Government Advocate for Access to Higher Education, Simon Hughes, released his report this week, which makes a number of recommendations to the PM and Deputy PM, on ways to improve access to higher education. The report proposes an improved scholarship scheme, greater powers for the Office of Fair Access (OFA) and annual awards of £3,000 for 10,000 students.

Arts Work has gathered evidence over the past year to support their National Campaign for Youth Arts and as a result recently released their report Youth Arts Transforms Lives.

Art colleges across the country are taking part in the National Art and Design Saturday Club Scheme, which aims to give artistically gifted children from disadvantaged backgrounds a chance to develop their skills.

Audiences UK have teamed up with the Kettle Partnership to lead on Culture Global, a new project which aims to map the tools used by home-grown and international organisations to maintain a successful business.

Arts Development UK have published findings from their annual survey on local authority spending cuts for the arts. As expected, the survey suggests significant changes to local spending for the arts across England and Wales

On Thursday, the commons Home Affairs committee published its first, of a series, of reports on the work of the UKBA. The report made several damning conclusions relating to the performance of UKBA, including criticism of the e-borders scheme.

In 2009, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation commissioned Dr Bernadette Lynch to research levels of engagement within museums and galleries.

In response to the recently released Government Giving white paper last week, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has compiled an informative response.

Researchers in Norway have discovered that people who regularly take part in cultural activities also have better health and a greater sense of well-being.

Voting for the semi-final of the National Lottery Awards is now open. Categories include Best Arts Project and Best Heritage Project. Nominees in the arts category include the Mac Birmingham and Ulster Youth Choir. Voting for the final round will open on 2nd September 2011.

The summer edition of nca news will be published in June. This edition will look at the impact of the Arts Council England National Portfolio announcements for the sector. 

On Thursday the jointly commissioned report from BIS and DCMS, which explores the financing of the Creative Industry, was released. The report provides a thorough analysis of the financial variations within the sub sectors of the Creative Industry, the research draws on statistical, as well as, survey evidence from business and financial providers. The Government hopes to use the findings as part of the ongoing, wider development of a Creative Industries Funding Guide.

To read more about the report click here

To read the full report click here

We are more: Act for culture in Europe is a campaign, set up to promote the importance of culture in European Union policy; it comes in preparation for the forthcoming EU budget for 2014-20. Talks take place in July so it is important to sign up and show your support today.

The summer edition of nca news will be published in June. This edition will look at the impact of the Arts Council England National Portfolio announcements for the sector. 

The Manifesto is a call to action to young people, parents, teachers and theatre practitioners to unify their efforts and ensure that young people have access to drama and theatre.

The summer edition of nca news will be published in June. This edition will look at the impact of the Arts Council England National Portfolio announcements for the sector.

The Drama and Theatre Manifesto recognizes a common sense of purpose and a shared belief in the contribution drama and theatre makes to the quality of children’s lives in school and beyond.

The Manifesto has been endorsed by these organisations and associations:

Action for Children’s’ Arts (ACA), Equity,   National Association of Teachers of Drama (NATD), National Association of Youth Theatres (NAYT), National Council for Drama Training (NCDT), National Drama (ND), National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA), Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Theatre Education Forum (TEF), Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) England

If you are an Organisation, you can send the manifesto on to your members and invite them to incorporate it into their practice and policy and to disseminate it to their students, participants and colleagues.  .

The Manifesto is a call to action to young people, parents, teachers and theatre practitioners to unify their efforts and ensure that young people have access to drama and theatre.

The sense of unity within the sector that the Manifesto represents is only the first step to its usefulness as an effective tool for drawing support and funding to the sector. At a time of cuts, we need to be able to advocate with clarity the successes achieved by the sector as a whole and be able to evidence why our community is of such vital importance to the UK’s cultural, educational and economic life and to the lives of individual children and young people who see or make theatre and drama

Download a copy of the Drama and Theatre Manifesto here

Visit www.dramatheatremanifesto.co.uk for more information

AXA, in association with Arts Council England, have recently launched the Ambition AXA Awards, making available £200,000 to 5 talented 11-18 year olds in the UK.

Vote now to see your favourite museum make it through to the last round of the Art Fund Prize, which will see one institution crowned “Museum of the Year” and awarded £100,000.

The Migration Advisory Committee has launched its first full review of the UK labour market for highly skilled workers since 2008.