Sir Colin Southgate, boss of EMI, is to be the new chairman of the Royal Opera House, it was announced last Thursday. At the press conference at which his appointment was announced, he revealed that he is opposed both to the privatision of the House and the sharing of premises with ENO..
As widely predicted in recent weeks, the successor to Lord Gowrie as chairman of the Artc Council of England is to be Gerry Robinson, of Granada and BSkyB.
Equity is considering what action to take against against Steven Berkoff after he disobeyed an instruction not to work on commercials. Berkoff recorded a voice-over for McDonald's in December even though the union is in dispute with the advertising industry. Equity could fine Berkoff, or even expell him from the union.
"I would not care if Equity expelled me," Berkoff said, "or if those who do not know me called me a scab." However many major names have been angered by his actions and Rober Powell has expressed his unwillingness to work with Berkoff ever again. Also critical of him wereSir Derek Jacobi and Prunella Scales.
BECTU, Equity and the National Campaign for the Arts have all rejected Culture Secretary Chris Smith's proposals for housing the Royal Opera and ENO under the same roof. In separate submissions to Richard Eyre's enquiry, all three organisations argue against the move.
Theatr Clwyd is to be the first regional company to produce Yasmina Reza's smash hit play Art - and they'll be doing it in Welsh. In repertory with Dennis Potter's Blue Remembered Hills (in English), it will open on 20th April, prior to a Welsh tour.
Attempts to ban Mark Ravemhill's Shopping and Fucking from Swansea's Grand Theatre have been defeated by the council's culture committee by seven to three. A 200 name petition against the show had been presented to the city council.
Business sponsorship of the arts rose by 20% last year, says a report from the Association of Business Sponsorship of the Arts, whilst sponsoship of theatres rose by £7.3m - an increase of nearly 80%.