Arts Professional

Proceeds from a proposed tourist tax in England must be reinvested “into the very offer that entices people to travel in the first place”, such as culture and heritage, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee has heard.

While neurodivergent people are welcomed as audiences, they are rarely recognised as knowledge creators, writes Naomi Folb, research associate with NCACE.

Laura Nicholson to lead dance at National Centre for Arts Education www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces

Hallé names new chair and three trustees www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces

A research project is set to conduct the first assessment of capital investment requirements into England’s public libraries for two decades.

Responsibility for reconstructing the fire-damaged Mackintosh building should be transferred to a new independent body and not returned to The Glasgow School of Art (GSA), according to a new report by the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society.

Scotland’s arts and culture organisations are at risk of being held back by red tape and tick-box exercises when applying for public funds, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The Royal Armouries museum in Leeds has begun a consultation with staff on proposals to restructure the organisation, with the aim of reducing overall staff costs by around 9% of its salary expenditure.

Sam Fender has reduced the cost of standing tickets to his forthcoming UK tour after calling out their “inflated” price.

Don't miss: Governance Now 2026: Purpose & Place from Cultural Governance Alliance.

Citizen Group appoints Michael Baskerville as commercial director www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces

People are being urged to be aware of and report vandalism at Welsh historic sites this half term, after thousands of pounds’ worth of damage was caused at a newly renovated site in Pembrokeshire.

An All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) inquiry has found that northern culture should be “treated as a national asset”, and urged the government to realise the region’s “untapped cultural capital”.

Don't miss: Create Tour Connect Callout Open to Commission New Show for National Tour from Applause Rural Touring.

New job: Chair and Trustees, British American Drama Academy (BADA):London (and online). #artsjobs #ad

New job #ad: Executive Producer, The Revel Puck Circus, London/Shoreditch office + Remote working. Salary: £42,000 - 48,000. #artsjobs

Joanna Keiller joins Tobacco Factory Theatres as executive director www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces

Arts Professional takes a look at culture stories you may have missed this week, including a major new UK-wide exhibition, a bold new culture plan for Ipswich, and the appointment of a pilot organisation for the Arts Council’s All In scheme.

Although a proposed ‘bank tax’ and the status of the pension triple-lock will grab many headlines after Wednesday’s Autumn Budget, there are plenty of potential tax changes that could impact the arts.

Free-to-enter museums are set to benefit from a new Valuation Office (VO) policy that will see the rateable value of many reduced to £1.

Big Give has announced it has made the “difficult decision” to pause the Arts for Impact campaign for 2027, as it takes the time “to review, plan and reassess for 2028”.

Oxford City Council has approved a pilot to drop recently introduced entry fees to the Museum of Oxford for residents following a fall in visitor numbers.

East Neuk Festival announces new chair www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces

Nearly half of performers and creative practitioners are earning less than £10,000 per year from their performance-related work, according to a new large-scale Equity survey.

Exchange value is the price of letting go. In this piece, Baker Richards' David Reece argues that Britain has spent 40 years putting an exit price on things it once held for ever, and that civic culture is where the last of them are now being sold.

New job #ad: Young Craft Citizens (YCC) Network Manager, Crafts Council, Islington. London. Salary: £30,000 - 40,000. #artsjobs

This training is designed to support fundraisers within the arts, culture and heritage sector, giving participants the confidence, knowledge, and skills to better monitor and evaluate the impact of their organisation’s work.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has revealed the four cities still in the running to win the title of UK City of Culture 2029 and a £10 million prize.

The City of Edinburgh Council has opened a new £3.8 million funding programme to support improvements to the city’s public cultural and heritage buildings, funded directly by the recently introduced overnight levy.

Watershed’s director of research Jo Lansdowne has been awarded a £1.5 million UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship to explore how the UK’s creative technology sector can “better support marginalised and underrepresented entrepreneurs”.

With the government’s recent announcement of a dedicated unit to tackle class and socioeconomic inequality, Alexander Goodger of Stourbridge Glass Museum wonders if the sector is leaving people behind by failing to include class in its EDI work.

Historic England is awarding £514,000 to 35 youth-led projects that “uncover and celebrate overlooked local stories”.

New job #ad: Finance Director, The Stables, Milton Keynes. Salary: £65,000. #artsjobs

Don't miss: Director of Audience Development, Perth Theatre and Concert Hall, Perth, PH1 5HZ. Salary: £50,000. #artsjobs

Southbank Centre CEO Elaine Bedell has highlighted culture as “a good news story” for the country, during the launch of the organisation’s 2027 season.

Members of PCS and Prospect unions working at the V&A have announced a further two days of strike action in a row over pay and working conditions, which will take place at all four of the London sites.

Curious Arts founder Phil Douglas to join Newcastle City Council www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces

A government committee has repeated its call for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to launch a full investigation into the UK’s live music industry before the end of the year.

Curve’s Chris Stafford to be COO of Cameron Mackintosh Ltd www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces

Don't miss: Engaging younger audiences on social media from HDK.

Creative Scotland has initiated a survey to better understand the experiences of neurodiverse artists working in the Scottish music sector.

Managing risk is one of a board’s core jobs, and the surest way to do it is to practise. Keith Arrowsmith is creator of the Culture Crisis Lab, a desk-based simulation for cultural organisations to flex their governance muscles.

Performers’ union Equity and Brighton Fringe have announced a “first of its kind” agreement, designed to “actively raise standards in fringe theatre”.

Turner Sims brings five new members onto its strategic board www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces

Arts minister Baroness Mackenzie has told the House of Lords she wishes to follow the basic income for artists pilot scheme in Scotland “with attention” in response to a question about rising operating costs for “struggling” artists.

New curator announced for Folkestone Triennial 2028 www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces

The Welsh government has committed £550,000 of additional funding to support widening access to museums, archives and libraries.

Don't miss: Director of Programme, B:Music, Symphony Hall, Birmingham. #artsjobs

Simon Lock is CEO of West of England Music and Arts. He thinks excellent arts education depends on a sustainable model.

Companies and performance artists from the South East and South West are invited to apply to be part of the national Create Tour Connect touring project.