In a letter to applicants for posts in senior management at ACE, Peter Hewitt admits that the organisation is failing in many areas, including being slow to respond and not being customer-friendly. Its staff, he says, are under-achieving and do not work as a unit. In addition he suggests that a policy of funding fewer companies with larger grants will evolve.
Helen Mirren to return to the stage
Helen Mirren is to make her first stage appearance since 1994 in the National Theatre's Antony and Cleopatra at the Olivier. Alan Bates will co-star.
The 2008 European City of Culture will be British, a meeting of EU arts ministers in Brussels has decided. It is thought unlikely that the government will suggest London for the title, and the favourites are believed to be Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham.
The Greenwich Theatre, closed in March after losing its £191,000 ACE grant, will re-open in July with a production of The Whiteheaded Boy (Lennox Robinson 1910), as part of the Docklands and Greenwich International Festival.
Edinburgh Fringe programme announced
The programme for the 1998 Edinburgh Fringe was announced on Thursday 11th June. Our feature article this week gives more details.
Scottish Culture Ministry needed, SAC director says
The new Scottish Parliament should have a Minister of Culture specifically for Scotland, Scottish Arts Council director Seona Reid has said.
British shows and actors have won a number of Tony awards. Art won the Best Play award whilst acting awards went to Marie Mullen (Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play), Anna Manahan (Best Performance by a Featured Actress) and Tom Murphy (Best Performance by a Featured Actor), all in Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane. The show's director, Garry Hynes, becase the first woman ever to win a Tony for direction. The big winner was The Lion King, taking six awards, including Best Musical.