Arts & CulturE


New artistic director for Scottish Ballet


Christopher Hampson, a former profes- sional dancer with the English National Ballet, has been named as the artistic direc- tor designate of Scottish Ballet. Hampson is to take up his new role in


August 2012, having worked with compa- nies around the world and winning the Barclays Teatre Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. “I am looking forward to working with


the team at Scottish Ballet to realise an even wider commissioning vision and breadth of distinctive programming,” he said.


ACE reveals strategic funding plans


Arts Council England (ACE) has published details of how it will invest £440m worth of strategic funding between 2012 and 2015, including capi- tal and touring support. Te strategic funding will


complement the £1.04bn investment in National Portfolio organisations, with an increase in philanthropic giving among its aims. ACE’s strategic funding


plans will consist of three parts. Under targeted grant programmes, there will be three strands that groups can apply to including the £180m Capital strand to help facilities become more sustainable. Te £50m Catalyst Arts programme aims to


Some of the funding will be allocated to help widen or sustain audiences


help groups diversify income streams, while the £45m Touring programme will encourage collaboration between organisations. In the specific grant commissions section, a £7.5m


Te arts group has moved to the Old Fire Station


Oxford Dance Forum moves into new home


Oxford Dance Forum is to unveil a new two-year, artist-led development pro- gramme after the group moved to the newly-revamped Old Fire Station. Te Home-bed project, which aims to


benefit artists from Oxfordshire and across the region, is to officially launch in spring 2012 with the assistance of a £67,000 Arts Council England grant. As well as providing a hub for profes-


sional dance, the Old Fire Station also offers flexible performance space; dance studios; a gallery; and a social enterprise café.


Creative England secures government support


Creative England, an organisation which supports independent arts firms, will net a share of funding from the second £950m round of the Regional Growth Fund. Te financial support will be used in


a revolving fund for match funding that supports creative and digital small and medium enterprises across the north west, Birmingham and the south west. Creative industries minister Ed Vaizey


said: “Te Creative England project aims to help small and medium-sized compa- nies develop.”


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Audience focus fund will benefit projects that work to widen and sustain audiences or visi- tors to the arts, museums and libraries. Te Audience fund opened on 4 November,


although the £4.5m Artsmark fund is now open to submissions. Te Creative People and Places fund will open in early 2012.


Derby gallery to undergo transformation


Derby Museums is to undertake an extensive refurbishment at the historic Joseph Wright Gallery, which is designed to conserve and upgrade the original attraction built in 1882. It is anticipated the scheme will enable the attraction to showcase more of Derby


Museums’ collection of paintings and draw- ings by Joseph Wright, an English landscape and portrait artist who died in 1797. Joseph Wright Gallery has now closed in


order to undergo the refurbishment project, with its reopening due on 25 February 2012.


CLA underlines role of cultural learning


A new report from the Cultural Learning Alliance (CLA) has underlined the importance of the use of arts in the education of children and young people. Despite a survey of 2,500


teachers suggesting 13 per cent of schools had already cut back on drama, music and arts, the CLA said cultural learning remains crucial. The findings included in


ImagineNation: Te Case for Cultural Learning are based on a review of all available large-scale English language data, which has been funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Among the report’s conclusions is that


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital Te alliance underlined the importance of art in the education of kids


learning through arts and culture boosts attain- ment in all subjects, while participation in


structured activities improves cognitive ability. Meanwhile, students from low-income fami- lies who take part in arts activities at school are three times more likely to gain a degree.


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2011


image: padmayogini/shutterstock.com


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