sustained theatre

Connexus Newsletter

Welcome to the Connexus Newsletter (formerly known as SUCCINCT), the independent fortnightly e-newsletter to help you navigate the jungle of international information by highlighting key news and information from over 100 international sources who represent or support the world's artists, performers, writers, curators, directors, technicians, educators, managers and researchers.

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#22 25 May '11

This fortnight's newsletter summarises information from over international networks and blogs, and from a range of newspapers and other sources from aroudn the world.

FOLK ARTS DOWN… The Museum of Modern Art will pay $31.2 million for the American Folk Art Museum's building, according to a notice the folk art museum filed to its bondholders. The two museums announced the planned sale last week but had not disclosed the price. The folk art museum took on $32 million of debt to construct the building on West 53rd Street, but attendance never met expectations, and after sustaining investment losses in the financial crisis, the museum defaulted on its debt. The folk art museum had said that the sale would allow it to retire its debt, as well as pay fees to lawyers and consultants. The numbers are close: as of June 30, 2009, the museum owed a principal of $29,945,000 on the bonds. Read more here.

From the newspapers and other sources…

ABORIGINAL ARTS UP… The New South Wales Government has given a boost to Aboriginal arts. The state is putting up funds of more than $1 million in a new move to foster Aboriginal arts and culture, Arts Minister George Souris said announcing the first funding package on Tuesday."We want to improve visibility of our rich Aboriginal heritage and ensure our Aboriginal culture is strong," Mr Souris said.

RESERVATIONS FOR THE INDIAN CENTRE… A proposed $40 million bond issue to finish the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City is dead for the year. Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, said the bill to fund completion of the project won't be heard because of remaining questions about the project's finances and a general concern among Republican senators about increasing the state's debt load. Three previous state bond issues have put $67.4 million into the partially completed project at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Interstate 40. With federal, city and private money, some $91 million has been invested in the project.

SOMETHING OLD… The HLF (UK Heritage Lottery Fund) has pledged £52m for five major projects in Hastings, London and the Lake District. These are: Hastings Pier, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Lake Windermere vintage boats, the World Conservation and Exhibition Centre in Bloomsbury and the Geffrye Museum in the heart of Hackney, East London. For more details on each project please visit here.

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See also the MOBILITY / RESIDENCIES section towards the end of the newsletter

From the networks…

EXPERTS WANTED… The UNESCO international call for applications for technical assistance missions is still open (Application deadline: 30 June 2011, midnight CET). It is part of the framework of a project funded by the European Union (EU), aiming to strengthen the system of governance for culture in developing countries. These missions will be based on the needs and priorities of the beneficiary countries and will be undertaken by top experts in the field of cultural policies. The missions will support the beneficiary countries in their efforts to establish legal, regulatory and/or institutional frameworks and/or introduce policies that address the role of culture in social and economic development, particularly through the cultural industrie s. Public authorities and institutions from eligible countries can submit applications for technical assistance missions to UNESCO. They will then be evaluated and selected according to established criteria. Possible new deadlines could be added according to the quantity and quality of the applications received during the first two calls.

From the newspapers and other sources…

AWARDS AWAIT… The Charity Times Awards are free to enter and open to any UK-based registered charity, or international charity with registered UK offices. The Awards are also open to corporate groups who work with charities and provide services to charity organisations. They acknowledge and encourage best practice in the management of charities and not-for-profit organisations. The Awards are now in their twelfth year and the highly successful, popular, and growing annual gala event will be bigger and better than ever in 2011. They continue to be thepre-eminent celebration of best practice in the UK charity and not-for-profit sector. The Awards will be held on 12 October 2011 at the prestigious Hilton Park Lane. The deadline for applying is 27 May 2011.

SKY'S THE LIMIT… Sky is to expand further its support for the arts in the UK and Ireland with the launch of amajor new programme to support new arts projects and emerging artists. The programme involves the creation of a new arts fund,Sky Arts Ignition, with two distinct and complementary strands: The Sky Arts Ignition Series and Sky Arts Ignition Futures Fund. The Sky Arts Ignition Series will seek to collaborate with six arts organisations over the next three years in the creation of brand new works. For each of the chosen projects, Sky Arts will provide a cash investment of up to £200,000 and work with the arts partners to bring their projects to a wider audience, using Sky's platform. "The Series is the latest development in Sky's ongoing commitment to broade ning access to the arts across the country, and will represent an investment of over £1million." Applications are now open. Further details of the Series are outlined on the site, along with full guidelines for entries. The Sky Arts Ignition Futures Fund is designed to help young talent to bridge the development gap from school or college to becoming a working artist. Each year, the fund will support five individuals with a bursary of £30,000 each, enabling Sky Arts to back the creation of new works of art as well as nurture emerging talent.

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From the networks…

ASSEMBLE IN AUSTRALIA… Online registration for the 5th World Summit on Arts and Culture is now available. Jointly hosted by theAustralia Council for the Arts and IFACCA, in partnership with Arts Victoria, the 5th World Summit will explore the theme Creative Intersections. Preliminary details of the programme and speakers have been announced and the website will be constantly updated betweennow and October with further information. The cultural programme for the 5th World Summit will be arranged by Melbourne Festival, with the support of Arts Victoria. Brett Sheehy, Artistic Director, will create a programme of arts events over the period 3-6 October, culminating in the opening night of the Festival on the evening of 6 October . Included in the delegate registration fee is a ticket to one of Melbourne Festival's preview event.

BAT IDEAS AROUND IN BARCELONA The time for a new exchange of thoughts on European Culture has come! You are invited to join the XIth Conference "European Culture", which will be held in Barcelona from 27-29 October 2011. The call for papers is now open.

OR FLING THEM ABOUT IN FINLAND… Registration is now open for the ENCATC 2011 Annual Conference"CultureForecast", which will be held in Helsinki, Finland on12-14 October 2011. For more information, visit the website, or to Register please click here.

NO PITHY COMMENT HERE… The Arts and Dementia conference, organised forARTZ UK by Eminence Grise, will be held22 June 2011 in Oxford, England. It will include local, national and international work taking place using museum collections, poetry, visual arts, theatre, dance and music with people with dementia. The programme includes Dr John Zeisel who pioneered guided museum tours at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and set up Artists for Alzheimers. ARTZ UK aims to develop a collaborative creative programme that brings together people with dementia, families and communities and health and social care services with creative artists, arts organisations and cultural institutions. Visit the Eminence Grise website for further information.

WRANGLE IN WROCLAW… The European Culture Congress (ECC) will be the biggest international cultural event of the EU Polish Presidency. The congress, which will be held in Wroclaw, Poland, from 8- 11 September 2011 , should be a vibrant event featuring 'insightful reflections on culture and Europe combined with strong artistic contributions, with debates, screenings, performances and concerts.'

From the blogs…

SPECIALIST, MOI?? Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema is a niche film festival specializing in dance cinema and incorporating live performance: it screens short works that integrate dance with cinematic elements. The 8th annual Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema will take placein Boulder, Colorado, USA on 16-17 September, 2011. Submissions are invited of 1) film and video works that integrate dance and cinematography and 2) mixed-media works that include both cinema and live performance. They encourage submissions from 'all artists regardless of credentials and affiliations.' They are interested in film and video works that integrate dance and cinematography. When choosing works for exhibition and installation they consider production val ues, thoughtful forms and themes, investigative / innovative / experimental approaches, audience appeal, and how the piece will fit with or complement others they are considering. The 'Early Bird Deadline' is 6 May 6, 2011 - Entry fee: $30, and the 'Final Deadline' is 27 May, 2011 - Entry fee: $45. Entry forms are only accessible online, you can register and create an account on their website.

From the newspapers and other sources…

HIGHLIGHTS AND RAILWAYS… More than 3,000 participants are expected from 1-5 June in Kayes, in western Mali , for the fifth International Festival of Rails (FIRKA). Organized by the Cultural Association of Kayes , the festival is an artistic, cultural and sports events that bring together people from Mali and Senegal living along the Dakar-Bamako railway line . Its main objective is to promote the socio-economic development of communities throug h which the Dakar-Niger railroad passes. This year's festival will be marked by traders from Mali and Senegal, who will partake in many activities on the agenda, including a festival train trip on the Bamako-Kayes rail line.

PARTICIPATE IN PRETORIA… Hosted by the Faculty of the Arts at Tshwane University of Technology, the International Conference on Arts, Society and Sustainable Development will take place in Pretoria, South Africa, on 27-29 June 2011, aiming to encourage debate around the socio-cultural development of communities, development of products, entrepreneurship, and the economy, discussing aspects such as the ability to brand, determining niche markets, developing business plans and attracting customers. The goal of the conference is to assemble art practitioners ( visual and performing), professionals, designers, academics, researchers, government officials, cultural workers, and industry partners to share creativity, knowledge, and understandi ng across boundaries ; and to offer a platform for the interrogation of the relationship between the arts and community development.

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From the networks…

ARTS AND CONFLICT… The ICAN Borders & Boundaries Spring Conference was held 19- 20 May 2011. This Two-day conference, examining the integration and ethics of socially engaged arts practice, built upon the success of the inaugural ICAN conference program 2010 entitled EXCHANGE I CONNECT, whereby cutting edge international practitioners from all over the world showcased and discuss the role of the arts in conflict / post-conflict areas.

IP AND TRADITIONAL SOURCES… From 9-13 May 2011, WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) held the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore, in Geneva (Switzerland). Established by the WIPO General Assembly in October 2000 (document WO/GA/26/6), the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) is undertaking text-based negotiations with the objective of reaching agreement on a text of an international legal instrument (or instruments) to ensure the effective protection of traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions/folklore and genetic resources. < br />
SUPPORT FOR FESTIVAL MANAGERS… The Atelier for Young Festival Managers , Singapore 2011 (14-21 May) received an overwhelming response with more than 120 applications from all over the world. The European Festivals Association (EFA) together with its partners selected 45 emerging artistic directors from 27 countries and five continents to take part in the one week intense training programme. Four high-level mentors developed an intense working schedule with the contribution of eight renowned festival managers from all over the world. The fourth edition is already in preparation: IZMIR 2011 takes place from 24-31 October 2011.

From the newspapers and other sources…

AFRICA AND SCOTLAND, TOGETHER AGAIN… A three day festival featuring the music, stories, and art of African, Native American, and Scottish Americans was held May 20-22 in Laurinburg. Sponsored by the Storytelling and Arts Centre of the Southeast, " Tunes, Tales, and Tapestries " featured a selection of nationally known artists performing in traditional and contemporary mediums. PainterGene Locklear, Scottish fiddler Jamie Laval (vid), and Storyteller Tyris Jones were among those scheduled to appear.

UTAH BRIEFLY IN THE PACIFIC… Despite intermittent rain and gusty wind, the first ever Utah Pasifika Festival in Provo drew a large crowd to Bulldog Field at Provo High School on 15 May. 'Visitors enjoyed a variety of entertainment celebrating Polynesian culture and even, eventually, some sunshine.'

LOTS ON IN LJUBLJANA… 'For the 59th time, Festival Ljubljana has done its best to make the summer at the Slovenian capital a memorable cultural treat'. This year's festival will open on 3 July with more than 1000 musicians performing at the refurbished Kongresni trg. Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand will be conducted by the charismatic Valery Gergiev, who will direct the Slovenian and the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestras, numerous choirs from Slovenia and Croatia, and eight internationally-renowned soloists, including Sabina Cvilak. 'Several excellent concerts, ballets, operas, theatre pieces and a musical will follow'. Visit the Festival Ljubljana website for more information on events and to buy tickets on-line.

From the networks…

WE ARE MORE… In July, the European Commission will officially launch discussions on how much will be spent on culture in the next EU budget. They will also question the shape and content of the EU Culture Programme. Resulting decisions by national governments and EU policymakers will influence the next 10 years of support for cultural activities. It will directly affect everyone who lives in Europe. Currently, direct support for arts and culture represents 0.05% of the total EU budget. we are more believes this does not properly reflect the importance of arts and culture in the development of all European societies. They seek increased support for culture in the next EU budget. They need as many signatures as possible before July to have our voices heard by governments and policymakers. Sign the petition here .

From the newspapers and other sources…

BRONZE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN… A set of 3,000-year-old bronze artifacts from ancient China, held for decades by a Canadian family that was drawn to Chinese culture after a Holocaust-era escape to Shanghai, has sold at an auction in Britain for more than $3 million.

THE SPANISH-AFRICAN CONNECTION… The 2010 Casa África Prizes for Essays on African topics, whose aim is to recognize, encourage and disseminate original and unpublished essays which enhance knowledge about Hispano -African relations with respect to the two contexts or issues indicated in rule number 4: Culture as a factor of development in Africa Environmental sustainability and development in Africa. Works can be written in four languages (Spanish, English, French and Portuguese) and the Jury will evaluate the quality and current relevance of the papers as well as their contribution towards improving knowledge of each of these subject matters. 

From the networks…

SCRIBES IN SEOUL… The Seoul International Forum for Literature, first held in 2000, invites outstanding writers from around the world to discuss the theme of 'The Globalizing World and the Human Community' from 24-26 May 2011. The Seoul International Forum for Literature brings together in Seoul some of the biggest names in world literature. French author and professor,Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, and the 2008 Nobel Prize laureate and Chinese-born novelist, playwright and stage director Gao Xingjian, who became the first Chinese writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000, will each deliver an hour-long lecture on 24 May and 25 May, respectively.

From the blogs…

THEY WOULD ALL FIT IN ONE KINDLE… Argentinian artist Marta Minujin just built a25-meter tower made of 30,000 books in Martin Square, Buenos Aires to mark the Argentinian city's naming as 2011 World Book Capital.

From the newspapers and other sources…
NOW FOR THE LITERARY INVASION… A books festival in the troubled nation finds literature succeeding where diplomacy failed: the Erbil Literature Festival took place in Iraq from 7-9 May.
FREE EBOOK… art, life and society has released 'ON THE CONTEMPORARY', a highly praised e-book exploring the notion of the 'contemporary' in text and image. Featuring leading artists and writers plus exciting talents from around the world. Download for free here.

TAGORE IN THIMPU… Literatures of the Himalayan countries of Bhutan and India and the legacy of Nobel laureateRabindranath Tagore were the focus of athree-day festival at Bhutanese capital Thimpu, from 20-22 May. Titled'Mountain Echoes ', the extravaganza was organised bythe Indo-Bhutan Foundation in association with Siyahi, a Jaipur-based literary organisation. `The queen mother of Bhutan, Ashi Dorji Wangmo-Wangchuk, is the chief patron of the festival. The festival aimed to facilitate literary exchanges and dialogues between Bhutanese and Indian writers as part of a cultural diplomatic exercise to strengthen ties between the two countries. A statement issued by the Indo-Bhutan Foundation and Siyahi said the festival hosted more than 50 writers, intellectuals and artistes at the Tarayana Centre in Thimpu.
 
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From the networks…

WHAT DO YOU THINK? The European Commission is inviting responses to an online public consultation on the future of MEDIA Mundus. The purpose of the consultation is to gather opinions regarding the provision of an international co-operation programme from audiovisual professionals in Europe and beyond, with a view to shaping a 'new MEDIA Mundus' for 2014 onwards. You can, and are encouraged, to have your say on what format the programme should take. In its current format, MEDIA Mundus has a budget of €15m from 2011-13. It aims to explore ways of reinforcing global co-operation between EU and non-European professionals from the audiovisual industry to their mutual benefit. Funding is available for projects proposed and implemented jointly by European profess ionals and professionals from any other country. The consultation is open to individual citizens, public and private bodies, local/regional authorities, ministries and relevant stakeholders in the audiovisual sector, both inside and outside the EU. It is just one part of a wider public consultation, responses to which will be taken into account in the Commission's proposal for a new MEDIA Mundus programme (to be adopted by the European Parliament and European Council),following an assessment of possible social, economic and environmental impacts. Submit your response to the consultation here

To submit your response to the consultation, visit the website:

From the blogs…

WOMEN OUT OF THE CANNES… The Cannes Film Festival , ran from the 11-22 May this year. There was reported to have been a record number of female directors in contention for the coveted Palme d'Or-the festival's grand prize. You can reflect on the event's action in this live blog.

From the newspapers and other sources…

MOVIENAM PERHAPS… Vietnam will host the third International Documentary Film Festival on 8-14 June in the capital Hanoi and southern Ho Chi Minh City. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism last week, the festival will present movies from Vietnam, Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland, Poland, Denmark and Italy.
 

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THANKS FOR THE TANKARD… An Ottoman jade tankard is the latest addition to the Middle Eastern collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The tankard is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, after being obtained from private collectors in Turkey, and is, according to the museum, among a handful of survivors of such quality, made by imperial craft workers in Istanbul for an Ottoman sultan. It appears to have been privately owned, as the museum's announcement of the acquisition said that the tankard was accepted by the British government in lieu ofinheritance tax owed. The museum was helped to raise the £477,500 price tag with major grants, including £220,000 from t he Art Fund charity.

ALL THOSE ARCHIVES… Support and leadership for the UK's archive sector will transfer to The National Archives next year. Culture Minister Ed Vaizey hasannounced the organisation will take on the new responsibilities fromApril 2012 following the closure of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). The MLA currently acts as an advocate for the sector and helps archives improve their services and public access. More than 2,000 bodies, both public and private, hold regularly accessible archi ves in the UK including universities and local authorities. They face challenges such as the growing need to manage digital information and the growing public demand for online access to digitised content. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is now working with The National Archives and the MLA on the transfer of responsibilities.

LONG LIVE LOCAL MUSEUMS! The policy analysis group, "Museums and Municipalities" held its final conference in Brussels on 9-10 December, 2010. This international conference aimed to present and discuss with museum managers and curators, local authorities, researchers and experts the results of one year of activity focused on the analysis of the relations between museums and municipalities, the benefits derived from this relation
 
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From the newspapers and other sources…

IT'S THE BIGGEST… The biggest performance award in Britain, The Gulbenkian , was launched Monday, 9 May, for the creation of a new and spectacular production which will involve local people. At £175,000, the annual award is worth more than four times the Turner Prize and outstrips the US-based ArtPrize, previously the world's largest, at $250,000 (£153,000).

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From the newspapers and other sources…

BIG NAMES FAIL… Live gigs suffer as audiences stay home - Big names like Bon Jovi and Paul McCartney fail to sell out arena concerts after decade of growth in gig market In the UK, live music revenues dropped by 6.7%, after a decade of growth that saw income increase by 9.4% in 2009 and 13% in 2008, said Chris Carey, economist at PRS for Music, the rights collecting body.

ANOTHER AMERICAN IN (N) IRELAND The Ulster Orchestra will start its new programme on a high note after appointing its first woman to the role of principal conductor. American JoAnn Falletta succeeded Ulsterman Kenneth Montgomery, who retired some time ago. She is the first woman and the first American to be appointed to this prestigious post, which is one of the most important roles in the arts and cultural life of Northern Ireland.

HELP! WE NEED MORE TOURISTS, NOT JUST ANY TOURISTS… The CTCC has announced a call for papers for their 6th international research conference. "In the City of Liverpool famed for its popular music, we seek to explore the relationships between tourism, tourists and all forms/genres and sub-genres of music including: popular, classical, folk, dance, rock, jazz and hip-hop, across all cultures and continents . In the context of new and old global mobilities, we are interested in musical pilgrimage, the material and social flows of travellers and musicians, the cultural and economic policies that promote music tourism, festivals and performances for tourists, ethnographies of touristic encounters with music, the place of music in the representation of tourism destinations and, the role of music in the construction o f tourist discourses, narratives and memories." They welcome innovative perspectives on all aspects of music and tourism. Submit your 300 word abstract including title and full contact details as an electronic file to ctcc@leedsmet.ac.uk. You may submit your abstract as soon as possible but no later than 21 November 2012.

From the networks…

BE CREATIVE IN BERLIN… DMY presents the DMY International Design Festival in Berlin, to be held 1-5 June 2011. The festival provides a point of intersection between the general public, businesses, the press and new generations of talented creative people. The festival offers insights into the contemporary design practice and emerging currents. It is a platform for showcasing design, communicating and cooperating, discussing and sharing knowledge - as well as for making design. DMY focuses on product and industrial design as well as adjoining areas of professional activity. Research, innovation and multidisciplinary approaches are strongly encouraged, and a pivotal role is awarded to critical and experimental approaches. See the website for more information.

From the newspapers and other sources…

ENJOYMENT OVER INCOME… For the up and coming Leonardo da Vinci exhibition theNational Gallery, London, islimiting the number of tickets to 180 per timed half-hour slot. This aims to end what has come to be known as 'gallery rage', people becoming frustrated with packed galleries and not being able to see paintings after having bought expensive tickets. The gallery could be denying itself more than £10,000 in revenue per day due to the policy.

INDIA AND UK UNDER REVIEW… The British Council is going to start an 18-month cultural partnership review programme involving members of the council of India and the United Kingdom (UK). "The cultural partnership review between India and the UK will help in strengthening the relationship between the two countries," said Stephan Roman, the new regional director for South Asia of the British Council.

THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN… The Royal Academy's famous Summer Exhibition will open 7 June in London.

GEORGIA IN IRAN… The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Cultural Institute is planning to mount an exhibition of paintings by renowned Georgian artists in the Iranian capital, Tehran. The event, due to kick off on 18 May, 2011, will display some 40 artworks by eleven prominent Georgian painters. Organized by the Tbilisi State Academy of Art, the exhibition is part of the programs launched to boost cultural exchange among regional states.

From the networks…

INTERNATIONAL SURVEY… IFACCA has released its D'Art Report No. 40, Supporting international arts activity - issues for national arts funding agencies. Supporting the international activities of artists and arts organisations is a key function for many national arts funding agencies. In order to investigate this area of arts policy and identify key issues that affect the programs and priorities of such agencies, the InternationalFederation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA) conducted a worldwide survey in English, French and Spanish, the results of which have been analysed and supplemented by other research and presented in this report. The report describes the agencies involved in supporting international arts activities, the scope of and budgets for this support, and the range of policy objectives, priorities and evalua tion processes evident in the research . The report also details a wide range of issues identified by arts funding agencies.

PACIFIC PLANS… The SPC Pacific Cultural Mapping, Planning and Policy Toolkit builds on theCultural Mapping, Planning and Policy Workshop conducted for members of the Council for Pacific Arts and Culture in March 2010 at theSecretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) headquarters in Nouméa, New Caledonia. This document is thus a resource for 'structuring the culture sector' in Pacific Island countries and territories. It draws on approaches from a variety of international models while attending to several issues and concerns relevant to the Pacific Island region specifically. Rather than providing a comprehensive overview of the cultural policy field, it is an open-ended resource for cultural policy consultants and workers who will fashion their own processes as appropriate to their local and national contexts. It is designed to complement other SPC cultural resources including the ' Policy Map' and 'Model Law' on TK which are available online.

SPAIN HEADS EAST…. Casa Asia has opened a call for applications under the Ruy de Clavijo Grants Programme 2012 for research projects and cultural cooperation between Spain and Asia and the Pacific region. The object of the call is to award seven grants of 6.000 euros to research projects and cultural cooperation with Asia and the Pacific region for the year 2012. The call is open to Spanish citizens or members of the European Union with residence in Spain, as well as to Asian and Latin American citizens. For full grant conditions and how to apply see here . The deadline for applications is 31 May 2011.

YOUNG RESEARCHERS AWARD…. A unique opportunity for young cultural researchers seeking to make a break into the research field and contribute to the production of new knowledge: the Cultural Policy Research Award (CPRA) is now open for applications, until 30 May 2011. Are you interested to see the research of previous awards? Previous winner Sophia Labadi has now published her research Evaluating the socio-economic impacts of selected regenerated heritage sites in Europe, a publication of special relevance to those working on European policies for strengthening the social cohesion and integration of communities.

YOUNG RESEARCHERS GATHERING… Would you like to attend the 5th Young Cultural Policy Researchers Forum which will take place on 11-12 October 2011 in Helsinki, Finland? It's a unique chance for emerging cultural policy researchers to network with peers and explore cultural policy related topics. The application deadline is 30 May 2011. Young researchers can still apply for the 9 bursaries available which cover the cost of travel to Helsinki. More information about this can be found on the ENCATC website. The deadline for application is 31 May.

YOUNG RESEARCHERS PRIZE… If you're a young researcher who has just published an article on comparative cultural policies, then you're in luck! You just might be in line for the Mark Schuster Prize , a new award celebrating the best work by a young researcher in the field.

From the newspapers and other sources…

A BIT MORE BEACH READING… Harry Hillman Chartrand's new work on Pre-Common Law Copyright, Performing Rights & License has been released. View the promo here

E-JOURNAL OF CULTURAL POLICY… The first issue of Cultural Policy Update (CPU) is now available for a free download. CPU is an international bi-monthly E-journal reflecting recent developments in cultural policies. CPU aims at provoking worldwide debates on the evolution of support for the arts. It intends to be a platform for new opinions and arguments. In this first issue of Cultural Policy Update support models from Europe, Asia and Australia are under scrutiny. CPU will be published twice a year in pdf format.

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From the networks…

WHAT NEWS FROM THE RIALTO?? The European Culture and Economy Platform (ECEP) is a long term project of the " A Soul for Europe" initiative and its partners in the culture and economic sectors. It is a European-wide platform of individuals from the culture and economic sectors which functions as a think-tank to develop common strategies, actions and policy proposals and concrete recommendations to ensure the sustainable development of Europe, its regions, its cities and communities in a global contest. The Venice meeting: "Culture, Economy and Social Responsibility" will be the next step to strengthen the dialogue among the actors, and proceed with the implementation of the Platform. The meeting w ill be held on the 3 June 2011 in Thetis, Arsenale, Venice, Italy. You can register here. For more information contact: mahir.namur@europist.net

From the newspapers and other sources…

CULTURAL TOURISM - THE SAVIOUR?? The provincial government announced funding today of $499,000 for the Bonavista Historic Townscape Foundation to support the continued emergence of cultural tourism in Bonavista's economy (Canada)

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From the networks…

DENVER RE-ORGANISES… On 10 May, Mayor Vidal announced the merger between thewww.denvergov.org/DOCA" target="_blank">Denver Office of Cultural Affairs (DOCA) and the www.denvergov.org/Theatres_and_Arenas" target="_blank"> City's Division of Theatres and Arenas. The merged group is now known as Arts & Venues Denver, and furthers several core City goals including reduced spending, improved services and 'always striving to be the best place to live'. Arts & Venues Denver's mission is to enhance Denver's quality of life and economic vitality through premier public venues, artwork and entertainment opportunitiesPosted by Leo Parris, Thursday 26th May, 2011