IN BRIEF

ARTS & CULTURE

Landscape exhibition for Welsh park

Four centuries of the Welsh

landscape, interpreted by internationally recognised artists, has been put on show at Oriel y Parc, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's gallery and visitor centre in St

Davids. Entitled The Changing

Landscape, the exhibition will include objects from the art, natural history and industry collections of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. Bryony Dawkes, partnership projects curator for National Museum Wales said: "The works will explore the impact of natural process and human intervention on the landscape around us."

ACE publishes new RFO framework

Arts Council England (ACE) has

unveiled its new framework for how the funding agency plans to work with the art organisations it supports on a regular basis. The Relationship between Arts Council England and regularly funded organisations (RFO) is designed to provide greater clarity in how it plans to work with groups in order to the arts across the country. An extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders was held last year to help shape the framework, which includes processes due to come into effect from 2011-12.

Basingstoke set for new Discovery Centre

Basingstoke Library is set to be

turned into a Discovery Centre under £1m plans given the green light by Hampshire County Council (HCC). The library closed on 26 April in order to allow work to get underway on the scheme, which was approved by HCC's buildings, land and procurement panel. The facility will open in late 2010 – offering a range of improved services.

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Gwyn Hall restoration moves forward

£9m project to transform historic Neath venue into new arts and cultural facility

By Pete Hayman

The next stage of a £9m scheme to transform the Gwyn Hall in Neath, South Wales, is set to start after construction company Morgan Ashurst was selected to carry out the work. An arts and cultural venue is

planned for the historic venue, which will feature a ground floor theatre with retractable seating for a range of functions, a cinema and a café. Cardiff-based Holder Mathias

Architects drew up designs for the new-look venue, which aims to provide full access for people of all abilities and ages and will provide a major arts facility for the local area. The refurbishment of Gwyn Hall comes more than two

The new Gwyn Hall has been designed Holder Mathias Architects

years after the Grade II-listed building was severely damaged by fire amid a similar £4m redevelopment project. Neath Port Talbot County

Borough Council also revealed that a special event is due to be held to allow local firms to

meet the Morgan Ashurst team set to deliver the scheme. Council leader Ali Thomas

said: "The council made a commitment last year to re-build the Gwyn Hall, which has been at the heart of the community for many years."

Study reveals audience boost for London theatres

By Pete Hayman

New research published by the Society of London Theatres (SLT) has revealed 83 per cent of theatre-goers believe ticket prices represent 'good value'. Conducted in partnership

with Ipsos MORI, The West End Theatre Audience found that three quarters of theatre audiences thought performanc- es were 'very good'. According to the study,

theatre-goers made an average

The research reveals theatres offer good value for audiences

of 6.4 visits to shows during 2008, while the portion of tickets booked online increased

from 17 per cent to nearly half in the last 12 months. SLT chief executive Richard

Pulford said: "This report will be required reading for anyone working or interested in London theatre." The survey was carried out

among audiences of 37 shows, with fieldwork taking place between June and December 2008. The results follow the announcement that 2009 saw audience numbers increase for the seventh year in a row."

New digital cinema facilities are to be installed at Edinburgh's Festival Theatre after the venue received a £245,000 Scottish Government grant. Operator Festival City Theatres Trust will

provide equipment to allow the venue to host premieres, in addition to 35mm films, and will create Scotland's largest digital cinema.

New digital cinema facilities for Edinburgh arts venue

The installation is due to be carried out in

time for the start of the Edinburgh Interna- tional Film Festival between 16-27 June. Scottish culture minister Fiona Hyslop said:

"This project will put Edinburgh firmly in the spotlight as a venue for movie premieres, and enhance Scotland's digital cinematic offering."

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