May 2023
29 May - Britain’s ever-harsher welfare system means that now only the rich can afford to make art
Postwar artists wouldn’t have had a chance without affordable housing or social security. When will politicians realise that?
28 May - The Guardian view on excellence in the arts: it’s not about elites
It is refreshing to hear new ideas, but dividing culture into the best and the rest won’t do anyone any good
26 May - West End actors and stage managers to receive 16% pay rise over two years
West End performers and stage managers will receive a pay rise of 16% over two years, under new rates agreed by Equity and the Society of London Theatre.
26 May - Reimagining arts funding
The music sector has gone apoplectic over cuts in the subsidy for music, first with the Arts Council’s unexplained and, frankly inexplicable decisions, and then with the BBC’s loony attempt (failed, so far) to lop 20% off its orchestras’ budget.
26 May - Broadway shows strong recovery in first year of full data post pandemic
Broadway is making “a strong rebound”, according to figures that reveal 12.3 million people attended shows in the first full year of data since the pandemic.
26 May - Universal credit system not working for artists, says Julie Hesmondhalgh
Former Coronation Street actor calls for more support, as survey finds lack of safety net for self-employed creatives
25 May - Labour vows to boost northern culture and jobs
Labour has vowed to put northern culture at the centre of its plans to grow the creative industries, as it criticises the Conservative Party for taking a “begging bowl” approach to arts funding.
25 May - Equity vows to strengthen union agreements for D/deaf and disabled members
Equity has vowed to work towards strengthening its collective agreements to better represent the needs of its D/deaf and disabled members, including ensuring access requirements are embedded into contracts from the start.
25 May - Fresh warnings over AI as actors report job losses and copyright infringement
Artificial intelligence is “threatening to upend” the working lives of actors, with fresh warnings that the technology is costing arts workers their jobs.
25 May - Changes to arts funding are always divisive – we were right to focus on access for all
We’ve faced criticism for investing in areas outside London, but people around England told us they wanted to experience culture close to home – Nicholas Serota, chair of Arts Council England
24 May - 'Safeguarding failures' allow abusers to go unchecked at work, women warn
Female creatives have exposed a “failure of safeguarding” in the industry that has left those who have experienced harassment in the past having to work alongside their abusers in rehearsal rooms or on set.
24 May - The future of cultural devolution
The UK is among the most centralised and unequal countries, which has a profound impact on where culture and creativity has flourished. Trevor MacFarlance explores whether devolution could be an opportunity to recalibrate the creative ecosystem.
24 May - EdFringe partners with mental health charity to support participating artists
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced a new partnership with mental health charity Health in Mind to support artists at this year’s event.
24 May - New writing ‘at risk from artistic director reshuffle’
A shake-up of artistic leadership at venues across the UK is leading to a “destabilising and anxious” situation for writers, whose commissions have been cast into uncertainty.
22 May - Divided opinion: why Nicholas Hytner is wrong about splitting arts funding
In his call to overhaul the arts funding model, Nicholas Hytner, former artistic director of the heavily funded National Theatre now helming the nearby, unfunded Bridge Theatre, is right about several things: the squeeze on funding has battered the arts. Morale is low, among freelancers and many leaders running buildings.
22 May - Legacy begins with preparing the next generation of leaders
This summer will mark two intense years since I became principal of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Reflecting on my time in post – actually, I do this daily – I’m constantly thinking about what I do, why and for whom I do it, and what legacy I will leave.
19 May - Fresh calls for arts funding reform
While arts professionals debate if arts council funding should consider a two-tiered system, a group of academics suggest a move away from competitive funding models is the answer.
19 May - Frazer vows to grow creative industries by £50bn
Culture Secretary commits to creating an extra million jobs in the sector by 2030 in speech prioritising growth and career opportunities in the creative industries.
18 May - London’s Roundhouse to train 15,000 young people in creative industries
A famous London music venue is opening its doors to 15,000 young people, the majority from disadvantaged backgrounds, each year to learn skills, build confidence and make connections to equip them to work in the UK’s creative industries.
18 May - Caroline Dinenage elected chair of DCMS scrutiny committee
Conservative member of parliament Caroline Dinenage has been elected chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.
17 May - The arts in Britain are teetering on the brink. Here is my plan to save them - Nicholas Hytner
The Arts Council should focus on high-quality performances while a new body deals with community-based initiatives
17 May - Relocation won't fix Arts Council's mess at English National Opera
Arts Council England giving English National Opera millions of pounds to relocate to a city with which it has no relationship is not “levelling up”, it shows a disregard for both artists and audiences, says David Benedict
16 May - Battersea Arts Centre makes redundancies in face of rising costs
Increasing costs, inflationary pressures and changes to funding have led to the National Portfolio Organisation taking ‘tough decisions’, including six redundancies.
16 May - PRS Foundation initiative generates £22m for UK music industry
A grant scheme run by PRS Foundation has generated more than £22m for the UK music industry over the past decade, an evaluation report has found.
16 May - Northern Ireland’s vibrant scene is in danger of stalling after funding cuts
Over the past six months, opera funding has been at the forefront of the news within the arts world. With the crisis surrounding English National Opera, plus the cuts to Welsh National Opera, the Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne, the debate about the value and cultural importance of opera has been brought into the spotlight again.
16 May - Nurturing the next generation of creative talent
There’s a wealth of talent and ambition in the UK’s younger generation but, if we ignore their needs, we’re at risk of losing a generation of creative talent writes Tina Ramdeen.
15 May - Education policy has had 'disastrous' impact on drama in schools – inquiry
An “unfair” hierarchy of subjects in schools and too much focus on assessments have had a “disastrous” impact on drama in education, a House of Lords inquiry has been told.
15 May - Five-day week and code of conduct for digs secured under new Equity agreements
A five-day rehearsal week is to be trialled across the theatre sector, as part of new Equity agreements that will also see the introduction of the industry’s first code of conduct for digs.
15 May - Sing opera’s virtues from the rooftop, or ACE cuts could devastate the art form
Where should opera go from here? One notable absence in the sector is the existence of a body comparable to the excellent Association of British Orchestras, which could collectively represent opera organisations at all levels.
14 May - Director Adele Thomas: ‘In theatre, you need a private income just to live’
The theatre and opera director on how her working-class Welsh background informs her work, the strangeness of Il trovatore, and her eclectic running playlist
12 May - ACE awards £19 million to support organisations that received NPO cuts
Arts Council England has awarded a support package totalling £19 million to organisations that received cuts or are no longer part of its 2023-6 national portfolio.
11 May - Creative Scotland shares update on multi-year funding plans
The next edition of Scotland’s multi-year funding programme will begin in April 2025, with a first round of applications opening in September this year.
11 May - Cash-strapped: how theatres are dealing with the cost-of-living crisis
How is the cost-of-living crisis affecting what theatres put on their stages? And are relationships with audiences changing as a result? Theatre leaders tell Lyn Gardner about shaping their programmes for challenging times, their responsibilities towards artists and ticket buyers and how they are faring after a tough winter
11 May - Safeguarding artistic freedom
Last week in Stockholm, Josette Bushell-Mingo hosted the opening ceremony of IFACCA’s 9th World Summit on Arts and Culture. Within a broad theme of artistic freedom, her focus is on education and the arts, human rights and inclusion.
10 May - Petition launched to save development agency amid bitter row
A petition to save an organisation that supports the development of live art has gained more than 3,000 signatures, amid a bitter dispute between the body’s staff and trustees.
10 May - ENO reveals shortlist for new base outside London
English National Opera has drawn up a shortlist of five cities that could become home to its new headquarters after the organisation was forced to develop plans to relocate following the last Arts Council England funding round.
04 May - Unions calls for further ACE investment in ENO
A coalition of trade unions are calling on Arts Council England (ACE) to produce a “realistic strategy” for the future of English National Opera (ENO), alongside additional funding.
03 May - Culture & Business Scotland launches new funding round
The seventh round of applications for a fund that connects culture organisations with business sponsorship opportunities is due to open this month in Scotland.
The fund will provide up to £12,000 in backing to successful applicants.