A recent article in Scotland on Sunday (20th March 2011) revealed that the 2011 Glasgow contemporary art fair has been cancelled and will be replaced by a smaller event at The Briggait in Glasgow in July. The event, usually held in a white marquees erected in george Square, has been an annual feature in the Glasgow art scene since the late 1990's.
It had been Britain's biggest art fair outside London, showing and selling the work of famous British artists of the current and earlier generations. A Glasgow Life spokesman said: "After last year's event, it was felt that the art fair was no longer attracting quality galleries and was not representative of Glasgow's position at the cutting edge of contemporary art."
In 2010, a number of significant Scottish galleries chose not to attend the fair, including the Edinburgh contemporary art venue the Ingleby Gallery, and the Open Eye gallery, whose artists include Bellany and Alan Davie. At the time, Open Eye's Tom Wilson said of the fair: "It has become like the Ideal Home Show, where you go and take the family for a Sunday. I'm not knocking that but it's not for me in terms of quality."
Gallery owners who have exhibited at the fair in the past have criticised the decision to cancel this year's event. "There was a big mixture of galleries there last year and there was a big turnover of people," said one gallery. "It's a real pity. There were a lot of people who enjoyed it.
The former director of the Glasgow Art Fair, Peter Irvine, had announced last April that he would be standing down from the event after a perceived decline in quality. However, his events company, UZ Arts, will be running the new fair.
Glasgow City Council provided £80,000 funding to the art fair. Glasgow Life confirmed the council has provided funding for the new event at the Briggait, but it is likely to be less than was given to the art fair.
To read the full press report, please follow this LINK
BBC Performing Arts Fund - Training in Musical Theatre - 2011
Since 2007 the Training in Musical Theatre Fund has already helped over 160 talented students to complete their musical theatre training, distributing awards in excess of £630,000. In 2011 the BBC’s Performing Arts Fund will be contributing up to £150,000 more to that running total as it launches its Training in Musical Theatre scheme for the fifth consecutive year.
To make the process of distributing the grants more streamlined and cost effective, this year they will award the money directly to UK colleges and drama schools. The colleges will then distribute this funding to talented students who are able to demonstrate that they would benefit most from the financial support.
Applications for the scheme will open on 11th April and will close at 5pm on 3rd May.
So if you’re a current student, or are awaiting a place, on a musical theatre course and are looking for funding, please let your college know about the opportunity and encourage them to apply.