing the lead work and installing new windows. 

“This is a new and exciting chapter in the long history of Neuadd Dwyfor, thanks to significant investment to protect this important resource by Cyngor Gwynedd with the support of the Welsh Government,” said Councillor Nia Jeffreys, Cabinet Member for Cyngor Gwynedd's Economy and Community department.

“I am also grateful to the arts council for their support in developing a contemporary arts programme that will attract audiences for this new chapter."

Arts Council Northern Ireland awards £110,000 to community projects

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has awarded £110,000 to 22 projects through its Small Grants funding programme.

The initiatives receiving support span the regions of Down, Mid-Ulster, Armagh, Fermanagh, Antrim and the North West.

“Thanks to National Lottery players and money raised for good causes, we are delighted to announce today funding to support 22 fantastic projects, creating more opportunities for people to engage with the arts, from grassroots level projects through to professional productions,” said Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

“This valuable funding programme will support a variety of high quality arts projects in locations across Northern Ireland, including performances, workshops and tuition.”

The Lurgan and Armagh George Russell Festival Society has received funding to support its George Russell Festival, a history, literature and art festival that began on 1 April and continues until 10 April. 

Funding was also awarded to Tempo Maguires GAC to provide weekly low-cost traditional museum classes; Lilac Cancer Support Ltd to recruit an artist to work one day per week in the Art Development Studio at its Community Hub; North West Cultural Partnership to fund a May to July festival celebrating the opening of a new £1.8m arts centre, Seaview Integrated Primary School for a 10-week block of dance classes; Down Academy Pipes and Drums for a music tuition programme at a local primary school; and Africa House NI for a series of arts development workshops and training for the African diaspora community. 

National Youth Theatre partners with Netflix on youth access programme

National Youth Theatre has announced IGNITE Your Creativity, a partnership with Netflix that aims to introduce young people to backstage and technical careers in film, TV and theatre.

The programme is designed to offer opportunities to more than 500 young people aged 14 to 25 in South Wales, West Yorkshire and the North East of England in its first year.

“Theatre is one of the great pipelines to TV and film but sadly the pipeline of opportunity for so many young people has been broken for so long,” said Paul Roseby, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of National Youth Theatre.

“Certain parts of the creative industries are growing, but ironically so is the skills gap in production talent. This partnership will help redress the imbalance”.  

The programme is currently recruiting young people in Newport, South Wales, where participants will work with Urban Myth Films and their Newport-based film studios, the Sherman Theatre, National Youth Arts Wales and local community organisations and schools. 

The programme will expand to West Yorkshire and the North East of England later this year, delivering 20 free community and school workshops in each area. It will also offer set and theatre visits and free week-long courses led by industry professionals.

“Our industry has a pronounced absence of socio-economic diversity partly because it’s freelance, which makes it tough for those from less privileged backgrounds to gain a foothold,” said Anne Mensah, Vice President of UK Content at Netflix.

“IGNITE Your Creativity has been designed to raise awareness and aspirations, and build confidence and networks so that young people don’t need to have existing industry connections, live in a big city or have a degree for a career in TV and film.”

Glastonbury Festival seeks permission for permanent stage

Organisers of Glastonbury Festival are applying for permission to make the Pyramid Stage a permanent fixture so it can be used year round.

The BBC reports that festival organisers currently have rolling temporary planning permission but want it to become permanent.

A spokesman for Planning Sphere, representing Glastonbury Festival Events Ltd, said: "The grant of planning permission will provide certainty and secure the future of the largest music festival in Europe.

"There are significant cultural and economic benefits."

However, local residents have said they are concerned it would change the land from a working farm to a festival and camping site.

Anthony and Hilary Austin said: "If the site becomes a permanent site, we are concerned that additional events could be held on the site without seeking any additional planning."

Rural arts in Northern Ireland get £500k boost

Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI) has distributed £500,000 in the latest round of its Rural Engagement Arts Programme (REAP).

The funding has been split between 73 community groups, arts organisations and local authorities in rurally based communities. Funded projects span music, theatre, heritage and the visual arts, supporting different age groups to become engaged in creative activities.

ACNI consulted its Rural Deliberative Forum, a pilot project established in November 2021 designed to give a voice to under-represented groups, and Northern Ireland’s 10 local authorities outside of Belfast when designing the latest REAP round.

The overarching theme of the programme is to tackle isolation and loneliness and promote social inclusion and wellbeing through participation in the arts.

ACNI Chair Liam Hannaway said the effects of the pandemic and resulting lockdowns had been compounded in rural communities.

“The Rural Engagement Arts Programme will increase opportunities for people living in rural communities to engage and participate in meaningful arts activities, enriching their lives for the better,” Hannaway added.

“The Arts Council believes that arts, and coming together as communities, can all make a vital contribution to building wellbeing, confidence and healthy, integrated communities.”

Historic artist’s barn to be sold after funding shortfall

Pioneering German artist Kurt Schwitters’ rural retreat in the Lake District is slated to be sold for development after repeated failures to secure funding.

Known as Merz Barn, after the absurdist art movement that Schwitters founded as an offshoot of Dadaism, the retreat was set up 75 years ago next to the village of Elterwater. 

The barn has been maintained since 2006 by Ian Hunter and Celia Larner, admirers of the artist who jointly founded the Littoral Trust to preserve the artist's estate. They had intended to make it a landmark on a planned Schwitters trail. 

The pair were initially provided with Arts Council support to preserve the barn for posterity, but nine applications for renewed Arts Council funding have been rejected over the last decade.

Despite recent donations from prominent artists including Bridget Riley, Antony Gormley, Damien Hirst and Tacita Dean, the trust has announced that the whole estate will be put up for sale early next year and is likely to be purchased by commercial developers.

“The project has received grants from the Arts Council in the past including investment in a feasibility study into the project,” an Arts Council England spokesperson told The Guardian.

“Understandably, there is a lot of competition for national lottery funding from the Arts Council and we’re not able to fund all of the projects that apply to us.

“Ian and Celia have been loyal custodians of the site and we wish them well in securing a future for it.”

Fund for Welsh music organisations reopens

Music organisations working with young people in Wales have been invited to apply for grants in the second round of a fund run Anthem - Music Fund Wales.

The Atsain fund aims to support youth music organisations to address and overcome specific barriers to music for young people in Wales. Eligible organisations can apply for grants of up to £10,000.

The first round of funding awarded a total of £120,000 to 15 organisations last year and created a collaborative network of beneficiaries to facilitate forums for sharing best practice.

“We’re already seeing young people connecting with music in new ways as a result of projects funded by the first round of Atsain,” said Rhian Hutchings, Chief Executive of Anthem.

“Our grantees are working with young people of all ages, helping them to build their confidence, explore their creativity and find pathways to potential future careers.”

Atsain’s Programme Manager Rebecca Rickard said the organisation welcomes “partnerships between organisations that focus on music, but also youth, community, disability, language, poverty, race and more”.

“It is through partnerships that organisations get a better understanding of the barriers young people face, and how to break them down,” she said.

Norwich Theatre becomes RSC Associate Partner 

Norwich Theatre has become an Associate Partner Theatre of Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).

The organisations said the formal partnership cements a commitment to bringing Shakespeare work and storytelling to Norwich.

Norwich Theatre has worked with the RSC’s Learning and National Partnerships team for a number of years and will now join RSC’s Associate Schools Programme, providing resources for teachers, workshops for pupils and small scale shows for schools from September.

The partnership will also build upon existing community work, with the theatre planning to work with local adult communities in the county who would not normally have access to live performance.

RSC’s Acting Artistic Director Erica Whyman described the partnership as “really special”.

“We both believe that the role of the theatre company is to ensure everyone has access to creativity, because creativity can help us all to find resilience, to find our community, find friendship and also understand the world.”

Norwich Theatre Creative Programs Director, Wendy Ellis, called the new partnership “the next natural step" for all the collaborative work the two companies already do together.

“Our audiences love to see RSC tours come to Norwich and we are proud to bring world-class Shakespeare to the region for local people to enjoy. We have been delighted to partner on all of this fantastic work together.”
 

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