Government Stuff
The live music biz has welcomed the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of all this (June 21st. See you at Spoons), but called for greater support in the meantime.
Museums and galleries will be able to reopen their doors on 17th May if things go well, too.
Today’s Khalifa Review – commissioned by HM Treasury – sets out a five-pronged approach to ensuring the UK remains a global fintech leader.
UK intelligence agency GCHQ intends to increase its use of AI to tackle issues from child sexual abuse to disinformation and human trafficking.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock reckons the UK should follow Australia in requiring Facebook to pay for news content it hosts.
The government is reportedly considering establishing an export agency specifically to support music and the creative industries.
Spotify, Apple and Amazon faced a grilling by MPs this week in the DCMS Committee inquiry into streaming.
The APPG for Creative Diversity heard from the worlds of theatre and dance this week, with Ballet Black and UK Theatre among those taking centre stage.
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Culture Stuff
Arts & Culture
Leeds Playhouse is opening up its theatre space to local artists for free to help restart the area’s cultural sector. Fab idea.
Our own Ed helps Art UK celebrate its 5th birthday by bringing together some of his favourite self-portraits.
The National Academy for Social Prescribing is on the lookout for new trustees.
A Vincent Van Gogh painting of a Paris street has Vincent Van Gone on display for the first time in over 100 years and is set to fetch up to €8m at auction.
Wow, g’day INDEED. Scientists have discovered the oldest known rock art in Australia: a kangaroo painted over 17,000 years ago.
Design
Kohn Pedersen Fox has unveiled its design for a trio of eye-catching skyscrapers linked by vertical planters in the City of London.
Retired track cyclist and Olympic gold medallist Callum Skinner has designed specialist glasses that give cyclists eyes in the back of their heads.
Italian designer Tobia Zambotti has made a sofa stuffed with more than 10,000 used facemasks. And he’s called it Couch-19. Don’t get it.
Argentinian designer Andrés Reisinger has sold a collection of "impossible" virtual furniture for $450,000 at auction, including one non-existent item for $67,777. Now this I do get.
Theatre & Dance
National Youth Theatre are looking for partners for their new Inclusive Practice Collective which will create 60 paid jobs for young creatives on Universal Credit and bring drama to hundreds of young disabled people.
Digital Theatre+ has put a bunch of new Hamlet-inspired performances online.
Classical Music & Opera
The 150th birthday of The Royal Albert Hall is being marked with a short film narrated by Mick Jagger featuring unseen footage dating back to 1933. Didn’t realise he was that old.
Tourism & Heritage
A keepsake box that once belonged to Charles Darwin's daughters has been donated to English Heritage and will go on show later this year.
Museums
The Museums Association has voiced concerns over “government interference” into how museums present Britain's imperial history.
Sharon Ament, director of the Museum of London, has shared her vision for the museum’s future with young people at the core.
Books, Press & Libraries
Paul McCartney (from a band called The Beatles I’m told) is to publish a 900-page lyrical autobiography. Let it read.
Hillary Clinton is making her first foray into the world of fiction.
This looks like a great memoir from Desmond Cecil. What a life! Senior British diplomat, nuclear expert and a professional violinist extraordinaire.
World Book Day is getting its first ever World Book Day song from MC Grammar. U can’t touch this. Sorry, it's actually 'you'.
Exhibitions and Events
The Roundhouse’s annual Driving Change event, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, returns for its third iteration on 23rd March.
Glasgow Film Festival is rolling out the (virtual) red carpet this week.
To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, the WOW Foundation has put together an interactive map of all sorts of inspiring events, workshops, and more
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Rebellion Publishing has bagged best independent press at the British Fantasy Awards. Woo.
Another early glimpse at Evil Genius 2 from PC Gamer, calling it the ‘silly, stylish game they were hoping for’. And it features in The Telegraph’s most anticipated for 2021.
Zombie Army 4 has landed on Steam. So here are nine top tips from Rebellion to get you up to speed.
With 2000AD’s audiobook collab with Penguin Books just round the corner, here’s producer Kate MacDonald on the difficulty of translating dolphin language. Kkkttttkkkkkk. Nope, can’t do it.
TIGA has responded to the government’s launch of research agency ARIA – and has welcomed the European Commission’s draft data adequacy decision.
There are currently 45+ roles available across Rebellion’s 4 UK studios, including lead technical artist and vehicle artist. Beep beep.
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Creative Industries & Tech Stuff
Another belter of a newsletter to add to this one. PR gurus DawBell have launched a new offering in the entertainment-tech space. Ping kevin.callas@dawbell.com if interested.
Film & TV
The Beeb has published its 2021-23 Diversity & Inclusion Plan, including an overhaul of recruitment and developing diverse senior leadership.
The Beeb could also be allowed to cut its arts, religious and documentary shows under proposals to loosen its strict quotas.
Rugrats and Frasier are to be rebooted (nobody has new ideas any more) for new streaming platform (nobody has new ideas any more) Paramount+.
So when I'm lying in my bed. Thoughts running through my head. And I feel the love is dead. I'm loving this plan for a Robbie Williams biopic instead. AND THROUGH IT…
Fashion
London Fashion Week has wrapped up for another season. Here’s Vogue with its top lewks.
The University for the Creative Arts is launching the UK’s first degree in virtual fashion. Viv-VR Westwood.
Music & Radio
Daft Punk has split up after 28 years :( Rust In Peace :( Here’s Billboard with the top 20 songs on which these robots rocked.
The BPI has changed its eligibility rules for the BRITs and Mercury Prize – and also won a landmark High Court ruling against stream-ripping and cyberlocker sites.
BOOOOORN IN THE USAAAAA. Bruce Springsteen and somebody called Barack Obama have teamed up for a podcast.
35 up-and-coming UK music acts, will be showcasing at SXSW Online this year, as part of the annual British Music Embassy.
Reading and Leeds Festival are ‘very confident’ they’ll be going ahead this summer. And our man Stormzy tops the bill. Stormz! It’s been too long!
Gaming
British Esports Association is collaborating with IBM and industry specialists to create a safer esports space for young people.
Epic Games' bid to sue Apple in UK courts over its ongoing Fortnite row has been rejected.
Sony has announced a new and improved VR system for the PS5. Viv-VR Westwo… sorry, used that one.
Tech & Telecoms
Facebook has put its thang down, flipped it and reversed its Australia news ban after the government made last-minute media code amendments.
The UK’s Supreme Court has ruled that Uber’s drivers are workers, entitling them to basic rights like paid holidays.
Competition and Markets Authority boss Andrea Coscelli has called for regulatory changes to rein in Big Tech.
Tech Talent Charter has released its annual report tracking diversity in technology across the UK.
EE has announced plans to extend 4G coverage in more than 500 areas in 2021 to boost rural connectivity.
Tech Nation has announced the 10 winners of Rising Stars 3.0, the UK’s foremost competition for early-stage start-ups.
Interesting read from Wired on how Amazon’s $575m investment in Deliveroo unfolded and how it saved the food delivery company from collapse.
Jeff Bezos has overtaken Elon Musk again as the world’s richest person. Can’t keep up, guys!
UK 4G smartphone owners may be due a £480m payout (not each. I checked) if a legal claim from watchdog Which? is successful.
The European Innovation Council has earmarked 40% of its budget to invest in startups.
Digital contact tracing and TikTok’s recommendation algorithms are among MIT Tech Review’s top tech of 2021. Tongue twister. Blimey.
Barclays is closing Pingit, its mobile payments app, a decade after launching.
NASA’s Perseverance has sent back its first full-colour snaps of Mars. There’s nothing there! It’s barely even red! Hardly worth the trip!
Microsoft Word is going to start predicting what you want to type next using AI. That’ll make the newsletter easier. *Automatically adds questionable pun and Stormzy reference*
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Appointments & Movers
Simon Thurley has been appointed chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund; Dame Rosemary Squire is the new chair of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts; Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney is joining the board of Stripe, online digital payment start-up; Alessandro Babalola and Lucy Davies are the new co-chairs at Soho Theatre; PRS for Music has named Dan Gopal as chief commercial officer; Andrew Miller is among the new trustees at the Royal Shakespeare Company
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Ed Stuff
Chatted culture and COVID at a Bright Blue online event
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...And Finally
A 139-year-old historic San Francisco house has been wheeled in its entirety to a new location six blocks away, moving at 1mph watched by eager crowds. Me on June 21st.
Baarack the Australian sheep has had 35kg of wool sheered off in a much-needed trip to the hairdressers. “Fleece to meet you” his barber chuckled on arrival. Baarack didn’t reply because he’s a sheep.
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