News in Brief
Charity Commission to assess fee-charging arts organisations • Creative Scotland created • ACE recruits 152 assessors
Charity Commission to assess fee-charging arts organisations
The Charity Commission is to look at fee-charging arts charities in its next round of public benefit assessments.
The arts charities included in this round are performing arts organisations: Royal Opera House, the Young Concert Artists Trust, The Castle Players and Gwent Ballet Theatre.
The assessments will examine how arts charities can demonstrate public benefit according to the Commission's 2008 guidelines and are designed to cover a range of charities of varying sizes and scope of operation in the arts. The results will be used to provide practical examples for other charities.
Go to: www.charity-commission.gov.uk.
Creative Scotland update
The Scottish Parliament voted in favour of State 1 of the legislation to introduce Creative Scotland on 7 January 2010. The Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill is currently undergoing further Parliamentary scrutiny at Stage 2. Creative Scotland would be the new body to replace the former Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen.
Creative Scotland, which is set to start operating in June, will have a total annual budget of £60 million. Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop confirmed that there would be a cut in staff of 30, but with no compulsory redundancies. A chief executive is currently being recruited.
ACE recruits 152 assessors
Arts Council England has announced the appointment of 152 people to write assessments on the artistic work of its regularly funded organisations.
The appointments follow a response to the Arts Council’s recruitment campaign, which saw over 1,100 people apply for the roles. The new assessors will report on the full range of artforms, including specialisms such as work for children and young people, culturally specific arts and disability-led arts from February 2010.
The 152 assessors come from a range of backgrounds, including artists, arts managers, academics and journalists. A full list of the assessors is now available on the Arts Council’s website: www.artscouncil.org.uk.
Date posted: 29th January 2010