After the Sturm und Drang of Arts Council England's announcement of its new National Portfolio at the end of last month, this month's succession of Bank Holidays came as welcome relief. In addition to the ABO staff hanging out the bunting, we also kicked off our season of Specialist Manager Meetings with meetings of Digital and Education Managers, and met with the following on members' behalf: NAME London Region; Classic FM; Richard Brooks, Sunday Times; MBF; Arts Inform; FTM Arts Law; Deborah Annetts, ISM; Suzi Digby, Vocal Futures; Pavel Kotla; SOLT/TMA. The ABO board also held an awayday to help develop the ABO's new Strategic Plan.

The ABO Director was interviewed on the BBC World Service News Hour about the current financial landscape for British and American orchestras, and Classical Music magazine published an article on the ABO's response to Arts Council England's announcement.

We attended concerts by the Philharmonia, NYO, London Sinfonietta and the Royal Opera as well as a pre-screening of Berliner Philharmoniker - A Musical Journey in 3D (for cinema listings across the country click here). We also attended the AAM season launch, BBC Proms launch, IAMA Conference, ISPA members drinks, and Music Nation and National Music Council meetings.

Our Spring/Summer series of Specialist Managers' Meetings are now fully under way, so we hope you will be able to join us on any of the following dates:

10 May: Chamber Orchestras Meeting, Caversham Room, Cadogan Hall, London
11 May: Finance Managers' Meeting, CCLA, 7th Floor 80 Cheapside, London
24 May: Development & Sponsorship Managers' Meeting, Wigmore Hall, London
26 May: Concert & Orchestra Managers' Meeting, East Arena Foyer, Royal Albert Hall, London
23 June: Marketing Managers' Networking Meeting, Royal Over-Seas League, London

If you, or a member of your team, would like to attend one of these meetings please log on to the Members Area of the ABO website, then click on Events and book the relevant Specialist Manager Meeting. 

Finance for non-Finance Managers - Tuesday 21 June

Course leader Maureen McCulloch is an accountant with extensive experience in charities and the arts. Until recently she was the Finance Director of the Reading Agency and has been a freelance trainer for many years. She is a Senior Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University. Course time & venue: 10am - 5pm at LSO St Luke’s, London.

All that you ever wanted to know about fundraising but were afraid to ask! - Tuesday 5 July

Course leader Sarah Gee is co-founder and Managing Partner of Indigo Ltd, a marketing and fundraising consultancy working with arts and heritage organisations to help them unlock the value of their audiences and visitors. She has previously worked as a marketeer and fundraiser for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the ABO itself. Course time & venue: 10 am - 5 pm at LSO St Luke’s, London.
 

 Introduction to Press & PR - Thursday 7 July

Course leader Kate Whyman, a freelance PR consultant specializing in music and the arts. Her client list includes BBC Radio 3, Cadogan Hall, London Mozart Players, Mayor of London, British Arts Festival Association, Festival and Events International, The Old Market and Brighton Festival of World Sacred Music. Course time & venue:  9.45am - 4.30pm at LSO St Luke's, London.

More detailed information on the content of these excellent courses can be found on the Brass Tacks section of the ABO website. Prices start at £90 for members to attend and there are discounts available for multiple delegate bookings for the same course.

Chief Executive of the Liverpool Philharmonic, Michael Eakin, and Director of Live Music Now Scotland, Carol Main, have been appointed to the ABO board. To read our full press release follow this link.

The ABO and specialist arts insurance broker La Playa have launched a scheme through which orchestras can pool buying power to secure better cover at realistic rates. To find out more about the ABO Insurance Scheme please follow this link.

Through the All Party Parliamentary Group on Classical Music, the ABO assisted Lord Harrions in tabling a question on 28 April on the timetable for publication of the National Music Plan, which was answered by Lord Hill of Oareford on behalf of the Government. Amongst the supplementary follow ups were questions on whether there would be increased funding for Arts Council England NPOs who would be expected to help deliver the plan, exceptional funding for conservatoires, the linking of music education to performance in other academic areas, OFSTED inspections for music services and how to measure "fun". You can read the official Hansard report here.

We will be following up the responses to these questions with the relevant peers and ministers.  

Labour has launched a Policy Review on the future of Britain’s Creative Industries amidst fears that the UK is at risk of losing the competitive advantage it has gained over two decades. Having been second only to the US in global industries such as film, music, TV and the performing arts, Britain now faces being squeezed by the rapid growth of developing countries, stronger competition from continental Europe, and a retreat from investment in our next generation of talent. There is a growing concern that the Creative Industries could suffer a manufacturing-like decline without concerted action through a partnership between Government and business. 

For more information about Labour’s Creative Industries Policy Review please contact Sophie Sutcliffe on: 07977 495 214

Submissions and questions regarding Labour’s Creative Industries Policy Review should be sent to:
labourpolicyreview@gmail.com

The TMA's inspirational course for those in the early stages of their arts marketing careers
Sunday 18th - Friday 23rd September
Druidstone Hotel, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Druidstone is the leading residential arts marketing course in the UK. Established for over 25 years Druidstone has produced a generation of professionals who have gone on to be the Marketing Managers and Marketing Directors of today. Ambitious content, dynamic sessions, supportive fellow participants and motivating tutors ensure an excellent learning experience.

Aimed at people with between six months and two years experience in arts marketing this intensive course covers a great deal of content at a fast pace. Sessions include: Marketing planning - The Marketing Mix - Direct marketing - Design and print - Campaign planning - Press & PR - Media buying - Social media - Understanding audiences - Copywriting - Advertising - Digital marketing
 

Bursaries

This year the TMA is pleased to announce that there will be seven bursaries available for the course. Each bursary will cover 50% of course fees. There are:

• Five Creative Scotland Druidstone bursaries - these will be awarded to individuals from arts organisations based in Scotland and who fulfil the existing Druidstone criteria
• Two Travelers Druidstone bursaries - these will be awarded to two individuals from small to medium scale arts organisations in the UK that have not previously sent staff to Druidstone and who fulfil the existing Druidstone criteria

The deadline for applications is Friday 13th May.

Full details including the application form can be downloaded here.

Attendance prices are:

• £1,100 + VAT - TMA/SOLT/ABO members
• £1,300 + VAT - Non-members

This AMA day long workshop will provide you with 50 tried-and-tested marketing and audience development ideas that you can implement on a tight budget and with limited time. While we’re all familiar with the concept of delivering campaigns on tight budgets and timescales, it is often difficult to dedicate the time to think creatively about ideas to improve our campaigns, to attract more visitors, to create a talking point, or to help us reach our target market. This event is for anyone involved in planning or implementing marketing and audience development campaigns, who wants to gain tried-and-tested marketing ideas to implement on a tight budget and with limited time and learn creative problem solving techniques.

The workshop will be delivered by Heather Maitland, an independent arts consultant, and will take place at the following locations from 10.00am till 5.00pm on each day:

• Manchester, 3 May
• Belfast, 10 May (this date is in partnership with Audiences Northern Ireland and free to their members)
• London, 17 May
• Cardiff, 24 May
• Edinburgh, 31 May

The cost is £133 +VAT for AMA members or £193 +VAT for non members. The Belfast workshop will be run in partnership with Audiences Northern Ireland and is free to Audiences NI members.

For further information and to book, please contact Anne Freitag, Events Marketing Assistant by e-mail at: anne@a-m-a.co.uk or go to the AMA website.

The Royal Society for Public Health Arts and Health Awards marking significant contributions to research and practice in the field of Arts and Health are now in their fourth year. Previous awards have recognised excellent work in the fields of music and health, arts and mental health and arts and health inequalities. This year, the awards will recognise important contributions of outreach programmes undertaken by arts organisations to the wellbeing and health of their local communities. The award will recognise substantial achievements in:

• Innovative initiatives undertaken by arts organisations to foster health and wellbeing in healthcare and community settings
• Original contributions to research and evaluation focussed on the contributions of music and arts organisations to health and wellbeing in healthcare and community settings

Nominations are invited for consideration by the Awards Commitee, of an organisation or researcher(s) whose work has furthered the contribution of arts organisations in promoting community health and wellbeing in one or both of the following ways:

• Through the development of innovative programmes of creative outreach activity in healthcare or community contexts in the interest of promoting health and wellbeing
• Through conducting significant research or evaluation studies on the contribution of outreach work by arts organisations in promoting health and wellbeing

Nominations should be received by Friday 8th July 2011.

To make a nomination please fill out a nominations form here.  For enquiries about nominations, please contact Professor Stephen Clift by email at: s.clift@btinternet.com

With funding being cut from all directions money has to go further. Are we taking advantage of the systems, relationships and collaborations that we already have to help us share the costs and raise funds?

On Thursday 26 May 2011 (10.30am – 5.00pm) the Theatrical Management Association will be hosting a conference event at the Nottingham Playhouse which will address these issues. Through a series of panel discussions this one day conference will look at existing partnerships in sessions including:

• It's not just about selling tickets: Jack Rubin, President, Tessitura, will discuss how you can use your systems to help encourage philanthropy and develop fundraising. Jonathan Saville, Ticketing Network East Midlands will look at the Nottingham Playhouse, Royal Centre, Lakeside and Dance 4 consortium, exploring the opportunities and challenges of partnerships across different sectors.
   
• The Paradox of Managing Social Media: DK, from MediaSnackers (a leading social media consultancy) and Rob Williams, Spirit Nottingham, will discuss how you can increase and improve dialogue with audiences to ensure value for money from your marketing spend. They will also ask if we are making the most from opportunities to our better advantage, or do we simply dismiss what we don't understand to our detriment? 
   
• European Collaborations: Giles Croft, Artistic Director, Nottingham Playhouse and Jean Claude Berutti, President, European Theatre Convention and Director, Comédie de Saint-Etienne on how international collaborations, co-productions and consortia can help you share costs, skills and expertise.

The conference will be followed by a reception to launch the European Theatre Convention and the neat11 Festival at Nottingham Castle with guests Ed Vaizey, MP and Minister for Communication, Culture and the Creative Industries and Ruth Mackenzie, Director of Culture, LOCOG. The evening will finish off with a performance of Ibsen’s League of Youth at Nottingham Playhouse.

Prices are as follows:

• £80 + VAT: TMA, SOLT, ABO and IEAM members
• £40 + VAT: European Theatre Convention members
• £110 + VAT: non members

For further information and to book places please click here or contact the TMA on 020 7557 6706 or by e-mail at: events@solttma.co.uk

The Woolwich Grand Theatre project are looking to re-establish a music venue in Woolwich, South London, using an old cinema, in which the lower hall will become a venue for 900-1200 audience members, as well as being used as a large space for rehearsals and concerts.

There are many exciting opportunities coming up in this area over the next fifteen months, including the Olympics, meaning the venue will become of huge interest and significance to South London.

The Woolwich Grand Theatre is an ideal rehearsal space for orchestras and musical groups. Sessions are offered at highly competitive rates and, as an introductory offer, groups making block bookings will receive a free rehearsal session.

For more details and to book please contact Creative Director, Adrian Green :
Email: Adrian@thewoolwichgrandtheatre.com Tel: 07961 980771

The London Sinfonietta is launching a new programme that invites composers and collaborators from arts and science backgrounds to join them in developing ground-breaking new interdisciplinary works.
 

Blue Touch Paper aims to provide the context and space for composers and collaborators to forge creative partnerships, to instigate and develop multi-disciplinary ideas, and to present new work at major festivals and venues across the UK.

The initiative is aimed at composers and collaborators in the first phase of their professional careers, who have established their own artistic voice and who are committed to the long-term creative career development that this initiative offers. Collaborators are welcome from a broad range of disciplines and can include (amongst other professions) choreographers, visual artists, directors, architects, video artists, scientists and writers. Successful applicants will be awarded a Jerwood Blue Touch Paper bursary in order to support the development of the new work.

There is an open call for submission to be part of the programme. The first stage application deadline is Monday 6 June 2011.

For further information and to download an application form please click here. Alternatively please contact the London Sinfonietta on 020 7239 9340 or by e-mail at: LSLab@londonsinfonietta.org.uk

Blue Touch Paper is generously supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Jonathan Kuhles has returned to the Philharmonia Orchestra as Head of Individual Giving following a position at English National Opera.

Keren Nicol has been appointed Marketing and Development Manager at Scottish Ensemble.

Laura Luckhurst has joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra team as Corporate Relations and Events Officer.

Hattie Garrard is covering Helen Wilson’s maternity leave as Orchestra Manager at Opera North.