Audiences Central News

Government launches Creative Bursaries Scheme

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:32:00 GMT

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Culture Minister Margaret Hodge have announced a two-year grants programme to provide at least 40 internships with established arts companies for graduates from low-income backgrounds.

The initial £600,000 programme will begin in September 2010 and be managed by the Jerwood Foundation.

The pilot scheme aims to make it easier for talented creative young people, with an arts degree, to find jobs in a market where unpaid internships are common, and those from low income backgrounds are often at a disadvantage.

For more information see: DCMS website

Kitchen drama heads for the web

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:06:00 GMT

Black Country Touring are venturing into the world of online performances with a production of domestic drama Behna (Sisters).

Written by Sonia Likhari, Behna is based in a Punjabi household the day before a family wedding. As the guests are busy eating, singing and dancing, tension is brewing in the kitchen. Truths are told and secrets unfold between two generations of sisters. Fast-paced, funny and moving, Behna looks through the keyhole of a family home to reveal secrets and lies.

This unusual performance of Behna (produced with Kali Theatre Company and Birmingham Repertory Theatre) is Black Country Tourings first venture into online performance and has been made possible through working with Trilby Multimedia. The play will be held in the kitchen of a private home in the West Midlands, in front of a live audience of their guests; at the same time, this intimate production will be broadcast live across the world through a live webcast.

Black Country Touring are encouraging home-based audiences to get dressed up, call a few friends round, and create their own Behna party by watching together.

Online tips for the party are available from the Black Country Touring's website's Behna Party pack (www.bctouring.co.uk/behna-party-pack), and there'll also be live chat before and after the performance with both director and cast.

The webcast will also include a short online evaluation immediately after the event which will shape future projects.

Behna (Sisters) - Live Webcast, Saturday 20 March 2010 at 7pm.

For more information and to watch the webcast, see: www.bctouring.co.uk/behna/

Photographer wins WM Open

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:46:00 GMT

The top prize at West Midlands Open 2010 has been won by local photographer Lorentz Gullachsen.

Open is a biennial collaboration between Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery, celebrating the vibrant talent of the West Midlands art scene and allowing regional artists the chance to show their work at the prestigious venues.

Over 1,200 entries were submitted by over 500 artists with an independent panel of judges cutting the list down to the final 146 artworks. Both professional and amateur artists are showcased in the exhibition, which includes drawing, sculpture, photography, prints and audio visual work.

Lorentz Gullachsen, who won the £1,000 top prize, is a long established photographer whose commerical projects include work for such clients as British Airways, Vodaphone, Honda, Land Rover and UB40. The son of a photographer - Willoughby 'Gus' Gullachsen - Lorentz's previous honours include Royal Photographic Society Open and London Photographic Awards. Examples of his work are already held in the Birmingham Library Photography Archive and in the National Portrait Gallery collection.

West Midlands Open 2010 officially opens on Saturday 6 March, and continues until May.

6 March-2 May 2010
West Midlands Open 2010
Gas Hall, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Admission free
For more information, see:
www.bmag.org.uk
www.gullachsen.com

Ironbridge is officially the best!

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:39:00 GMT

The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust has been named ‘Best of the West’ at the 2010 Renaissance West Midlands Awards.

The Shropshire UNESCO World Heritage Site also walked off with the Innovation on a Small Budget Award, for The Enginuity Crash Test Glider Rally, and Best Permanent Exhibition Award.

Consisting of ten museums and home to the pioneering Iron Bridge (pictured), Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust has also been long-listed for the prestigious Art Fund Prize 2010 for the recently redeveloped Blists Hill Victorian Town.

Renaissance is the Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) £150 million programme to transform England’s regional museums. The Best of the West Awards recognises and celebrates excellence in museums and galleries from across the West Midlands.

Other winners at the annual event include:

Best Temporary Exhibition Award - Mini 50th Anniversary Exhibition British, Motor Industry Heritage Trust

Best Exhibition on a Small Budget - The Amazing Chang, Leamington Spa Museum & Art Gallery

Friends/Supporters Group Award - Aerospace Museum Society, RAF Museum Cosford

Innovation Award - The Corner Shop Project, Sandwell Museum Service

Investment in the Workforce Award - Staff Exchange Programme, Thinktank Science Museum

Outstanding Individual Award - Victoria Emmanuel, Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Outstanding Volunteer Award - Dr Frank Crompton, George Marshal Medical Museum, Worcester

Outstanding Volunteer-run Museum Award - Malvern Museum of Local History, Worcestershire

Outstanding Team Award - Staffordshire Hoard Display, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

For more information, see:
www.ironbridge.org.uk
www.renaissancewestmidlands.org.uk

Brum hopes for Culture bid

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:16:00 GMT

Birmingham has made it through to the final four shortlist for the 2013 Capital of Culture.

The West Midlands' city joins, Derry/Londonderry, Norwich and Sheffield. They were shortlisted from a long-list of 14 by an independent judging panel, whose recommendations were accepted by Secretary of State Ben Bradshaw. The panel will also make the final recommendation on the winning bid, with that city to be announced in the summer.

Culture Minister Margaret Hodge said: “I was very impressed with all fourteen bids and, for those not shortlisted, I would say take heart from what you’ve achieved and continue to work on creating a cultural offer which can be enjoyed by all and which will help to make your cities even more attractive places in which to live and work”.

Phil Redmond, Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel, said: “The Panel had both a stimulating but difficult task in suggesting the short-list as all 14 bidders had realised impact of becoming the UK’s first City of Culture and what that would bring, not least the media exposure that would accompany it. This in itself was a great endorsement for the project as a whole.

"In deciding on the four cities recommended - Derry/Londonderry, Birmingham, Norwich, and Sheffield – the panel was influenced by the expected step change each city was asked to envisage, if they gained the title and subsequent media spotlight."

Cllr Martin Mullaney, Chairman of the Birmingham Cultural Partnership (BCP), said in response to the news, “To have got so far against tough opposition from across the UK is a fantastic boost for Birmingham. But this is just the first stage and we’re not getting carried away.

“There’s a lot of hard work ahead and now we want people across the city to play a part as we put together the final bid that will mean Birmingham is named the UK’s first ever City of Culture.”

For more information, see: www.culture.gov.uk

Midlands Man conducts the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra - after winning eBay auction

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:33:00 GMT

A man from the Midlands won a rare opportunity to conduct the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra after beating off other bidders in the CBSO’s recent international charity eBay auction.

Peter Sinclair, from Willenhall in the West Midlands, had his dreams realised on Wednesday 17 February - taking to the podium of Symphony Hall, Birmingham to conduct the world-class players of the CBSO through a programme of his choosing.

Peter, a recently retired business man originally heralding from New Zealand, said, “If I could come back in another life I’d want to be a conductor, and so when I saw this opportunity I thought I have to take it while I still can!”

“The CBSO deserves all the financial support it can get to put on terrific concerts at Symphony Hall and continue its education work in schools, so I was more than happy to make the bid”, he continued.

For this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Peter has chos to conduct all his personal favourites including Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance No. 4 and Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever.

Peter will be put all he learned in a master class with CBSO music director Andris Nelsons to the test on Wednesday 17 February, when he conducted the full orchestra at Symphony Hall, Birmingham in a private performance for family and friends.

Last Call for March Scene@Home

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:40:00 GMT

We're now taking final bookings for the last Scene@Home of the financial year - the March edition, which is set to land on the doormats of 5,000 arts and culture enthusiasts across the West Midlands.

This edition is perfectly timed to give Scene Central subscribers ideas for exciting things to do with the family over Easter.

Each Scene@Home edition includes up to eight different pieces of print from different cultural and arts organisations, and is posted to subscribers on the Scene Central database who have asked to hear about events in the region.

This is a great opportunity to get your print into the hands of the right people for a great value price – as the cost of postage is shared between all organisations that include print it works out at much less than the cost of a second class stamp per piece of print!

For members of Audiences Central it’s just £510 per item of print, and for non-members it’s £610.

The pack is set to land on Saturday 13 March, so your print will need to be at our mail house by Friday 26 February.

Places are limited, to reserve yours contact the Services Team on 0121 685 2600 or at services@audiencescentral.co.uk as soon as you can.

Working Together – get a free spot on Scene Central

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:39:00 GMT

At Audiences Central, we’re always looking for more ways to support arts and cultural organisations, big and small.

With this in mind, we’d like to offer all organisations the chance to get some free promotion on Scene Central, in return for marketing the site to your audiences. Whether you attract a broad audience of millions or a small niche following, we would love to hear from you.

Getting involved is really easy – all you need to do is put a link to Scene Central on your website or email campaign (we can also supply text and logos). As a thank you, we’ll give you a free Scene This? feature on the site, which you can use to promote any event, offer or news to Scene Central subscribers.

If you’d like to get involved, just let us know by emailing Amy on amy.commander@audiencescentral.co.uk or calling 0121 685 2618.

Coming Soon on Scene Central - Ticketing!

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:35:00 GMT

We’re getting very excited about a new feature that will be available soon on Scene Central. From April, you’ll be able to allocate a certain amount of tickets available for sale through the site, and your customers will be able to buy straight from your event listing. Here are some of the highlights:

• It will be free to organisations. All we charge is a 10% fee to the ticket buyer. If you don’t want to charge the ticket purchaser, we can simply reduce your ticket price by 10%

• You’ll be able to manage your tickets 24/7

• You can print out a performance schedule of attendees of that evening’s performance

• Your customers will have several opportunities to request information from you again

If you’re interested in this new service and would like to be kept updated with developments, let us know by emailing services@audiencescentral.co.uk.

ACE announce latest Sustain awards

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:02:00 GMT

Arts Council England has made a seventh round of awards from its £40 million Sustain fund for organisations under pressure as a result of the recession.

All awards from the Sustain fund are one-off and are made to cover the period 2009 – 2011. The seventh round of awards are worth just under £8 million over two years and will help 27 arts organisations maintain artistic excellence during the economic downturn.

A total of 194 applications were received with two West Midlands organisations - Birmingham-based CBSO and Warwick Arts Centre, in Coventry - benefitting.

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s application met the Sustain criteria as the Orchestra has been adversely impacted by the recession. As such, ACE have offered a Sustain award of £388,000 to maintain the quality of artistic output and resolve immediate cash flow problems caused by loss of development income and touring income.

Elements of Warwick Arts Centre’s application have been judged to meet the Sustain criteria resulting in a Sustain award of £215,000 to help the organisation with the adverse impact of the recession by maintaining the quality of artistic output and resolve immediate cash flow problems caused by loss of income from box office, trusts and foundations.

Other recipients include Brighton Dome and Festival, Derby Quad, Leicester Threatre Trust, The Roundhouse, Nottingham Contemporary Ltd, Royal Court Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Whitechapel Gallery.

For full list, see: www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/sustain/

Ironbridge and Herbert vye for art prize

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:16:00 GMT

Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust's Blists Hill Victorian Town and The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum are both included in the long-list for the prestigious Art Fund Prize 2010.

A long list of eleven museums and galleries are in the running to win the £100,000 prize, the UK’s largest single arts prize. Traditionally the long list comprises ten, but for the 2010 Prize eleven institutions are nominated, attesting to the high quality and volume of applications received.

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, has been nominated for the transformation of a fifty-four acre site, part of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, which interprets life in a typical town of the East Shropshire Coalfield around 1900.

The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry, has been recognised as a long-established regional museum which has been transformed through a major redevelopment and is reaching new audiences to become a fresh focus for local pride.

The two West Midlands venues face stiff competition from the recently renovated The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle, Hampton Court Palace, The Leach Pottery in St Ives, The National Army Museum and The Natural History Museum, London, The Royal Institution of Great Britain, Towner, Eastbourne, and The Ulster Museum, Belfast.

The £100,000 prize is awarded to the museum or gallery for a project completed in the last year, that the Judges deem demonstrates the most originality, imagination and excellence. The Prize, which has been sponsored by the UK’s leading independent art charity, The Art Fund, for three years, aims to increase public appreciation and enjoyment of the UK’s museums and galleries.

The public can vote for their favourite long-listed institution and leave comments for the Judges on the Art Fund Prize website telling the Judges why they should win. The poll results and online comments will be given to the Judges for their consideration when selecting the Short List and Winner. Visitors to the website can enter an exclusive competition to win a limited edition print by artist (and judging panel member) Jonathan Yeo.

To vote, comment or for more information about the Prize go to: www.artfundprize.org.uk

The Judges will travel the UK to visit each of the eleven long-listed museums and galleries before selecting a short list of four, to be announced at the end of May 2010. The winner of the £100,000 prize will be announced on Wednesday 30 June 2010 at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London

The Wedgwood Museum in Stoke-on-Trent was awarded The Art Fund Prize in 2009.

Galleries face the squeeze

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:20:00 GMT

Coventry's Herbert Art Gallery & Museum is set to drastically cut opening hours to tackle a funding crisis, reports the city's Telegraph newspaper.

Admission fees could also be introduced at the site too despite increased visitor figures following a £20 million redevelopment.

For full story, see CoventryTelegraph.net

The Herbert is just one of many leading galleries and museums around the UK believed to be considering substantially downsizing exhibition plans, redundancies and reduced opening hours. A number of insitutions are also discussing the selling of items from collections and actual closures, all in an effort to decrease costs.

The Independent recently reported how the diversion of Lottery funding to the Olympics and credit-crunch fuelled belt-tightening at local authorities had threatened nearly 40 institutions, highlighting the closure of Walsall's Lock Museum in December and flagging Birmingham's Aston Transport Museum as at risk of closure.

Meanwhile, seemingly bucking the trend, the Museums Association notes that the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) have announced a small increase in funding for university museums and galleries. Fearing a cut, University museum directors, of course, welcomed the increase from £10.5m in 2009-10 to £10.6m in 2010-11.

CIM Professional Diploma at Bournville College - places still available!

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:30:00 GMT

Places are still available for the Chartered Institute of Marketing Professional Diploma at Bournville College, starting in February 2010. If you're interested in enrolling on the course or would ilke more information, please contact Nicky Anslow, course tutor asap on nicola.anslow@bournville.ac.uk.

The Professional Diploma in marketing provides the knowledge, skills and ‘ability to do’ in relation to marketing planning and develops the ‘marketing professional’ across a range of areas. The course has a particular emphasis upon management as marketers move from specialist aspects of marketing into either a functional or departmental role. The Professional Diploma in Marketing is a level 6 qualification.

The course contains 4 units:

Marketing Planning Process
Delivering Customer Value Through Marketing
Managing Marketing
Project Management in Marketing

By the end of the course you will be able to:

Evaluate the role of the marketing planning process and implementation across a range of contexts
Develop and manage a brand portfolio in the context of the organisation’s marketing strategies
Recommend how a marketing function should be structured in order to deliver a competitive advantage
Identify the organisations information needs, scope of research projects and resource capability in order to develop a business case to support marketing projects

Entry Requirements:

The CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing (2002 or 2008 syllabus), OR
Any business or marketing Bachelors or Masters Degree – with marketing specific content, OR
Experience in a marketing management role which is sufficient to meet the requirements of the course and pass an entrance assessment.

The complete course will last for 4 terms.

Craft= Skills for Life

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:17:00 GMT

Following the celebration and sharing event in the summer at Birmingham Symphony Hall and special showcasing at The House of Commons, Westminster in early January, Carftsapce are pleased to announce that a series of short films documenting the project is now available to download for free from iTunes. You can also watch now at You Tube. Please visit www.craftspace.co.uk/csfl for more information.

Referring to the Ofsted report Drawing together:art, craft and design in schools 2005/08, Ian Middleton, HMI National Adviser for art, craft & design education said

“Craft = Skills for Life has focused specifically on addressing weaknesses identified in the report, avoiding the approaches where improvement remained slow and building on effective practice. The project demonstrates the value of:
starting out with clear and well-informed aims, strong partnerships based on a shared understanding about the unique contribution of each partner, inspired, supportive but robust project management, showing sensitivity to partners’ existing priorities & initiatives and involving all in evaluating the process and outcome for different individuals and organisations.

Craft = Skills for Life is an excellent example of best practice showing how improvement and inclusion can be addressed efficiently but enjoyably. “

The project was covered in an article in the Independent’s Education and Careers section. A link to the article can be found on www.craftspace.co.uk/csfl

The pilot phase has taken place over one year with a particular focus on boys, those who are underachieving and also those who are gifted and talented. A series of three contemporary craft residencies were developed with partner organisations in Birmingham; the Ishango Science Club, Wheelers Lane Technology College and Braidwood School for the Deaf. Pupils aged 11-13 worked in collaboration with Jeweller Will Evans, textile artist Jamie Lewis and ceramicist Andrew Tanner. They also visited cultural institutions, engaged in a business enterprise workshop and market tested their prototype products at a local arts market.

The ambition in the next phase is to work with national agencies and educational partners to consolidate the model, embed the approach and widen the learning to achieve greater impact and benefits for young people nationally and internationally.

If you can offer assistance in advocating, providing advice or signposting to any commissioning, partnership or funding opportunities please contact Stuart Shotton at Craftspace.

General emails to info@craftspace.co.uk
For individuals type initial.surname@craftspace.co.uk

South Bank Show Award for Birmingham Royal Ballet

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:22:00 GMT

Birmingham Royal Ballet is thrilled to announce success for Director David Bintley and his ballet E=mc² at ITV’s The South Bank Show Awards at London’s Dorchester Hotel on Tuesday 26 January 2010. Hosted by Melvyn Bragg, the 14th South Bank Show awards is the last ever ceremony for the celebrated arts programme.

Based on Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, E=mc², choreographed by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director David Bintley, enjoyed its world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome in September 2009 as part of the triple bill Quantum Leaps and delighted audiences during the Company’s autumn 2009 tour.

E=mc² is set to a specially commissioned score by Australian composer Matthew Hindson with costumes by Kate Ford and lighting by Peter Mumford and was inspired by the book E=mc²: A Biography of the World’s Most Famous Equation from author David Bodanis.

Other nominees in the category were Wayne McGregor’s Limen and dance group Diversity, winners of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent programme.

Speaking at the Award Ceremony yesterday David Bintley said: I am delighted to win The South Bank Show dance award for E=mc² in Birmingham Royal Ballet's 20th anniversary year. This award celebrates the company's creative collaborations, the talent of the dancers and highlights my commitment to producing new work that will take Birmingham Royal Ballet forward into another exciting year and decade.

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Chief Executive, Christopher Barron said: This prestigious award comes at a significant time for Birmingham Royal Ballet as the company prepares to celebrate 20 years in the City of Birmingham. The recognition for dance at The South Bank Show Awards not only celebrates the work of David Bintley and Birmingham Royal Ballet but also highlights the strength of the company and the arts in Birmingham as it moves forward in its bid for the City of Culture in 2013.

The South Bank Show Awards ceremony honours the best in British arts in the world with 10 awards in categories including; TV Drama, Classical Music, Pop Music, Visual Arts, Comedy, Dance, Film, Literature, Opera and Theatre.

West Midlands Heritage Strategy

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:35:00 GMT

A strategy setting the overall direction for the heritage sector in the West Midlands has been laid out by the West Midlands Historic Environment Forum (HEF).

Putting the Historic Environment to Work has been developed on behalf of the HEF, which is chaired by English Heritage with members coming from the public, private and voluntary sector.

The strategy is accompanied by an action plan which provides a framework for stakeholders to measure their progress in meeting identified priorities. It will be updated annually.

Three key themes underpin the strategy and form the core of HEF’s vision of the historic environment - People, Places and Policies.

Putting the Historic Environment to Work is a five year strategy and has been prepared to assist other policy-makers in ensuring the historic environment is considered in evolving strategic plans and policies throughout the West Midlands. Similarly, communities may use the strategy to identify sources of support and possible funding for local projects that aim to enhance, conserve and broaden access to local heritage.

See: Putting the Historic Environment to Work

Accreditation modernisation for MLA

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:33:00 GMT

Museums, Libraries & Archives (MLA) has welcomed the findings of two studies which it commissioned to help inform its review of museum Accreditation, and detailed its plans to streamline, update and refocus the scheme.

MLA Chief Executive Roy Clare said: “Accreditation has proven its value over the last 21 years. As the UK standard for museums it is crucial for the long term success of the sector.

“We are listening and acting on consistent feedback that Accreditation is highly valued and has made a real difference to museums, but it must be less bureaucratic and more representative. It must also serve as a key tool in the improvement of museum services with a focus on the impact they make for the public.

“We are very grateful for all the feedback, which gives us a very strong base for a refreshed scheme that has simpler process, increased flexibility for museums to demonstrate success, a louder voice for consumers and a demonstration of responsiveness to communities.”

MLA Board member, Glen Lawes, said: “This research shows strong support for an Accreditation scheme owned and improved by the museum sector itself."

The recommendations from the reports, based on the views of more than 1000 museum colleagues regarding the value, shortcomings and future of Accreditation will directly inform its development.

Accreditation: The Way Forward sets out MLA’s response to the recommendations. The reports and the MLA response can be found at: http://www.mla.gov.uk/what/raising_standards/accreditation/Developing_accreditation

Arts Council announces assessors

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:27:00 GMT

Arts Council England has named its 152 artistic assessors.

The role of the assessors is to experience the artistic work of regularly funded organisations (RFOs)and to write a report for the Arts Council assessing the artistic quality of the performances and publications produced by the RFO.

The aim of artistic assessment is to provide a fair, robust and transparent basis for discussions about artistic quality and to develop a broad evidence base which will inform the Arts Council's funding decisions. Artistic assessments will be shared with the arts organisations and may provide a useful context for their own conversations about artistic quality.

Assessors come from a range of backgrounds, including artists, arts managers, journalists, academics and others. The names and short biographies of the assessors can be found on the Arts Council's website: artscouncil.org.uk

More assessors will be recruited in 2011, resulting in a full team of 300. Each one will serve a two-year term, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.

Funding uncertainty ahead

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:02:00 GMT

Despite a positive performance in the last quarter of 2009, the Cultural Observatory’s latest recession snapshot suggests the West Midlands’ cultural sector is facing a period of ‘funding uncertainty’.

Evidence suggests that while many local cultural organisations remain optimistic about the short-term stability of core funding sources, perception of funding security is low compared to confidence levels pre-recession.

Cultural Observatory has also found that:

65% of responents were optimistic that their funding sources would stay secure during the first 6 months of 2010, but 72% were "less optimistic" about this than they had been before the recession (in 2007)
During October-December 2009, the majority of respondents (54%) saw an increase in the number of visitors (compared to the same period 12 months ago), 29% saw a decrease in visitors and 18% maintained a similar level of visitors
The majority of respondents (53%) saw an increase in revenue, 40% saw a decrease in revenue and 7% maintained similar levels of revenue.

To download the latest cultural sector recession snapshot, see: West Midlands Regional Observatory

Movie admissions on a high

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:18:00 GMT

Finds by the UK Film Council reveal that the UK film industry continued to weather the global recession well in 2009 with UK cinema admissions at their highest level since 2002.

The Council discovered that UK cinema admissions were 173.5m with the box office exceeding £1bn for the first time.

Other findings revealed that 2009 was second best production year on record and that the level of independent film production culturally specific to the UK continues at a fairly consistent level compared to recent years, with 71 films made in 2009. Independent UK films also took their largest market share in a decade (8.5% of UK box office).

The record-breaking box office figures come after a busy and very successful year at UK cinemas for international blockbusters (such as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and The Hangover), whilst 2009 can also be seen as the year of 3D, with three of the year's Top 5 films in 3D (Avatar, Ice Age 3, and Up).

The full reports, UK Box Office in 2009 and Film production in the UK 2009, can be found at the UK Film Council website www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk

Direct links to reports:

Box office 2009
Film Production 2009

For more information, please contact:

Arts Council looks to the future

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:48:00 GMT

Arts Council England has launched a consultation on future priorities for the arts

The consultation - launched on 19 January 2010 - sets out the Council's understanding of the current landscape, celebrates the success of the arts and identifies areas for development over the next ten years.

Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, states: "We are asking for your thoughts on the way forward. Your views will inform our long term strategic framework and our next set of investment decisions."

To take part in the consultation visit www.artscouncil.org.uk/consultation

The consultation will close on 14 April 2010.

Spending falls but optimism rises

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:11:00 GMT

Marketing spend fell once more in the last quarter of 2009, reports PR Week.

However, PR saw a slower rate of reduction than in the previous quarter the latest IPA/BDO Bellwether survey has found

Companies were the most optimistic about the financial outlook for their industries in almost five years, with 35 per cent of firms surveyed seeing improved prospects, consistent with growing confidence in the ongoing economic recovery.

For full story, see: www.prweek.com/news/bulletin/UKDaily/article/977907/?DCMP=EMC-UKDaily

Change of Chair at Arts Council England, West Midlands

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:43:00 GMT

After almost eight years, Dorothy Wilson stood down as Chair of Arts Council England, West Midlands at the end of 2009, making way for Peter Phillips.

Speaking of her time as Chair, Dorothy said:

'As I stand down as Chair of Arts Council England, West Midlands, looking back it is good to feel that the region has continued to flourish and grow in the range and quality of its arts work in so many dimensions. Looking forward changes and challenges lie ahead but the benefit of hindsight is that I recall how changes and challenges beckoned as I joined the National Council of Arts Council England just as the Regional Arts Boards and Arts Council began their process of merging and building a single national body for the arts in England. The focusing of a clear mission to be a strong and influential national development agency for the arts, supporting a range of artistic activities from theatre to music, literature to dance, photography to digital art, carnival to crafts has been at the heart of driving Arts Council England. It has been a privilege to be part of moulding that national agency and playing a part in sustaining and developing the work of artists, arts organisations and our many partnerships in delivery across the region.

'The new changes and challenges will similarly provide some hard times and some hard decisions will need to be made but the mission remains strong and firm and I am confident that the Regional Council and staff, with our colleagues across the country, will be as endlessly creative and imaginative as ever in addressing both those challenges and capturing as many as possible of the opportunities that are presented.

'The organisational restructure currently underway nationally mean that our regional office is changing, some new faces, a number of more familiar faces moving on and a new ACE area structure embracing us in a new working relationship with East Midlands and South West regions. I will follow the next chapter with continued interest and a determination to play a part in celebrating the quality and distinctiveness of cultural endeavor throughout the West Midlands.'

Speaking of Dorothy's time as chair of the council, Regional Executive Director of Arts Council England, West Midlands, Sally Luton said:

'Dorothy is wise, knowledgeable and well respected. As Chair of Arts Council West Midlands and a member of the National Council she has made an enormous contribution to the Arts Council's work. She has been a friend, supporter and constructive critic in just the right measures and we are all grateful for the time she has given us over the past eight years.'

The new Chair of Arts Council England, West Midlands is Peter Phillips.

Speaking of the appointment, Director of Arts at Arts Council England, West Midlands, Ros Robins said:

'Peter will be well known to many working in the arts in the West Midlands and in Wales. Peter comes from a business background and works as an independent advisor on corporate strategy and restructuring. He joined the board of the then City of Birmingham Touring Opera in 1994 and in 1999 became chairman of the successor organisation Birmingham Opera Company supporting the founder and artistic director Graham Vick in establishing the ground breaking programme of award winning, site specific opera productions.

'Peter is a long standing board member of Welsh National Opera and currently chairs their commercial subsidiary Cardiff Theatrical Services. He is delighted to have been appointed to chair the West Midlands Regional Council and is looking forward to meeting the many artists and arts organisations supported through the regional office.'

Peter's term runs from 3 January 2010 to 4 January 2013

For more information, see: www.artscouncil.org.uk

Dudley Museums given full MLA accredition status

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:46:00 GMT

Dudley Museum and Art Gallery and Broadfield House Glass Museum have been given full accreditation status by the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council(MLA).

Both museums were praised for their work in two areas:

- providing services and facilities to a wide range of users

- consulting with users to provide an appropriate service.

Staff were commended by the panel for their consistent approach in identifying barriers to physical and intellectual access. The museums were recongised for tailoring their programmes to attract a wide audience.

Theatre wins environmental award

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:48:00 GMT

Birmingham Hippodrome, the most visited theatre in the UK, has won an environmental award for its ongoing commitment and work on improving wastage, recycling and reducing its carbon footprint.

This is first time a theatre in the UK has been registered to ISO 14001 - an international standard for Environmental Management Systems, now the most widely awarded EMS certification in the world.

Mike Bradford, Director of Operations at Birmingham Hippodrome said: “We are delighted to be the first theatre in the UK to be certified to ISO 14001 and listed on the QA Register. With 500,000 visitors per year it is important that we are committed to the environment. We have already changed the way we dispose of our waste, recycling has increased in the last 12 months by 110% and modifications to the theatre’s utilities means that we have reduced gas and electricity usage by 30% in the last 5 years”.

The venue's commitment to the environment also includes:

- Glass and Plastic recycling saving an average of 580kgs of Co2 per month

- Cardboard baled, compressed onsite, collected every 2 weeks for recycling (instead of two skips every week going to landfill)

- General waste compacted and collected every two weeks for recycling, reducing carbon footprint (instead of emptying one skip five times per week which then went to landfill)

- Administration - reduction of print consumption by 10%

- Introduction of low energy lighting, sensor taps, and hand dryers

- Recycling bins located backstage and in administration

- Waste that cannot be recycled is sent to Tyseley incinerator Birmingham, which produces enough energy to power 40,000 local homes

- Ongoing work includes reduction of the theatre’s water usage

Charisma QC - closed 18 to 20 January

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:23:00 GMT

This is advance notice that one of our print distribution suppliers, Charisma QC, will be closed from Monday 18 to Wednesday 20 January, so will not be accepting deliveries or processing orders during this time.

They will be back open as normal on Thursday 21 January.

Sorry for any inconvenience this might cause.

New address for deliveries for Charisma QC

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:20:00 GMT

One of our print distribution suppliers has a new warehouse address, so if you're delivering print to be distributed this is the place to send it to:

PGS C/O Charisma Q.C. Ltd
Mackadown Lane
Kitts Green
Birmingham
B33 0LE

This is now the delivery address for all quantites of print.

Grants for new niche festivals in Birmingham

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:24:00 GMT

Birmingham City Council is inviting applications for grant support for new independent or niche festivals in Birmingham. This new funding stream is called the Emerging Festivals Fund

This is part of a programme of work to grow and support Birmingham’s festivals. Our ambition is to have a year round calendar of festivals.

Grants for new niche festival are available between £500 to £4,999.

The funding is being provided through the Birmingham Cultural Partnership which is part of Be Birmingham (Local Strategic Partnership). Birmingham City Council’s Art Service is administrating these funds.

For more infomration and to apply please see:

http://martinmullaney.blogspot.com/2010/01/grants-for-new-niche-festivals-in.html

Print Distribution News - Charisma QC closed until 11 January

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:45:00 GMT

Due to unforseen circumstances, Charisma QC have had to close until Monday 11 January 2010. This means that any print booked in to be distributed before that date might unfortunately be subject to slight delays. We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause, and will post further updates here as soon as we receive them.

Live music gets a boost

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:14:00 GMT

Live music performances for 100 people or less will no longer need to be licensed, under proposals announced by Licensing Minister Gerry Sutcliffe.

An exemption from the Licensing Act for small live music events would make it easier for a wide range of venues to put on live music, and help musicians who want to play to a live audience.

Gerry Sutcliffe said: “Going to see a band, musician or singer is a very important part of many people’s lives and we’re keen to do what we can to support audiences and musicians."

“An exemption for venues with 100 people or less would benefit many small venues, particularly unlicensed premises such as village halls and cafes, which may currently be put off by licensing requirements. But we are also proposing that the exemption can be revoked at individual premises if there have been problems with noise, nuisance or disorder.”

Currently anyone wanting to put on live music must have a premises licence, a club premises certificate or a temporary event notice, although there are some exceptions for incidental, background music.

An exemption would ensure that all licensed premises such as pubs and clubs would be able to put on small scale live music, regardless of whether or not their existing licence included a provision for staging entertainment events. Unlicensed premises such as cafes, restaurants, village halls and record shops would also be able to host events without the need of for a licence.

But to ensure that any concerns of people living close to venues are taken into account, the exemption would only apply to performances that are indoors, and take place between 8am and 11pm.

Residents and responsible authorities such as the police would have the power to call for an exemption to be revoked at a specific venue if there was cause for concern.

Martin Rawlings, director of pub and leisure at the British Beer and Pub Association said: “The BBPA welcomes any measures that can help pubs overcome existing barriers to putting on live music, helping aspiring and established musicians to reach audiences while at the same time boosting business, particularly during these difficult economic times.”

The consultation is available on the DCMS website: www.culture.gov.uk

Still The Biggest Picture

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:38:00 GMT

Among the many record-breaking feats featured in the 2010 edition of Guinness World Records is The World's Largest Photo Mosaic.

The result of The Big Picture project - which was led by Audiences Central - the record breaking image consisted of 112,896 individual images donated by the public and was created at Millennium Point, Birmingham, in August 2008.

The project beat previous record holders in Nuremberg, Germany (94392 individual photographs) and Shanghai, China (105196 individual photos).

For more information, including the full mosaic, see www.inthebigpicture.co.uk

Audiences Central Board Member honoured

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:51:00 GMT

Craftspace Director and Audiences Central Board Member Deirdre Figueiredo has received an MBE in the 2010 New Year Honours list for services to the Visual Arts.

Deirdre has contributed to the development and promotion of the visual arts in the UK for 21 years, with a focus on contemporary craft for the past 13 years.

Born in 1965 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, Deirdre lived in Nairobi, Kenya until emigrating to the UK with her family in 1981.

Prior to joining Birmingham-based Craftspace, she worked at Cartwright Hall Museum and Art Gallery in Bradford, Castle Museum Nottingham and Leicestershire Museums, Arts and Records Service, where she was Cultural Development Officer.

Says Deirdre : “I am proud and privileged to be in a position to promote the ingenuity of artists and craftspeople as well as devising initiatives that enable diverse people of all ages to engage, collaborate and explore their creativity and personal development through making.

"Craft is not just a commodity. I believe the crafts also have an important role to play in building social and cultural capital as well as strengthening and revitalising communities.”

For more information on Craftspace please visit: www.craftspace.co.uk

Other regional figures from the creative industries honoured in the list are Solihull pianist. Peter Donohoe (for services to Classical Music), Dr Noel Henri Joseph Meeke (for voluntary service to Herefordshire Waterworks Museum) and Edward Turpie, Director of Birmingham-based Maverick Television (for services to International Trade).

For full list, see: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_183673

Ticketmaster and Live Nation merge

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:41:00 GMT

The UK regulator has cleared the merger of concert promoter Live Nation and ticket agent Ticketmaster.

The UK Competition Commission believes that the merger would "not result in a substantial lessening of competition in the market" reversing a provisional ruling that voiced a concern that such a deal would lead to higher ticket prices and impact on services for customers.

The regulator found that it would not be in the new merged company's interest to shun competitors, concluding that to remain competetive, gig tickets would need to be sold via other agents to ensure sell-outs, and that they would also need to continue to sell tickets by other promoters.

Live Nation is the world's largest concert producer producing more than 22,000 concerts a year for 1,600 artists in over 30 countries. In addition to promoting concerts and tours, the LA-based company also manages many artists and has signed deals with artists such as Madonna and U2.

To read the full story, see BBC News

Seasons Greetings

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:01:00 GMT

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

All the best from Audiences Central.

Please note that we will be closed Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December 2009, until Tuesday 29 December.

We will be operating limited office cover Dec 29-31, and then re-open for business as usual on Monday 4 January 2010.

If you have any queries during the Christmas / New Year period, please telephone our main number: 0121 685 2600

* Coming Soon - two exciting events: Leadership Breakfast (February 2010) - are shopping centres the new arts centres? - and Audiences Central's conference (April 2010) continuing to explore the public engagement agenda with a digital twist: How does digital engagement support 'real' engagement?

City Of Culture 'Final 14' named

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:01:00 GMT

Culture Minister Margaret Hodge has announced the final list of bidders vying to become the UK’s first City of Culture in 2013.

Birmingham joins a list that also includes two linked locations and the entire county of Cornwall! The bidders are:

Barnsley
Birmingham
Carlisle
Chichester
Cornwall
Derry
Durham
Hull
Ipswich and the Haven Gateway
Norwich
Portsmouth and Southampton
Sheffield
Southend
Swansea

Margaret Hodge also announced the final membership of the Independent Advisory Panel, chaired by Phil Redmond, who will make the final recommendation on which ‘city’ should win. The panel covers a great breadth of experience – from broadcasting to Local Government – and is drawn from all over the UK.

The panel members are: Derrick Anderson CBE, Prof John Ashton CBE, Anna Carragher, Margaret Evans, Lauren Laverne, Rotha Johnston CBE, and Robert Palmer.

The Advisory Panel will be meeting in February to consider the bids and recommend a short-list to the Secretary of State early in the spring.

British Council and Arts Council England increase links

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:28:00 GMT

A new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between the British Council and Arts Council England.

The MOU, signed on 10 December 2009, defines areas in which Arts Council England and the British Council can work more closely to help artists build links internationally. It establishes a framework within which the two agencies can jointly develop and create programmes that are strategic, coherent, and serve the interests of artists and audiences.

The collaboration recognises the shared territory between the two organisations, offering the benefits of their expertise and relationships to further artistic practice in England, supporting artists and arts organisations to take their work to audiences worldwide, and bringing the best of international practice to audiences across the country.

Over the next few months, Arts Council England and the British Council will work together on a number of programmes including Unlimited, Music Showcases, Cultural Leadership, Cultural Diplomacy Group, Points of Culture and the London International Festival Symposium (2012).

The two organisations are also looking at previous artists development programmes, such as Artists Links and the Arts Council's International Fellowship programme, to see what lessons can be learned when creating future schemes.

The two organisations will begin to develop joint protocols around consultation and communication with specialists in both organisations meeting regularly to develop a common understanding of the arts both in England and internationally.

This communications strategy will make sure that artists and those interested in the arts have clear pathways to follow to follow when seeking information and advice.

For more information, see: www.artscouncil.org.uk or /www.britishcouncil.org

More measures to cut licensing red tape announced

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:24:00 GMT

Licensing Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has unveiled a range of proposals designed to cut licensing red tape, which could result in savings of up to £24 million per year.

The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has launched a 10 week consultation on the measures, which would make it easier for people to put on temporary events if they are rescheduled at short notice. The plans would also lighten the workload for councils and give relatives and business partners of licensees who have died more leeway in applying for an interim licence.

Under the plans, the police would be given a new power to accept a late Temporary Event Notice where there are no crime and disorder issues. This would particularly benefit village halls, schools and voluntary organisations who may have to cancel and rearrange events at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or bad weather.

Relatives and business partners would be given 28 days to apply for a licence to be reinstated if the licensee dies, is incapable or becomes insolvent. This would be a significant improvement for licensees’ families and associates who often do not have time to arrange the licensee’s affairs within seven days and are then faced with the cost of applying for a new licence.

The Department also intends to remove the requirement for councils to revise and republish their Licensing Policy Statement every three years, replacing it with a requirement to keep the policy up to date. Councils would only have to consult groups and organisations affected by a revision, rather than the full list of required consultees, reducing burdens on organisations like national trade associations who have sometimes found themselves commenting on hundreds of statements at once.

The consultation is available on the DCMS website: www.dcms.gov.uk

Waterworks Jazz Club receives Lottery's Awards for All funding

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:01:00 GMT

Many people put keeping fit at the top of their list, and the Waterworks Jazz Club plans to do just that. A grant of £7,010 will help the group bring in more people to the club by offering dance lessons. They want to promote dance as a social way to keep fit at the same time as encouraging more people of a wide age range to become members of the club.

Anthea Jackson, Secretary and Project Manager, said: “We celebrate our 40th year next year and wanted to attract younger people to help perpetuate the club for another 40 years. We’re unusual in that as well as having live jazz bands, we also dance to the music – swing and Dixie is made for jiving and rock ‘n’ roll.

“We thought the best way to attract people would be by offering dance classes in the New Year so there’s no excuse not to join. The grant will allow us to hold a dance class once a month before the band start playing, giving people the option to stay on if they wish. It’s a great way to keep fit as well as being very sociable – we get quite a lot of single people coming who feel they can dance in a safe and welcoming environment. With new blood, it will be an intergenerational activity, with all the benefits that brings.

“Physical fitness improves health and wellbeing - in fact, many people tell me what we offer ought to be available on the NHS! As well as giving people a sociable way of keeping fit whatever your age and ability, it’s a very supportive club and reduces the sense of isolation some people can feel.”

The club is holding its Christmas party on 19 December, which is a good opportunity for potential new members to try the club.

Funding has come from the lotteries Awards for All programme, which wants to help communities consider how fudning could help community resoltuions get off the ground!

A total of £472,621 has distributed to 63 groups across the region in this latest round of awards

Cultural Advantage

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:41:00 GMT

Advantage West Midlands (AWM) has confirmed its support for the programme with an investment of £1.28m over three years.

The funding to support the West Midlands Culture Programme for London 2012 will build on the region's key cultural strengths delivering a series of coordinated high profile events and activities driving trade and tourism, improving the image and perceptions of the region and, with partners, engage with local audiences.

The funding will support:

People Dancing programme which is also funded by Legacy Trust UK and Arts Council England

Film Nation one of London 2012's major projects which is part of the official Cultural Olympiad

Open Weekend activity in the region over the next three years and the region's plans for the Torch Relays

The funding will also support a focused programme of communications and evaluation

To find out how you or your organisation can get involved contact Paul Kaynes West Midlands Creative Programmer on email paul.kaynes@artscouncil.org.uk.

Arts Council England: "Helping to acheive great art for everyone'"

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:48:00 GMT

From 4 January to 26 March 2010 Arts Council England will be inviting all stakeholders to help shape their short and long term priorities - to achieve great art for everyone.

Their mission reflects the key role that culture plays in everyday life – where artists challenge, thrill, excite, inspire; produce the marvellous and the beautiful. It demands that the value of the arts is recognised and it brings to the forefront the need to work collectively to create the conditions where great art can happen and is accessible to as many people as possible.

The consultation is a public opportunity to discuss and debate what needs to be done to create these conditions. It is a forum to be more open about our thinking and our processes. The outcome of the consultation will give us the framework to make short and longer term investment decisions. This is particularly important as we manage our way through a much tougher economic period.

Arts Council regularly funded organisations and other partners contributed to the early development of materials for consultation through briefings held across the country. Since then they have completed a very robust evidence review of published papers and research, and looked at art form, cross cutting and regional priorities.

To ensure a broad range of views Arts Council will be asking you to share awareness of the consultation with your networks. Information about how to take part will be published on the Arts Council web site in the new year.

.

BASS Festival commission awards

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:26:00 GMT

BASS Festival (British Arts and Street Sounds) is the UK’s only month long celebration of Black Music and Art.

Every June, the UK comes alive with a phenomenal line up of events, new commissions, gigs, exhibitions, master classes, showcases, club nights, theatre, conferences and film.

The theme for 2010 is DNA.

A key part of BASS has always been its unique commissions. Here artists, organisations and promoters are individually commissioned to produce an event or new piece of work specifically for the festival.

For BASS 2010, Birmingham-based festival founder Punch are opening up the commissioning scheme and are offering awards of between £500 – £3000 to support new work developed for the festival.

For more information on commissions, including guidance notes and application form, see: http://punch-records.co.uk/events-and-festivals/bass-2010-commissions/

The deadline for applications is Friday 15 January 2010 at 12 noon.

Family friendly venues in the running

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:19:00 GMT

Three West Midlands museums have been nominated for the 2009 Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award.

In what was the biggest ever year for nominations, the 20 long-listed venues includes West Midlands' venues The Potteries, Thinktank and The Herbert alongside such institutions as the Highland Folk Museum near Inverness, National Waterfront Museum in Swansea and the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum in Cornwall.

The long-list will be trimmed down by a panel of judges chaired by Jenny Abramsky, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund, and a shortlist will then be road-tested by families. Visiting unannounced to the museums, it's these families who will decide which is the winner using the Kids In Museums Manifesto as a guide.

Winning venues will be announced in the Guardian next year.

For more information, see:
www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk/the-guardian-award/

Libraries must move with the times

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:01:00 GMT

The public library service in England needs radical transformation and modernisation if it is to remain as relevant and popular in the 21st century as it was in the 19th and 20th centuries, reckons Culture Minister Margaret Hodge.

Publishing a far-reaching consultation paper (1/12/09), Ms Hodge pinpointed the big challenges facing the service:

With numbers using libraries down and book issues down, what must change to reverse this declining trend?
What will the impact of digitisation be on libraries?
How can libraries respond to the 24/7 culture and the greater availability of cheap books for sale?
How will libraries survive the pressures on public spending?

Speaking at a newly-refurbished library in Southwark, she stressed that free access to books and the written word must remain the cornerstone of the service, but also pointed out that library customers today clearly looked for something more than previous generations:

“Libraries are a much-loved part of public life in England, with more branches than either McDonalds or Boots. But sweeping advances in technology, increasing standards of living and higher expectations of service mean that they must move with the times to stay part of the times.

“The incredible rise of easy internet access and use means that libraries simply have to compete and perform more effectively if they are to justify the public investment they need. Sleepwalking into the era of the iPhone, the eBook and the Xbox without a strategy, runs the risk of turning the library service into a curiosity of history like telex machines or typewriters.”

The consultation paper includes 30 essays offering different views of what the important issues are, from people including authors Tracy Chevalier and Michael Rosen; Random House Chair and Chief Executive Gail Rebuck, Starbucks MD Darcy Willson-Rymer; and many others.

It also poses a series of questions upon which the DCMS seeks views from as wide a range of people as possible including the library and publishing community.

Margaret Hodge adds: “Local authorities spend around £1 billion a year on libraries and councils sometimes see them as a soft target for budget cuts. The secret of securing a bright future for the service lies in offering a modern, relevant and popular service they will defend. Good libraries have a buzz about them; they draw people in by offering things that people want, in a way that it is user friendly and welcoming for both young and old.

“It’s not just about comfy couches and coffee, and it’s not simply about computers and crèches – it’s about much more. We need to think radically, and nothing should be out of bounds. New structures, new services, new ways of working – all of these need to be on the agenda of those who care about libraries and want a strong future for the library service.”

Empower, Inform Enrich – The Modernisation Review of Public Libraries is available from the DCMS via www.culture.gov.uk

A history gallery in the making

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:54:00 GMT

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) has been awarded £4.8m by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards the £9.7m ‘Birmingham – A City in the Making’ project.

The money will go towards the development of a new wing of galleries focussing on the history and development of Birmingham and its people.

The ambitious project will get underway early in 2010.

Anne Jenkins, Head of HLF West Midlands, said: “Birmingham is one of the UK’s most vibrant and multi-layered urban centres and these new galleries will celebrate all aspects of its heritage. We were particularly keen to support the Museum’s plans for using more of its rich historical collections to tell the often untold and fascinating story of the city.”

Plans for ‘Birmingham – A City in the Making’ continue to be developed in consultation with a wide range of people, communities and cultural or heritage organisations from across Birmingham.

The people of Birmingham will also have the opportunity to contribute their own stories and personal artefacts through an ambitious accompanying community engagement programme.

The project will get underway in January 2010 with a planned opening date of Autumn 2012.

The new project will be housed in over 1000m2 of refurbished galleries.

For more information: www.hlf.org.uk and www.bmag.org.uk

Archives for the 21st Century

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:31:00 GMT

The Government has announced a new vision for publicly funded archive services, ensuring they are as relevant in a digital age as they have been in the preceding centuries.

In challenging times, the policy re-asserts the vital importance of archives as the gateway to the nation’s common legacy, whilst reflecting the technological transition society is going through.

Archives for the 21st Century recognises the role archives have to play in linking people with their communities, their heritage and their responsibility to future generations. In addressing the fragility of digital information, the policy also highlights a pressing issue that could threaten the survival of the public record as a whole.

Michael Wills, Justice Minister with responsibility for The National Archives, said:

"Archives are a growing presence in the public consciousness, and, in this digital age, have a huge potential to produce real benefits for communities, local authorities and the wider general public. This policy seeks to guarantee a sustainable future for them and the information for which they care."

Margaret Hodge, Minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism, said:

"Our archives are the contemporary witness of Britain’s history, and play a unique role in understanding our rich past, and learning for our future. Making this information easily accessible now, and in the future, is a key part of this country’s cultural offer."

Barbara Follett, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government, said:

"Archives have a vital role to play in the communities they serve. By allowing people to explore their past, these windows into history give them new insight into their present. More importantly, they help to develop a real sense of local and national identity."

To create a more dynamic and sustainable archive sector that participates actively within the many diverse communities it serves, the policy sets out five recommendations:

Develop bigger and better services in partnership– working towards increased sustainability within the sector;
Strengthened leadership and a responsive, skilled workforce;
Co-ordinated response to the growing challenge of managing digital information so that it is accessible now and remains discoverable in the future;
Comprehensive online access for archive discovery through catalogues and to digitised archive content by citizens at a time and place that suits them;
Active participation in cultural and learning partnerships promoting a sense of identity and place within the community.

Over the coming months, The National Archives and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) will be agreeing a detailed action plan with representatives from across the archival sector. This will help deliver the policy’s five key recommendations with the aim of strengthening this key part of the nation’s historical, cultural and information offering.

Archives for the 21st Century is available to download at: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/policy/aft21c/

Arts Council calls for long-term investment and closer partnerships

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:28:00 GMT

Alan Davey, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, has called for sustained long term investment in the arts, and closer partnerships between the arts and industry, to ensure that creativity is at the centre of the UK’s economic future.

Speaking at November's Creative Industries conference at the British Film Institute (BFI), Davey outlined the huge contribution the arts already make as a key driver of growth in the creative economy. He spoke of his determination for the Arts Council to work closely with tourism, the commercial arts sector and with industry, helping the creative industries realise their potential and ensuring the long term economic stability of the country.

Davey aid: “Despite the obvious economic constraints, and the political uncertainty, I’m optimistic about the immediate future of the arts.

“Our international reputation for cultural excellence already makes the UK an attractive place to invest in and visit. But by increasing the reach of the arts on offer, and by working more closely with tourism bodies – as we did successfully with Liverpool 08 – the arts can stimulate economic growth.

“Put simply, with cultural wealth comes economic wealth – arts investment leading to commercial exploitation. So much so that I believe the cultural sector is the bedrock of our successful creative industries and the UK’s knowledge economy..."

“Quality is surely the best way to build your audience. And it’s something we can help do nationally. We need to work harder and more effectively to achieve our mission of ‘Great art for everyone’.

“Quality is, of course, a deeply subjective concept - one man’s Emin is another’s Van Eyck – so we take our responsibility to consult the public, and the cultural and creative sectors, very seriously.”

The speech also outlined the benefits of the Arts Council fostering innovative new partnerships between arts organisations and other sectors:

“We (Arts Council England) are not some monolithic public service. We create very modern, and successful, public-private partnerships.

“I see us as a ‘venture capital’ fund for the creative economy, using our learnings, our experience and our networks to build longer-lasting partnerships with the commercial and voluntary sectors. We will use this to help partners have a more sustainable future – making the hard decisions and helping them develop successful commercial models and partnerships.

“Our investment is one of the reasons the UK is the world’s largest cultural goods exporter.”

"The game is up..." for Shakespeare Country

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:50:00 GMT

Destination parternship Shakespeare Country's online game has won yet another award.

The game, designed by Koko Digital, the game - Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou? - has won a coveted BIMA award (British Interactive Media Association).

In addition to winning the BIMA's Special Achievement Award for viral spread, the game has also received a commendation for Best campaign which became viral at November's Drum Awards for the Digital Industries (DADI), as well as scooping a silver award in the Best Online Game category at October's the Roses Design Awards.

Launched on 19 May 2009, the Shakespeare-inspired game has seen success worldwide attracting 17.8 million players to date since the launch.

The platform style game, which can be found at www.shakespearegame.com sees the player guide Romeo through a Shakespeare Country landscape to reach Juliet and rescue her from the balcony. The game aims to encourage players, their friends and family to visit Shakespeare Country and interact with elements of the brand. The game also aims to raise brand awareness as well as being used to capture data for Shakespeare Country.

www.shakespeare-country.co.uk

"The game is up..." - Cymbeline

Growing audiences for the arts

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:29:00 GMT

Arts Council National and Regional campaigns in 2010 aim to increase public engagement in the arts.

The Arts Council’s mission is great art for everyone. However, research based upon the government’s annual Taking Part survey has shown us that only 9% of the population attends or participates in the arts three times a year or more.

As a result, the Arts Council have decided to try to shift those attendance patterns with a major strategic intervention - a national campaign for the arts – which was discussed at a special presentation at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on 19 November 2009.

The public campaign will be officially launched in April 2010, but you can read more by downloading National Engagement Campaign, WM Regional Engagement Campaign, a presentation by Julie Eaglen, Audience Development Officer Arts Council West Midlands.

For more information on the regional campaign, please email johnathan.branson@audiencescentral.co.uk

For more information on the national campaign, please see: www.helloart.org.uk/user/register

Kids engage in culture

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:55:00 GMT

Taking Part: The National Survey of Culture, Leisure and Sport: Headline findings from the 2008/09 Taking Part child survey is available from the DCMS website.

The Taking Part survey was commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in partnership with four of our Non Departmental Public Bodies (Arts Council England, English Heritage, Sport England, and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council).

The survey collects data covering the period September 2008 and August 2009 about engagement and non-engagement in culture, leisure and sport, providing a better understanding of those who do, and do not, engage with these sectors.

Findings include:

5-10 year olds -

• 72.3 per cent had visited a library in the last 12 months

• 72.1 per cent had visited a historic environment site in the last 12 months

• 66.3 per cent had attended a museum or gallery in the past 12 months

• 97.2 per cent had engaged in the arts in the past 12 months

11-15 year olds -

• 78.7 per cent had visited a library in the last 12 months

• 65.8 per cent had visited a historic environment site in the last 12 months

• 59.7 per cent had attended a museum or gallery in the past 12 months

• 98.8 per cent had engaged in the arts in the past 12 months

• 9.8 per cent had visited an archive in the last 12 months

For more information, see: www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/6409.aspx

Coventry museum gains Effective Collections award

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:53:00 GMT

Funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, the Museums Association has awarded Museum of British Road Transport, Coventry, £10,000 to develop long-term increased use of a part of their collection, with an emphasis on sharing through long loans or disposal.

One of six institutions to gain the funding, the full six are: Colchester and Ipswich Museum; Dorset County Museums Advisory Service; Museum of British Road Transport, Coventry; Plymouth City Museums and Art Gallery; Royal Pavilion and Museums, Brighton; and Saffron Walden Museum.

A special project award of £25,000 has also been made to a partnership between The Scottish Technology and Industrial Collections Knowledge Network and National Museums Scotland.

Sally Cross, the MA's collections coordinator, said: "We are really pleased with the overall standard of applications. It is particularly good to see so many partnerships as this means that many smaller museums are involved that otherwise would not have had a chance to participate.

"The special project is really innovative, and we are very much looking forward to working on it."

The deadline for the next round of funding applications is 5 March 2010, when further projects will be awarded.

For further information, see: www.museumsassociation.org and www.transport-museum.com