In the news
Badenoch pledges to reduce DCMS budget by £1bn among wider cuts
The Conservative Party leader says some of the money saved would be spent on creating additional prison places. Read more here.
Hundreds sign open letter calling for Powell to reverse university arts cuts decision
The letter criticises former Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s decision to slash creative and performing arts teaching grants for universities. Read more here.
Dance schools appeal for subsidised venue hires and ‘more recognition’
Private dance schools have called for support to weather the cost of hiring venues for their training, as well as more national recognition and visibility, as part of a pulse-check of the sector published by Arts Council England. Read more here.
Cuts and deficits: Scottish organisations issue funding plea ahead of budget
Theatres and arts organisations in Scotland have issued a plea for more government funding ahead of December’s budget, with warnings that the sector has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels and that some companies will be forced to scale back their work without…
Theatre parliamentary group appoints two MPs amid fresh call to support touring
ACE has said it will prioritise representation of disabled people, Black, Asian and ethnically diverse people and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds at governance and leadership levels across the national portfolio. Read more here.
What does ACE’s new portfolio arrangement mean for diversity?
ACE has said it will prioritise representation of disabled people, Black, Asian and ethnically diverse people and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds at governance and leadership levels across the national portfolio. Read more here.
Association of British Orchestras calls for tax relief extension as Healey addresses conference
ABO chief executive Judith Webster says the move would help orchestras ‘overcome some of the additional costs that have made valuable tours harder to deliver’. Read more here.
The Stage Debut Awards winners call for more support for freelancers
Winners at The Stage Debut Awards 2026 have called for greater support for freelancer theatremakers, many of whom are working multiple other jobs to sustain performing arts work. Read more here.
Online community launches to ‘tackle sector burnout’ during NPO season
Co-director of people make it work Richard Watts says although the application process is now ‘simpler’, the period ‘remains one of the toughest seasons our sector has faced’. Read more here.
Greater Manchester announces £15m funding boost for access to culture
Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig says the increased funding is a ‘key part’ of her commitment to putting ‘things to do at the heart of our towns’. Read more here.
ACE unveils guidance for new, longer NPO funding cycle
Arts Council England has unveiled guidance for applicants for its new five-year national portfolio funding cycle, with decisions set to be informed by communities and newly-formed regional boards for the first time. Read more here.
National Theatre of Scotland introduces five-day rehearsal weeks
The National Theatre of Scotland is to implement five-day rehearsal weeks for performers and stage managers, after reaching a “significant milestone” with union Equity. Read more here.
Airey calls for ACE to get ‘swagger back’, as new study unveils barriers to young creativity
A survey of around 30,000 young people shows that cost prevents many from making more visits to cultural places, despite appetite for them. Read more here.
Welsh government unveils plans to cut business rates for smaller culture venues
Equity’s Simon Curtis welcomed the move while cautioning it should be ‘matched by a long-term commitment to the people who create our cultural life’. Read more here.
Chaperones for child performers team up to raise profile of ‘high-stakes’ role
Chaperones who look after children performing across theatre, film and TV have joined forces to launch a platform to help their peers find work and become more visible. Read more here.