Culture | LocalGov

Art stolen from £1m sculpture trail

02/12/2024

Artwork from a public sculpture installation outside Wakefield Council’s headquarters has been stolen.

Historic London markets set to close

27/11/2024

Two of the capital’s oldest food markets are set to close after the City of London Corporation agreed to pull out of running them.

Rayner may intervene over plans for tower block near synagogue

26/11/2024

The Government could step in amid a dispute over plans to build a 43-storey office block near Britain’s oldest synagogue in London.

Pier linked to Dambusters raid gets £10m lottery lifeline

29/10/2024

The restoration of a Grade II* listed pier in Somerset on ‘the brink of loss’ has been granted £10m of National Lottery funding.

Bradford leadership survives vote amid £50m venue criticism

16/10/2024

The leadership of Bradford Council has survived a vote of no confidence amid criticism over its handling of the £50.5m publicly funded venue, Bradford Live.

Sky to appeal film studio planning refusal

14/10/2024

Broadcaster Sky is planning to appeal Hertsmere Borough Council's decision to refuse planning permission for an expansion of Sky Studios Elstree.

Oxford’s original boundary revealed during dig

11/10/2024

Excavations are thought to have confirmed the original perimeter of Anglo-Saxon Oxford.

Rayner to decide on Hollywood-backed studio plan

09/10/2024

Buckinghamshire Council’s decision to reject plans for a multi-million-pound film studio is set to be reviewed by the Government.

Council alters head-bumping event over safety concerns

20/09/2024

A Cornish council has agreed to make changes to a local ceremony dating back to the 16th century over health and safety concerns.

New homes should be for Welsh speakers, council says

06/09/2024

A community council in Wales has objected to plans for a new affordable housing development amid fears of a decline in non-Welsh speakers.

Public libraries in ‘crisis’ amid cuts

03/09/2024

More than 180 council-run libraries in the UK have either closed or been handed to volunteer groups since 2016, analysis by the BBC has revealed.

Council cancels comedy show amid antisemitism row

27/08/2024

A London borough council has cancelled a comedian’s performance after he was accused of making an antisemitic joke.

Councils awarded £399,000 culture funding

09/08/2024

A place-based partnership involving Surrey County Council and Spelthorne Borough Council has secured £399,000 for a new culture hub.

Culture funding under threat from bidding system

31/07/2024

Local government culture funding is under threat ‘due to the multitude of funding streams as well as the system for funding bids’, the LGA warns.

Missing Henry VIII portrait spotted in county hall

26/07/2024

Art historians believe a missing portrait of Henry VIII is owned by Warwickshire County Council after it was spotted in a photo on social media.

Corrie star helps save local theatre

10/07/2024

A national campaign led by Coronation star Julie Hesmondhalgh and her husband Ian Kershaw has saved the Oldham Coliseum theatre.

Council has no plan to display £6.7m art

03/07/2024

North Yorkshire Council has no current plan to display the majority of its £6.7m art collection after talks about using the former council chamber fell through.

Wakefield seeks acclaim as UK sculpture capital

18/06/2024

Wakefield Council has devised a plan to boost tourism and gain recognition as the UK capital of sculpture.

Edinburgh council celebrates ‘spectacular’ Eras Tour welcome

11/06/2024

The City of Edinburgh Council has paid tribute to fans, residents, transport services and staff after Taylor Swift’s global tour descended on the city at the weekend.

Council rejects film studio plans despite Hollywood backing

31/05/2024

Buckinghamshire councillors have rejected permission for a proposed film studio despite the plans receiving the backing of Hollywood royalty.

Council secures Mr Darcy’s iconic ‘wet shirt’

23/05/2024

Calderdale Council has successfully secured Mr Darcy’s iconic ‘wet shirt’ from the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Liverpool to transform into ‘Taylor Town’ to welcome Eras Tour star

22/05/2024

Fans descending on Liverpool for Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour will receive a ‘proper scouse welcome’, with events dedicated to the pop icon.

£101m boost for new music hubs

08/05/2024

A ‘new generation’ of music hubs will receive £101m to provide music education to young people across England.

Demolition of Only Fools and Horses tower set for 2027

07/05/2024

The iconic London tower block whose exterior served as Nelson Mandela House in the opening credits of Only Fools and Horses is set to be demolished in 2027.

2,000-year-old Roman house to reopen as part of £235k scheme

23/04/2024

The Roman Painted House in Dover, built in 200AD, is set to reopen this summer after a period of repairs.

Council contractor apologises after painting over Zephaniah mural

08/04/2024

A council contractor has apologized after painting over a mural of the late poet and Peaky Blinders star Benjamin Zephaniah in central Birmingham.

Budget: West Midlands to get £15m culture funding boost

06/03/2024

West Midlands Combined Authority is to get a £15m boost in funding for culture, heritage and investment projects in the region, the chancellor has announced.

'Culture of mistrust' found at Newham

04/03/2024

Newham LBC’s chief executive has vowed to tackle the ‘culture of mistrust’ among politicians and officers laid bare by a critical peer review.

Rochdale Town Hall to reopen after £20m restoration

26/02/2024

Rochdale’s Grade I-listed town hall will open its doors to the public this weekend following a four-year restoration project.

Harry Kane statue in storage for years

22/02/2024

Waltham Forest Council is struggling to find a suitable location for a statue of local hero Harry Kane.

Liverpool hands over Eurovision key

31/01/2024

Liverpool has officially handed over the symbolic key to Eurovision during a ceremony in Sweden.

Freedom of Nuneaton for Oscar nominee

30/01/2024

The filmmaker Gareth Edwards has been honoured by his home town with a freedom of the borough.

Report calls for more devolution to boost creative industries

23/01/2024

The further devolution of powers and funding connected to culture will help tackle economic stagnation and will boost to local communities, study finds.

Culture year to launch with raft of events

02/01/2024

A year-long programme of cultural activities in Wakefield is set to kick off with a day of 24 free events.

Bradford Live ready for 2024 opening

15/12/2023

Bradford Live has announced that it will be opening its doors for its launch season in autumn 2024.

Levelling Up Fund allocated

20/11/2023

The third round of the Levelling Up Fund has been awarded to unsuccessful bids from round two.

Northern councils join creative coalition

15/11/2023

Local leaders across the north of England have joined leading creative industry figures to commit to developing a ‘northern creative corridor’ (NCC).

Councils respond to King’s Speech

08/11/2023

The Local Government Association (LGA) has responded to proposed legislation announced yesterday in the King’s Speech.

£240m venue launches with Danny Boyle extravaganza

19/10/2023

Four years late and significantly over budget, a new cultural arena opened in Manchester yesterday with an immersive performance directed by Danny Boyle.

Museums and the cost-of-culture crisis

11/10/2023

India Divers, policy and campaigns officer, Museums Association looks at the impact on museums of the financial squeeze faced by most local authorities.

£200m heritage uplift for more deprived areas

09/10/2023

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has pledged £200m to support the heritage assets of 20 UK towns and cities.

New festival to light up Scarborough

05/10/2023

The Scarborough Lights festival will be launched next month as part of a three-year plan to boost arts, attract tourists and improve job opportunities on the North Yorkshire coast.

Council to shut 39 facilities

02/10/2023

North Lanarkshire Council has decided to close 39 community facilities in response to its financial shortfall.

Where’s Wally? Stolen statue spotted and returned to council

29/09/2023

A piece of art stolen in a heist 16 years ago has been returned to Ealing Council.

Why the planning system is failing our pubs

11/09/2023

Greg Mulholland and James Watson, Campaign for Pubs, argue that the case of the Crooked House Pub should prompt a rethink of the planning system.

Restoration of ‘pipes fit for a queen’ underway

04/09/2023

The historic decorative pipes of the organ in Leeds Town Hall, which were seen by Queen Victoria in 1858, are being restored to their original design.

Government to install 100 chess tables

22/08/2023

One hundred new chess tables are set to be installed in public spaces across England as part of a £1m package, the Government has announced.

New ‘Brit School for the north’ gets go-ahead

21/08/2023

The Government has approved plans for a new Brit School in Bradford, based on the renowned creative college in south London.

Hull’s city-wide mission to document public art

17/08/2023

Hull City Council is calling on residents and visitors to photograph ‘hidden or neglected masterpieces’ as part of an audit of the city’s public art.

Dartfort BC unveils Rolling Stones statues

10/08/2023

Visitors to Dartford will now be greeted by a bronze statues celebrating the borough’s most famous rock legends, Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Flying Scotsman returns home for centenary

08/08/2023

Flying Scotsman, the most famous steam locomotive in the world, is heading back to its birthplace of Doncaster, the city where it was built a century ago.

Bradford displays painting ‘undoubtedly’ by Raphael in world first

26/07/2023

A painting has gone on display in Bradford after more than 40 years of debate culminated in the AI-assisted discovery that it was the work of Raphael.

VisitBritain HQ moves to Birmingham

20/07/2023

Birmingham will be home to VisitBritain’s new headquarters, the national tourism agency has announced.

Report reveals lead-up to Coventry culture trust collapse

19/07/2023

A report has laid bare the events leading to the collapse of the Coventry City of Culture Trust, including how financial problems re-emerged after a £1m loan.

Wales and Cornwall strengthen ties in new agreement

18/07/2023

The Welsh government and Cornwall Council have formed a ‘strategic alliance’ to strengthen their historical, cultural and linguistic ties.

Bradford to receive £20m as City of Culture

07/07/2023

Bradford will receive around £20m to fund a programme of activities as part of its year as UK City of Culture 2025.

Eurovision and the importance of culture

04/07/2023

Claire McColgan, director of Culture Liverpool, discusses the role of culture in place making, the topic of her talk today at the LGA annual conference.

UK’s last remaining gaslit cinema to reopen

27/06/2023

On Friday (30 June), The Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds will open its doors to visitors after a £4.8m refurbishment.

Bradford Council launches £3m culture fund

31/05/2023

A £3m fund has been created to boost cultural venues in Bradford in the run up to its celebrations as City of Culture in 2025.

Stockport named Town of Culture for 2023

24/05/2023

Stockport has been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2023, securing £50,000 to support the borough’s arts sector.

Petition to save venue after crush deaths hits 50,000

02/05/2023

A petition calling on Lambeth Council to save the O2 Academy Brixton after two people were crushed to death last year has reached over 50,000 signatures.

Mayor urged to support smaller museums

27/04/2023

Mayor Sadiq Khan should make ‘more permanent, affordable premises’ available for London’s quirkier cultural organisations, London assembly members say.

Over 70 cultural venues set for £60m investment

20/03/2023

More than 70 libraries, museums and arts centres are to be given a £60m boost, culture secretary Lucy Frazer has announced.

New Buckinghamshire film studios to create 1,200 jobs

17/03/2023

Buckinghamshire Council has granted planning permission for a new eight-stage film studio expected to support 1,200 jobs.

Gary Lineker twitter row ‘fuss about nothing’, says mayor

13/03/2023

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen calls for Gary Lineker to be reinstated on Match of the Day and tells everyone to ‘grow up’.

Coventry City Council £1m loan at risk after culture trust goes bust

01/03/2023

A trust set up to promote culture in Coventry after the city's year as City of Culture in 2021 has gone into administration putting a £1m council loan at risk.

Thanet Council dismantles Banksy’s ‘Valentine’s Day’ mural

15/02/2023

An artwork by Banksy in Margate has been dismantled by the local council just hours after the artist claimed it as his.

Pocklington to leave DLUHC amid Whitehall changes

07/02/2023

Permanent secretary Jeremy Pocklington will leave the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) amid a series of Whitehall changes.

City leaders call for £100m boost to ‘cultural engagement’

07/02/2023

Cities with low ‘cultural engagement’ are more likely to be deprived, according to a new report.

Auditor calls for national changes after public interest report

01/02/2023

External auditor Grant Thornton has called for national changes after cataloguing a ‘toxic’ culture and ‘dysfunctional environment’ at Cheshire East Council.

Northern councils sign up to ‘blockbuster’ film scheme

01/02/2023

A dozen councils in the North East have signed up to a scheme to help film and TV companies work in the region.

Council chiefs welcome call to address creative skills ‘blind spot’

17/01/2023

Council leaders have welcomed a call for a Government focus on fixing the educational ‘blind spots' and digital skills shortage impacting creative industries.

Tees Valley culture sector receives nearly £600,000

10/01/2023

The culture sector in the north east is set to receive a boost of over half a million pounds, the Tees Valley Combined Authority has announced.

Dozens of pubs saved by nearly £7m boost

12/12/2022

More than 30 pubs, clubs, theatres and other venues at risk of closure have been placed in the hands of local people thanks to £6.67m of levelling up funding.

Local arts funding faces £2.4bn gap

08/12/2022

A multi-year funding settlement is essential for helping local authorities support the arts, council chiefs say as report reveals a £2.4bn culture funding gap.

Nottingham’s castle closure after £33m revamp ‘huge disappointment’

22/11/2022

The closure of Nottingham’s castle after a multi-million-pound investment is a ‘huge disappointment’, the city council has said.

Cultural institutions face ‘existential threat’, MPs warn

02/11/2022

Theatres, museums and leisure centres in historically left behind areas are facing an ‘existential threat’ from the cost-of-living crisis, MPs warn.

Councils urged to share post-pandemic cultural activities

24/06/2022

The LGA is calling for councils and local partners to share examples of their work in using culture to support the post-pandemic recovery and levelling up.

Bradford chosen as UK City of Culture 2025

01/06/2022

Bradford has been named the UK City of Culture 2025, beating off competition from 20 other cities.

Councils encouraged to apply for share of £128m culture fund

10/05/2022

Cultural venues including museums, galleries and public libraries are being encouraged to submit expressions of interest to receive a share of £128m.

Over 300 theatres and museums receive £35m support

31/03/2022

Cultural organisations from across England have received a share of a £35m emergency support package to help overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oxford council ends twinning arrangement with Russian city

07/03/2022

Oxford City Council has become the latest local authority to propose ending twinning arrangements with a Russian city.

Northern leaders champion role of culture in levelling up

20/01/2022

Leaders from across the North have called for more investment and more devolution to help promote culture in the north of England.

City of Culture 2025 longlist announced

08/10/2021

The Government today announced the eight places that have been longlisted for the prestigious UK City of Culture 2025 title.

Council chiefs welcome plan to support creative arts

17/09/2021

Local authorities are in a ‘unique position’ to support the creative arts and culture sector in their local areas, council chiefs say.

Record 20 places apply to be City of Culture 2025

20/08/2021

A record 20 places from across the UK have submitted an expression of interest to become the UK City of Culture 2025.

UK City of Culture competition open to towns

01/06/2021

The Government has announced that for the first time groups of towns will be able to join together and apply for the title of UK City of Culture to be awarded to their local area.

Councils warn leisure providers at 'crisis point'

05/05/2020

Leisure providers are at a ‘crisis point’ as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, English and Welsh councils have warned.

Lewisham named London Borough of Culture 2021

11/02/2020

Lewisham is to get the opportunity to showcase its cultural voice after being named London Borough of Culture 2021.

Whitehall promises £85m ‘culture boost’ after decade of school cuts

03/01/2020

The Government has committed to investing millions of pounds into film, dance, theatre and design lessons and facilities for secondary school children.

Seven councils bid to be next London Borough of Culture

23/12/2019

Seven boroughs from across the capital have been invited to City Hall to present their bid to be the next London Borough of Culture.

Manchester signs ‘cultural agreement’ with Danish cities

07/03/2019

Manchester has signed a 'cultural agreement' with two Danish cities with a focus on arts and health, young people and urban development and design.

Call for tourism tax review

05/02/2019

An inquiry into cultural investment in cities has called for a UK-wide review of the benefits of a tourism tax.

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