The Arts Council of Wales - Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru
A guide to the work of ACW, with a wide variety of documents and publications (including minutes and agendas) available in ASCII and Rich Text formats. The site is in English and Welsh, the default being English. (Saesneg + Cymraeg)
The Association of Professional Theatre for Children and Young People
One short page setting out what APT offers its members.
The British Academy of Dramatic Combat
The fight arrangers' professional association. Details of the orgnisation itself, its history, training courses and qualifiying exams. Somewhat out of date - both the Newsletter and the exam results pages were dated 1988!
BAFTA - The British Academy of Film and
Television Arts
Not really theatre, but close enough! Contents include the history
of the Academy, the BAFTA Awards and the BAFTA Interactive Entertainment
Awards, the programme of events, membership, press releases and conference
facilities. Java is essential.
British Arts Festivals
Association
BAFA is the meeting point of arts festivals in the UK, providing information
and a professional network for the festivals movement. The site provides
a listing of all arts festivals in the UK, as well as details of BAFA
itself.
BECTU
The Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union represents
technical staff in these areas. Full details of all its services,
campaigns etc., plus - of course - how to join.
The Casting
Directors Guild
Basically a membership listing of full and probationary members.
The Centre for Performance
Research
Based in Aberystwyth, Wales. Established in 1988, it is a theatre
organization working internationally: it produces" innovative
performance work; arranges workshops, conferences, lectures and master
classes; collaborates and exchanges with theatre companies of international
significance; publishes and distributes theatre books and runs a multi-cultural
performance resource centre." There's a very wide range of information
on the site.
Coventry Theatre
Network
A group of theatre companies (seven small companies and the Belgrade
Theatre) working on an innovative and experimental three-year theatre
project funded by Arts Council England. The project finished in 2001
but the site is still interesting.
The Critics' Circle
The Critics' Circle site is still in the process of development. At
the moment (December 2001), none of the individual art form sections
are there, but the organisation's history and details of its archive
are online, as is a forum (but there were no posts when I visited).
There is a members' section but, not being a member, I wasn't able
to ascertain if there is anything there or not!
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport
The DCMS's own site. It's very quick to get new info online. An essential port of call for anyone interested in the political background to the arts in the UK. The Annual Report makes interesting reading.
The Directors' Guild of Great Britain
The Directors' Guild is a trade union and professional association
for directors in theatre, film, radio and TV. Basically the site seems
aimed at attracting new members: there certainly isn't anything there
for existing members.
The Dramatug's Network
An organisation of professional dramaturgs with the aim of promoting
the role of the Dramaturg in the UK. Details of the Network, what's
happening, an online forum and membership.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
All the details of the largest arts festival in the world.
The Edinburgh International Festival
This is the big one, the one that started it: the Fringe came afterwards.
This year's site (1998) is rather better than '97's - not difficult!.
Equity
The Trade Union for professional performers and creative practitioners
such as choreographers, stage management, theatre directors. designers
etc working across the entertainment industry. Visit the site for
information on activities, services and membership.
European
Culture Portal
A new site from the European Union, dealing with the contribution
the EU makes to culture. There are a number of different language
versions (this link goes to the English version) and its main sections
atre sbout the site, the various "Fields of Activity" (by
which they mean the art forms mainly), funding on a European level,
a list of national websites (in the UK that means the DCMS and ACE),
and Events.
A Summary of the Eyre Report
One of my previous features: a fairly detailed summary of the report
The Federation of Scottish
Theatre
Considering the importance of the FST as an organisation, there is
surprisingly little on this site - that is, apart from the Members'
section which, of course, I was unable to visit. There's news, a section
for young people and offers and competitions. There's also a search
option which allows you to look for productions and performances throughout
Sotland.
Grants Net
A site which aims to enable those in the arts and other areas to find
details of foundations and other grant awarding bodies.
Imaginate
An arts organisation producing a range of initiatives to promote and
develop performing arts for children in Scotland. News, the Bank of
Scotland Children's International Theatre Festival, touring, showcase,
skills and training, development and resources.
The Independent Theatre Council
An organisation representing small- and medium-scale theatre and dance
companies. This is a very complete site and includes details about
the ITC, its services and functions, as well as a full list of members,
a BBS and details of training.
The International
Association of Theatre Critics
This link takes you to the English language section: there is also
a section in French. There's an introduction to the Association, details
of seminars and conmferences, a list of its executive committee and
members, details of its history and a copy of its latest newsletter.
London Boroughs Grants
LBG makes grants to voluntary and other organisations of all kinds, not just theatre and the arts. A very detailed, even complex in places, site.
Media and Entertainment International
A group formed by 130 trade unions from around the world in the arts,
entertainment, audiovisual, cultural and mass-media sectors.
Mercury Musical Developments
Take a look at our long review of this site.
Metier
The national training organisation for the arts and entertainment industries: what it does and how it does it. A very text heavy, rather dull site. If the business was as much fun as this, no one would want to be part of it!
The Mousetrap Foundation
A charity, partly funded by the New Audiences initiative, to provide opportunities for young people from 12 to 18, who would not otherwise be able to afford to do so, to attend West End plays. It's a great idea and the Foundation is very active. The site consists of a brief history of the organisation, a what's on page, a kids' room (a BBS for children which is not well used), a teacher's lounge (which you need an ID and password to access), and details of their excellent Teachers' Preview Club which every UK teacher interested in theatre should check out - NOW!
The Musicians Union
There are both publc and members-only sections, plus the union's newsletter Musician. The page on the union's Theatre section merely gives a contact name and address.
The National Campaign for the Arts
A national pressure group, set up to lobby for the interests of all the arts. There's a huge range of useful information here.
National Council for Drama Training (NCDT)
A beautifully designed but totally information-free opening page takes forever to load and then immediately takes you into the actual index page: in the link above, I have bypassed the opening page. As you would imagine, there is a lot of information here, accessed under section headings. An invaluable site for anyone looking for information on professional training.
NESTA: the National Endowment
for Science, Technology and the Arts
This is the official NESTA site, which explains how the organisation
works, how people can apply for funding and what it has supported
in the past.
New Audiences
An Arts Council England site devoted to the New Audiences programme.
Details of all the funded programmes, news and publications.
New Opportunities Fund
NOF is another funding organisation, working mainly in the fields of health, education (which is where the arts come in) and the environment.
