Culture Politick

Joseph Vaizey was three yesterday – here is rest of the week’s slightly less important news:

Welcome Back

Margaret Hodge returns as Minister for Culture, following a year of compassionate leave. Barbara Follett moves to the Department of Communities. We will miss Barbara, whose company we enjoyed, but look forward to jousting with Margaret, whose company we also enjoy.

Creative Industries

London Fashion Week

Launched on Thursday by Mayor Boris, LFW at its new Somerset House home was well attended by the Shadow DCMS team, who all had a fabulous time. Ed went to the Flintstone-esque Jeremy Scott show HERE and is considering an asymmetric mankini for his holiday next year HERE. Meanwhile Shadow Tourism Minister Tobias Ellwood went to the Todd Lynn show and tells us that: ‘the move to Somerset House was inspirational, allowing more of the public to mingle and with the stars and appreciate the world of fashion first hand.’ And other members of the team went to Amanda Wakeley HERE. One of them provided us with the following summary: ‘her Spring /Summer 2010 collection showed an intelligent use of Autumnal colour. She continued the trend towards boyfriend jackets and belts as the modern accessory. The use of contrasting texture in her designs, which is very much part of British design right now, gave her evening wear an additional edge.’ Lisa Armstrong, fashion editor of The Times has examined politicians’ new found interest in fashion HERE.

BBC Worldwide

The Culture Select Committee’s report into BBC Worldwide is published this week HERE

This report is a response to the BBC Trust’s reply to the recommendations of the previous Select Committee report into Worldwide, published this spring. This second report was particularly critical of Worldwide’s purchase of Lonely Planet in 2007: ‘We were especially concerned about the apparent arrogance of the BBC Trust who appeared to believe that they had no case to answer… The purchase of Lonely Planet remains the most egregious example of the nature of BBC Worldwide’s expansion into areas where the BBC has no, or very limited, existing interests’. We agree, more HERE and HERE.

Television

There’s a good summary of the goings on at RTS Cambridge last week, HERE. Following his ‘nearly’ show stealing speech The Guardian have a new take on our shiny boss, Jeremy, HERE.

The X factor / Strictly Come Dancing scheduling clash attracted criticism in The Times HERE and in The Sun, which suggests the Beeb is a bully, HERE though BBC One head of scheduling George Dixon defends it in The Guardian, HERE The Sun also questioned whether Strictly shows up to 2¼ hours long are really necessary HERE While The Times questions whether the BBC should really be making such shows at all HERE.

The long running dispute between ITV and STV has escalated – ITV has launched legal proceedings against the Scottish channel 3 broadcaster to recover what ITV claims is up to £38m in unpaid network and programme budget contributions more HERE.

Google Books

The US Justice Department, citing anti-trust and copyright concerns, asked a federal court judge late Friday to reject a controversial settlement that would have allowed Google to cut through knotty copyright issues in order to create the library of the future. Some commentators are suggesting the deal is now dead, HERE. However, the Justice department encouraged the parties to continue their discussion to address its concerns, more HERE This Harvard Law blog, HERE suggests three improvements that would begin to address many of the concerns that have been raised.

Music Piracy

The music industry’s internal debate over illegal downloading intensified this week according to The Times, more HERE. Featured Artists Coalition board member Sandie Shaw has acknowledged that there has been a ‘bit of a rocky start’ but argues that this moment is: ‘a wonderful opportunity for recording artists of all persuasions’ FAC are calling a meeting for artists at Air Studios tonight, more details on Sandie’s blog, HERE.

Lord Mandelson and Ben Bradshaw have spoken on piracy again today with Mandy saying downloading for free: ‘is not a victimless act. It poses a genuine threat to our creative industries and to the livelihoods of talented, hard-working people striving to get a foothold in them. It’s essential that the voice of young artists is also heard,’ and Ben Bradshaw adding ‘Tomorrow’s stars are born digital. We need the industry to match their ingenuity and devise new business models that work in the digital age’ more HERE.

We are fascinated by this passionate and open debate, and hope that through it we can arrive at solutions which all parts of the music industry find workable.

Film

Fashion designer Sir Paul Smith has become a patron of regional screen agency EM Media, having worked with them on a project connected to Anton Corbijn’s biopic of Joy Division’s trouble front man Ian Curtis, Control. More HERE.

Video Games

The UK Gaming sector faces an uphill battle to survive and thrive. Industry body TIGA now hope that the government will include the gaming tax break against production in the chancellor’s pre-Budget report next year.  We would encourage the Government to take this issue seriously.  More HERE.

Regional news

Ofcom have published a review into regional news, HERE which warns that regional news programming across the ITV network could be losing as much at £64m a year by 2012. Thank goodness, we hear you cry, for our proposals to create sustainable local TV companies, HERE.

Free lunch

News just in that there is such a thing, and apparently it is enjoyed by Ofcom executives almost every day of the week, more HERE.

Arts and Heritage

NDotM

New Deal of the Mind has a new website, HERE and Sir John Tusa, previous chair of our Arts Task Force has joined the NDotM board.

Philanthropy

Arts and Business latest market trends bulletin has revealed that 70% of London based arts organisations have experience a decrease in business investment. However, earned income is growing with attendance levels holding up well. More HERE.

Heritage

The Churches Conservation Trust which protects and opens to the public 342 historic churches in England, celebrates its 40th Anniversary on 3rd and 4th October.  40 choirs will sing in 40 CCT churches, hold choral workshops or sing a 40 part mass. Wallingford St Peter in Ed’s constituency is among them.  More, and a song! HERE.

Cultural Olympiad

Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz fame has emerged as a leading contender to be the artistic director for the opening ceremony. Stephen Daldry, the Oscar-nominated film director is also in the running, more HERE.

Gold!

The largest Anglo-Saxon Treasure find, was announced today at Birmingham Museum, following a coroner’s inquest. The hoard is quite unique as it has well over 1500 gold and silver objects. Leslie Webster, formerly Keeper at the British Museum, has said: ‘This is going to alter our perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England as radically, if not more so, than the Sutton Too discoveries’ More HERE and some lovely photographs, HERE.

In a staggering co-incidence Ed visited a metal detecting festival in West Hanney at the weekend (no, we don’t know, either, have a look HERE) where they found a high status Anglo Saxon burial site.

MLA

The MLA is exploring the possibility of online applications for export licenses in response to the Consultation on the planned relocation of the Acquisitions, Exports and Loans Unit to Birmingham HERE. Ed has promised to review the changes to the AELU if we win the election.

Opera

Glyndebourne has signed a deal with the Royal Opera House’s cinema distribution company Opus Arte, which will bring Glyndebourne productions will be seen at more than 500 cinemas across more than 25 countries. More HERE. We welcome the continuing innovation of Opus Arte.

Dance

Vote in the Sadler’s Wells online global dance contest HERE.

And brush up on your dance facts and stats, HERE for example: the number of pupils choosing dance has risen 83% in four years, according to research by the Arts Council. A third of those are boys.

Where we’ve been and who we’ve seen

For the third day of Ed’s creative fellowship with the Industry and Parliament Trust Ed spent today at the Royal Opera House Victoria. Other meetings and visits this week: Victoria and Albert Museum, Slough Creative Partnerships, London Fashion Week, Jeremy Scott, Amanda Wakeley and Todd Lynn shows, US Vogue editor Anna Wintour, getting out of her car, without her legendary sunglasses, entrepreneur Joi Ito, Virgin Media Shorts Awards at the BFI, ELSPA, Goodwood Revival, DRDB, Tower of London, Broadcasting Press Guild Lunch, Tate Britain, Churches Conservation Trust, West Hanney Metal Detecting Festival.

Ed Vaizey

Shadow Arts Minister

Jeremy Hunt

Shadow Culture Secretary