Financially Fragile - Liverpool City Council is set to extend its culture fund for 12 months amid warnings that local arts organisations are "financially fragile". A report presented by the council to its cabinet states the move will cost £2.25m but declares that not taking action could force cultural organisations to shed jobs, cut programming and even close altogether. The recommendation to extend the Culture and Arts Investment Programme was made last week following consultation with the 29 organisations to receive a share of its funding, including the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and 20 Stories High.
Village News - Plans to expand a film and TV production facility have been approved. Culture chiefs hope the work at Northern Studios in Hartlepool and the creation of the Screen Industries Production Village will bolster the north-east of England's film-making sector. The £33.5m development will see a number of derelict buildings surrounding the complex brought back into use to create pre- and post-production facilities. Planning agents said they hoped the scheme would create 131 jobs and be "operationally ready" by spring 2028. Construction is expected to start in the next few months on the government-funded project.
Death Threat - Morrissey has cancelled two shows in the US after receiving a death threat ahead of a concert in Ottawa, Canada. A 26-year-old Ottawa man was released on bail after allegedly uttering a threat to kill the singer ahead of his performance at a music festival last week. The event went on as planned, but the singer later cancelled two shows in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Morrissey is known for being outspoken on issues such as animal welfare and politics. In 2006, he refused to tour in Canada in protest at the annual seal hunt.
Dance On - A ballet performance dedicated to late Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne will give fans another opportunity to relive the band's music and concerts, a dancer says. Birmingham Royal Ballet is taking Black Sabbath – The Ballet on tour, including a homecoming performance at Birmingham Hippodrome. Created and premiered in 2023, the ballet uses full orchestrations of tracks, external such as Paranoid and Iron Man and new orchestral works inspired by the band's work.
Send In The Clown - A £1m fundraising appeal to open a new arts centre has been launched by a clown, who found himself helping with the renovations. Tweedy the clown knocked down a wall at the old community centre in Grove Street, Cheltenham, which has been bought by the Everyman Theatre. The theatre hopes to open the building as a new arts and education centre next spring and aims to give disadvantaged children, young people and adults access to the performing arts.
Mark Goucher, chief executive, said: "The theatre is still seen as a bit posh and a bit elitist but I want kids from this area and their parents to get involved down here, and I hope we can make a difference."
(Jim Evans)