Arts Council England introduced a regular Stakeholder focus survey in 2009, as part of its public value work, aiming to strengthen relationships with the public and other stakeholders and to support its mission. The most recent study, now published, was undertaken between June and September 2011.
Arts Quarter has announced the findings from its survey of arts organisations, asking them to comment on the effectiveness of the Government and various agencies to deliver on the Philanthropy in the Arts Agenda - a set of 10 landmark proposals launched in December 2010 by Culture Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt to improve levels of private sector giving to the arts.
In all, some 361 arts organisations of all scales, regions and artforms took part and shared their concerns via an online survey which was conducted from 20 February - 16 March 2012.
A new group has been established to look at ways of challenging businesses and the public sector to improve the environment for people with dementia. Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador Angela Rippon and Alzheimer’s Society Chief Executive, Jeremy Hughes, will lead discussions on how to create communities that support people living with the condition.
A new financial institution set up by the Government to finance charities and community groups has been launched. Big Society Capital will have £600m, of which the majority comes from unused cash in bank accounts that have been dormant for more than 15 years.
The fund will back social enterprises that prove they can repay an investment through the income they generate.
The fund has already agreed investments worth £3.6m in a number of schemes including:
A new report from The King’s Fund assesses the ways in which local authorities have begun to develop new arrangements with their partners – the size, composition and ways of working emerging from the shadow Health and Wellbeing boards.
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council the International Health Humanities Network aims to provide a global platform for scholars, medical, health and social care professionals, voluntary sector workers and creative practitioners to join forces with informal and family carers, service-users and the wider self-caring public to explore, celebrate and develop new approaches in advancing health and wellbeing through the arts and humanities in hospitals, residential and community settings.
Earlyarts, the national body working to develop arts and creative opportunities for children, has launched its National Strategy for Effective Practice. The National Strategy details six pillars of what its members have termed as the most effective elements required to do their jobs well.
As part of the Government’s examination of national wellbeing, The Office of National Statistics has released figures tying together the social and economic data from a wide range of government departments and other organisations regarding leisure and work activities – including arts consumption. The programme aims to produce accepted and trusted measures of the well-being of the nation - how the UK as a whole is doing.
The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) came into effect on 27 March. It includes a clear argument for the role of design and culture demanding that the social role of the planning system should create ‘a high quality built environment, with accessible local services that reflect the community’s needs and support its health, social and cultural well-being’.
Furthermore the NPPF now requires that plan-making and decision-taking by local planning authorities and others should:
19 arts and cultural organisations who jointly campaigned to see culture included in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) have joined together to establish the Culture in Planning Alliance (CiPA). This is intended to be a voice for culture and the arts in the planning system.
The London Creativity and Wellbeing Week 2012 will take place from June 13-20 this summer and promises to be a great showcase for the huge variety of arts and health activity in the capital.
