British Council loan questioned, National Lottery 'showing its age' + prioritising skills over certificates

[Arts Professional]

News, features and opinion from Arts Professional View online NEWS & FEATURES News | Foreign Office accused of leaving British Council ‘dangling on a string’ over pandemic loan The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has been accused of leaving the British Council “dangling on a string” in… News | Nandy says National Lottery ‘showing its age’, as good cause funding review launched The government has announced a “comprehensive review” of National Lottery Good Cause funding, which will see the public given the… Opinion | The creative industries need skills not certificates The UK’s creative sector is heralded as a global success, but it is failing to equip the next generation with the skills needed for the future, writes Alison Lowe of the University of East London. News | British Museum generates record £2.5m from Bayeux Tapestry tickets in one day The British Museum is celebrating its “single biggest day of ticket sales” for an exhibition in its history, bringing in… Interview | Disability campaigner says barriers to ticket buying ‘put people off attending’ theatres Disability content creator and campaigner Jenni Pettican has highlighted how “barriers” in the ticket booking process and limited availability of… News | Museum Wales says ‘no decisions made’ over reported temporary closure of Cardiff site Museum Wales (Amgueddfa Cymru) has confirmed it is in early discussions over “improvement and redevelopment” works, which the Public and… Feature | From accessibility to audience strategy: Rethinking dementia-friendly practice Claire Swanson of Capital Theatres in Scotland leads on an award-winning programme of creative development activities for people living with dementia. Here she shares why it is so important. News | Social media key for young people to access music projects in Wales, says report Young people in Wales are having positive experiences with in person music projects, with social media a key source of… News | Edinburgh festivals contributed more than £850m to Scottish economy in 2025, report reveals The Edinburgh festivals are a “unique civic asset” and are tipped to have a gross economic impact of £4.26 billion… In other news | Guggenheim strike vote, West End honours Stoppard + Nandy leaves X Arts Professional takes a look at culture stories you may have missed this week, including the V&A’s touring Bowie exhibition,… Read more...  CHANGING FACES RSC brings on Martin Lowe as music associate The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has announced that Martin Lowe will join the company as its new music associate. The Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning… King’s Head appoints Massie-Blomfield and Quaife to interim roles The King’s Head Theatre in Islington has appointed Amber Massie-Blomfield as interim executive director and CEO and James Quaife as interim executive producer. Massie-Blomfield will… Creative United makes board appointments at ‘pivotal time’ Creative United has welcomed Ezra Konvitz and Emrys Green to its board of directors. Their appointment comes at a “pivotal time”, said the Community Interest… Aurora Orchestra hires chief executive to lead into ‘next chapter’ Aurora Orchestra has appointed Johnny Langridge as its chief executive, set to take up the position in spring next year. Langridge succeeds John Harte, who… More changing faces... TOP JOBS Producer Reading Rep Theatre Reading £40,000 - 45,000 Closing: 03 August 2026 Reading Rep Theatre · Permanent, full-time · £40,000 to £45,000 per annum · Reading We are looking for a Producer to join us at an exciting moment in our development. Chair or Co-Chairs Back to Ours Arts Limited Hull   Closing: 27 July 2026 Help shape our next chapter! Back to Ours is looking for a new Chair, or Co-Chairs, to help lead our organisation through an exciting new chapter of growth. Executive Director Revoluton Arts Luton £48,000 - 50,000 Closing: 16 July 2026 We are seeking a collaborative Executive Director to join the leadership team on a permanent basis at Revoluton Arts. Chief Executive Officer Worthing Theatres and Museum Worthing, UK £80,000 - 90,000 Closing: 27 July 2026 Worthing Theatres & Museum is seeking a visionary Chief Executive Officer to lead one of the South Coast's most ambitious cultural organisations. Chief Executive The Arts Theatre Cambridge Cambridge   Closing: 07 August 2026 As we enter a bold new chapter, we are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive with vision, ambition, excellent leadership skills, and a clear sense of purpose. Creative Director Hay Festival Hay-on-Wye, London and other festival locations £80,000 IRO Closing: 08 July 2026 The Creative Director is responsible for defining and leading the artistic vision, creative strategy and public programme framework for Hay Festival UK. Producer (fixed term) Paraorchestra Bristol £35,858 Closing: 22 July 2026 Paraorchestra are looking for a Producer with experience of producing medium to large scale artistic projects, to join our team for 12 months. Head of Development English Touring Opera Ltd Sheffield £45,000 - 50,000 Closing: 08 July 2026 ETO is recruiting a dynamic fundraiser, strategist, team-builder and opera lover. This senior role will work closely with ETO’s CEO and Artistic Director. Director/CEO  – The Mighty Creatives - Leicester Artist / Trail maker commission  – Ledbury Town Council - Ledbury Senior Marketing Officer  – B:Music - Birmingham City Centre More jobs... EVENTS & LEARNING Make it or fake it! Artists on AI, creativity and what’s at stake The Space Online July 7, 2026 In this webinar, we’ll hear from four creatives who are working with and sometimes against AI to make ambitious, boundary pushing work. AMA Conference 2026 - Together Arts Marketing Association Leeds/Online July 15, 2026 - July 17, 2026 The UK's biggest conference for arts, culture and heritage marketers returns this summer, heading back to Leeds for three days of learning, connection and inspiration. A Curious Tapestry: Crafting New Cultural Ecologies Symposium IOU Creation Centre Yorkshire July 15, 2026 In collaboration with the University of Huddersfield, the IOU Symposium returns to consider what an effective cultural ecosystem can be. Balancing your website’s impact and sustainability HdK Online July 28, 2026 How can arts organisations balance digital impact and reducing your website’s carbon footprint? Evaluation for Arts, Culture and Heritage: Principles and Practice Centre for Cultural Value Online A free-to-access online course to help you understand the principles and master the practice of carrying out evaluation. Sector Survey: Help shape the future of arts finance Figurative Online Take part in our short survey as Figurative looks to develop a new type of finance for the cultural and creative sector. Win a £250 donation to a charity of your choice. Safeguarding Courses Artswork Professional Development Online Tailored safeguarding training for the creative, cultural & heritage sectors: interactive, sector-specific learning. Project Management Courses Artswork Professional Development Online Project management for creative, cultural & heritage sectors - interactive courses on a range of practical topics. 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