"The price of admission is worth it alone for Turner’s extraordinary 'The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons'" 🎨 @nicktrench.bsky.social reviews 'Turner & Constable: Rivals & Originals' | #TateBritain #TurnerAndConstable bit.ly/3LevqDG

Freelancers Make Theatre Work began as a campaign group by freelancers for freelancers. We are now exploring growing into a national body for performing arts freelancers and your input matters. Fill in our consultation survey: forms.gle/GGTKH4EMjxCP...

Bruce McLean, Study towards the Object of the Exercise, 1978 https://botfrens.com/collections/14375/contents/1125576

UK should have come out straight away and condemned US invasion, because invasion is what it was, irrespective of the nature of the Venezuelan government in power.

Closer ties with the single market, says Starmer. Yes, rejoin the single market.

Great piece The idea of ​​European sclerosis in the face of a supposed American Eldorado, which is claimed as justification for the campaign of deregulation currently sweeping Europe, does not hold water. It is based on three myths, which we will deconstruct one by one @bylinesnetwork.co.uk

"They may still be contrary but the trademark style of the Lords of Misrule of the modern art world is starting to feel a touch nostalgic" 🖼️ @nicktrench.bsky.social reviews 'Gilbert & George: 21st Century Pictures' | Hayward Gallery, London SE1 until 11 January 2026 bit.ly/48zPtoZ

So Retail Economics finds the poor are getting poorer. The problem with a ‘growth’ agenda is trickle down doesn’t work: increase benefits and reduce red tape (automatically deduct rent). Cap energy costs and rent. Then food banks will disappear.

Good article @jessicaelgot.bsky.social Sensible comments @paulnowaktuc.bsky.social But a customs union is not enough... UK industry badly needs mobility frameworks for trade especially for creatives & technology sector @nicktrench.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

The English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill will shape local powers for a generation BUT culture, creativity & heritage are barely mentioned. @culturecommons have submitted evidence + amendments to change that Find out more here: culturecommons.uk/news/strengt...

Almost 100% of children in 73 neighbourhoods in England are living in income-deprived families. Govts push real wage/benefit cuts, two-child benefit cap; oppose universal basic income; don't curb profiteering. No govt targets to cut poverty. 1% has more wealth than 70% of the population combined.

‘To make sure the arts count’ the EBacc and Progress 8 accountability measures must go.

"Drama instigates debate and changes lives. When civic life is under assault – theatres can play a vital role in restoring it" - Dan Hutton - Freelance director, theatre-maker, dramaturg and facilitator #FreelancersMakeTheatreWork #Theatre #UKTheatre #UKArts #SaveTheArts

By our chair @suewilson91.bsky.social It was my pleasure to join the Thank EU for the Music team handing out EU flags at the Proms, Royal Albert Hall While the small, peaceful, friendly flag-waving efforts received no attention, the world’s media were out in force for Tommy Robinson’s hate rally

A migration expert has revealed how Brexit is making the small boats crisis worse... Peter Walsh, Oxford Migration Observatory, said leaving the European Union – which Farage campaigned for – has played a major role in creating the problem. www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/migrat...

Clear we need agent of change principle in law not just in Scotland but rest of UK, a necessary protection for longstanding music venues threatened by redevelopment and noise complaints. My speech hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-0... @musicvenuetrust.bsky.social @ukmusic.bsky.social

The small boat crossings won’t cease until we rejoin the EU, properly apply the Dublin Regulation and enable a legal route for asylum seekers. Crucially this would stop all the deaths for which we are morally responsible.

Journalists questioning Nigel Farage should be pointing out Brexit has been a primary factor in the sky rocketing number of small boat crossings. How hard can this be? youtu.be/cKXFjbxSBBI?...

Workplace conflict is costing the UK’s creative industries £1.8bn a year and freelancers are hit hardest. CIISA’s new report exposes the economic toll and calls for urgent action. Read it here: ciisa.org.uk/uncategorize... #FreelancersMakeTheatreWork #CIISA #UKArts #Theatre #Film #TV

Only 29% would back Brexit now

This is so important especially for craftspeople who may be freelance and/or sole traders and/or self employed. @heritage-crafts.bsky.social

My amendment in Employment Rights Bill arguing for a freelance commissioner to look at everything from construction workers to IT and creative industries. This amendment would have given such a commissioner real powers to effect change. hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-0...

"With their vastly different temperaments, the two artists don’t sit well in the same space. But does that matter? The more you look, the more you see the similarities" 🎨 @nicktrench.bsky.social reviews 'Kiefer / Van Gogh' | @royalacademy.bsky.social #AnselmKiefer #VanGogh bit.ly/3TU8zOo

www.gov.uk/government/n... @patricialovett.bsky.social

Imagine outrage if people seriously suggested cutting up Mona Lisa or Picasso’s Guernica into strips and sharing them out between countries. That’s what happened to Phidias’s Parthenon Sculptures, which is why what we hold at BM should go back to Athens. hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-0...

The last couple of governments have made a point of saying they’re going to make ‘hard, difficult choices’. I’m waiting for the government that’s going to make a ‘soft choice’. That’s the party I will vote for.

“This is Brexit Britain. We voted to take back control of our borders, not to accept a deal given to us by a French President” says Nigel Farage Imagine his shock when he finds out Brexit is a primary factor in the sky rocketing number of small boat crossings youtu.be/cKXFjbxSBBI?...

The Campaign for the Arts' analysis shows that the UK Government is planning to spend well over a third less per citizen on the Department for Culture, Media & Sport by 2029 compared with 2010. 👇 www.campaignforthearts.org/news/what-di... (6/6)

The Earl of Clancarty, who asked today's question of the Government, called for a more detailed and focussed plan for the arts. He said public arts funding via DCMS and the Arts Council underpins the commercial success of our creative industries. (5/6)

Today in the House of Lords, the Government was asked "what assessment they have made of the value of the subsidised arts sector". Baroness Twycross said the Government "strongly believes in the benefits of publicly funded arts". 🧵 (1/6)

There's an easier way to fix this - rejoin the single market, reinstate our lost trade with Europe. This would require courage to deconstruct the falsehoods peddled about Europe by the far right. #labour #welfarebill news.sky.com/story/politi...

11/ The 19th May “reset” UKEU Summit in London must not fail to unlock creative touring and the creative economy. That would be a failure for all of us.

The Court of Appeal ruled on 2 May anti-protest laws which completely ignored the will of Parliament are UNLAWFUL The Government has still not confirmed if it will accept the judgement & scrap these unlawful regulations which they opposed in opposition Why the delay?

This can’t be repeated enough

🔴 NEW 🔴 Labour bows to Murdoch lobbying 👇

Keir Starmer Braced For Huge Labour Rebellion Over Welfare Cuts More than 100 MPs have signed a letter urging the government to think again www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-s...

The next stage in the ratification of the UK’s UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage is to nominate our traditional craft skills, traditions, festivals and knowledge. At last ICH is getting some recognition but the balance with this and tangible cultural heritage is still far apart.

www.gov.uk/government/n... @patricialovett.bsky.social

In The Times yesterday - the next stage in the UK’s inventory of our intangible cultural heritage. However, it isn’t just Hogmanay and morris dancing, it’s what makes us what we are. @heritage-crafts.bsky.social @dcmsgovuk.bsky.social

"Prepare to have your assumptions challenged by this nuanced and searching Royal Academy exhibition of 20th-century Brazilian art" 🎨 @nicktrench.bsky.social reviews 'Brasil! Brasil!: The Birth of Modernism' | @royalacademy.bsky.social bit.ly/4iuNsw1

The numbers tell the story. Why does Labour continue to support Brexit, a failed Tory project that is decimating UK trade

The end of freedom of movement has uprooted people's lives. He is British, she is Danish. The only place they can both move to and live together? Ireland. (Nothing against Ireland, but before Brexit they could have lived in any EU country.)

"It is a strange Proustian experience viewing the earliest video pieces from the 70s, which today feel like museum pieces... Nothing dates as quickly as new technology." 🤖 @NickClancarty reviews 'Electric Dreams' | @Tate #ElectricDreams bit.ly/4idZoSU

We're looking forward to this! @themumper.bsky.social 🙌 See Pauline Boty's artworks, plus stories and a learning resource on our site 👉 artuk.org/discover/art... 'Colour Her Gone' by Pauline Boty (1938–1966) © Courtesy of the Pauline Boty Estate. 📷 The Boty Family

My question in Lords asking Govt to review funding of British Council and forgive the covid loan. Shocking that Govt considering selling assets - which are the infrastructure. The contemporary art collection too is so important for arts and soft power hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-0...

Many of those who voted Labour were hopeful this would be a kind, protective government. Instead people are fearful that this government will continue the Tories’ hostile environment regarding benefits.

The main reason for state-funding of the arts is it is right for its own sake. But it also should be seen as fortunate that that investment itself generates revenue and jobs. The govt are not really seeing that that public investment should be part of their growth plan, not something to do later.

Schools across England say they are being forced to make teachers and teaching assistants redundant to avoid going into deficit, in a serious blow to the new government’s plans to improve education www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Great speech. A position in a European orchestra or ballet company benefits not only the artist, who may return to a UK based role in future bringing in enhanced skills. Freedom of movement is not free: it is a controllable mobility framework if implemented properly using article 7. Win win.