A promo video including a few of the acts I represent at Fool's Paradise:

Arts Council England

Arts Council England today announced details of a proposed organisation-wide restructure. More info here. I have to say my immediate response in dismay.

Ideas Summit

I went to an ISAN meeting last week in Liverpool. I used to work for the company and the meeting was inspiring because there were a number of projects that I was involved with in development moving forward at a fantastic rate.

I was also able to take part in the Ideas Summit as an attendee rather than a member of staff. The Ideas Summit allows artists and companies to present ideas to producers and promoters. The ideas can be literally at the embryonic stage through to a ready to book show. There were passionate, exciting ideas and I only wish I was in the position to book them there and then.

Certainly got me thinking about the projects that I'd like to be involved with. Joe and I moved down to Exeter with the idea that we'd have time and space to put on our own events but as yet haven't had the motivation. I wrote a list of projects down when I returned and requested a meeting with a lady who may be able to help.

Billy Bragg

We saw Billy Bragg last night supported by Otis Gibbs - both really enjoyable. I've seen Billy quite a bit and have been bored to tears by his political rants between songs. I've realised that this was at festivals when all you want to do is get on with the hits and then go and get more booze. I actually quite enjoyed them last night and they made me feel that my halfhearted recycling and ecover use just isn't enough.

Wow!

Liverpool's Elephant:

Go here for more information. Flickr will be the best bet for audiences photos.

ACE are a damaged organisation

Guardian blog here. As usual with the blogs the comments are the most interesting thing...

This here cheered me up a little bit but not much...

"This is 29, Acacia Road. And this is Eric, the schoolboy who leads an exciting double life. For when Eric eats a banana, an amazing transformation occurs. Eric is Bananaman. Ever alert for the call to action."

"He's the greatest,
He's fantastic,
Wherever there is danger he'll be there!
Hes the ace,
He's amazing,
He's the strongest, he's the quickest, he's the best!
Dangermouse,
Dangermouse,
Dangermouse!"

The Creation

Yesterday, I listened to the rehearsals of Haydn's The Creation in Sheffield Cathedral. For those of you who like to know about these things it was the Sheffield Oratorio Chorus and the South Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alan Eost.

Soprano, Elizabeth Watts
Tenor, Joseph Cornwall
Bass, Paul Carey-Jones

Rather enjoyable.

(Creative) Producer

A fantastic debate has just begun on The Guardian blogs:

Lyn Gardner here
Laura Baggaley here

A great Monday inspiring quote to keep me going:

"creative producers are potentially artists' best allies as they combine a highly developed aesthetic with the kind of resourceful, tenacious and innovative behaviour that theatre desperately needs if it is to thrive and flourish." Lyn Gardner

Jolly interesting...plus today a previous favourite tutor of mine suggested that I do a project based producing MA.

Curate your own festival

Guardian blog here.

Some friends of mine are currently hovering between 3rd (which means yes) and 4th (which means no) for My Fierce Festival. The show is 'Playing The Victim'. If it takes your fancy please vote for it...If not, just vote as it's such an interesting idea.

Website for My Fierce Festival here.

Kevin Spacey attacks BBC Talent Shows

While supping coffee and eating muesli this really cheered me up this morning.

The Stage article here.

The Guardian article here.

"I felt that was essentially a 13-week promotion for a musical - where's our 13-week programme?"

Arts Taskforce

Today I will be mainly reading the "A New Landscape For The Arts"

The taskforce is an independent body and has been set up by the Conservatives to consider arts policy ahead of the next general election.

Genista McIntosh to investigate ACE's spending review

More info at The Stage here.

Apparently nothing to do with the recent controversy - they were going to do it anyway.

The real cost of 2012 to London?

The Stage article by Alistair Smith here.

Counting the cost of free theatre

Guardian blog here.

DCMS Definition of Culture:

* the performing and visual arts, craft, and fashion * media, film, television, video, and language * museums, artifacts, archives and design * libraries, literature, writing and publishing * the built heritage, architecture, landscape and archaeology * sports events, facilities and development * parks, open spaces, wildlife habitats, water environment and countryside recreation * children's play, playgrounds and play activities * tourism, festivals and attractions * informal leisure pursuits * licensing of alcohol, entertainment and late night refreshment

That's cleared that one up then...

Darius to play Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind musical

Rhett Butler is a quintessential hero/man/legend...I just can't imagine any Scarlett O'Hara lowering her defenses and wanting to give herself up to Darius.

ACE Increases

A number of positive funding stories from ACE at The Stage.

The organisation that I used to work for ISAN has also had an increase....

A bit of plain speaking:

Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre has attacked the Arts Council of England saying that it has lost its way and spent too much time producing "glossy brochures that are, bluntly, bollocks". He added "They don't just invent boll***s, they live the boll***s".

What a lovely response to the news that 1 in 5 cultural organisations funding has been/will be cut by ACE.

Culture Vulture

Sir Brian McMaster’s policy review Supporting Excellence in the Arts states.

• that the board of every cultural organisation should contain at least two artists and or practitioners,
• that all publicly funded cultural organisations remove admission charges for everyone for one week each year to address the endemic ‘it’s not for me’ syndrome, and
• that the ten most innovative cultural companies receive ten-year funding packages to support their ambition.

Ok, I've worked with a number of boards and it's hard enough getting a small number of people to a board meeting let alone adding even more people into the mix. The artists (or practitioners) would become 'representatives' or silent board member i.e. unable to actually vote on the development and running of the organisation.

Remove admission charges...a comparable thing I've seen is a great reduction in the West End ticket costs with Kids Week. It doesn't work in the way that McMaster envisions; the theatres are just filled with pushy mothers and stage school brats. They are the people that the shows are already reaching. Cinemas used to do it with a free weekend - they are just filled with cinema geeks. If there was a free cultural week, of course I'd go but I'm already going...

Oh, alright I'll give him this one to a degree but only if the list only includes nationwide representatives from every fundable sector - i.e. only one orchestra, only one opera, only one ballet....plus they tour to every UK town possible and offer free tickets to local schools for a number of performances. Also a majority of the organisations shouldn't be from London.

The Guardian response here
The Times response here