Arts Council England is focused on investment outside London | Letter
In response to recent letters (26 April) about the Arts Everywhere Fund, it is important to note that this programme was heavily oversubscribed, reflecting the acute need for capital investment across the cultural sector.We are pleased that there will be further rounds of the fund, with details to be published in the coming months.While we are always mindful of the geographic spread of the investment we make, this fund had a clear purpose: to prioritise organisations facing critical capital need.On that basis, the north received more than £40m – approximately 31% of the £128m awarded in total – supporting 45 museums, libraries and cultural organisations, the highest number of awards made to any area.Arts Council England recognises the historic imbalance in cultural funding and has been working to invest more outside London, increasing investment beyond the capital to approximately 70% of our total investment since 2022.
Barrow‑in‑Furness, cited in recent correspondence, is one of our priority places, where we are investing in local cultural infrastructure, including through organisations such as Full of Noises, one of the recent recipients of Arts Everywhere funding,We will continue to work to bring cultural excellence, opportunity and investment to more places and more people,Nicholas SerotaChair, Arts Council England Christine Baranski’s critique of Liverpool as a victim of arts funding cuts feels a bit harsh (Letters, 26 April),The reason Tate Liverpool is closed is because of a costly redevelopment, and meanwhile it retains a gallery hosted by the Royal Institute of British Architects nearby on Mann Island – a good example of a London-based organisation expanding its influence,Preparations are well advanced for a bigger and better slavery museum, with National Museums Liverpool (NML) being directly grant-aided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport rather than having to fight for a share of regional funding.
What Liverpool currently lacks is a vocal advocate after the style of Michael Heseltine, whose interventions in the early 1980s kickstarted the revival of the city region as a massive cultural asset.And to draw on local knowledge – having grown up in Silverdale, next door to Baranski’s village of Arnside – I would dispute the description of Kirkby Lonsdale as “once vibrant”.Indeed, it recently revived its annual book fair, asserting its status as a magnet for bookworms.John EdmondsonFormer employee of NML and exhibitor at Kirkby Lonsdale book fair, Holywell, Flintshire Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Australian workers have been hard done by and tax reforms in the budget only begin to return some fairness | Greg Jericho
Wages are growing at a much slower pace than inflation, according to the latest data. This fits the story of the budget: that those earning a living off wages have been left behind by those who make their money through investments and tax minimisation schemes such as discretionary trusts.So I have some good news for the governor of the Reserve Bank, Michele Bullock. She can relax. Because, as has been the case for roughly 35 years, there is no evidence of a wage-price spiral
US Senate confirms Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair, replacing Jerome Powell
The US Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as chair of the Federal Reserve, one of the most powerful roles in the federal government that holds enormous sway over the economy.The 54-45 Senate vote on Wednesday was split along party lines, with the exception of the Democratic senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania, who joined the Republican majority. It was most divisive confirmation vote for the position in history.Warsh was confirmed for a four-year term as chair and a 14-year appointment on the Fed’s rate-setting board.Warsh will officially step into the role on 14 May, when the term of outgoing Fed chair, Jerome Powell, ends
Sam Altman defends OpenAI in courtroom showdown with Elon Musk
The OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, took the stand on Tuesday to defend himself and his company against a lawsuit by Elon Musk. Altman is set to be one of the final witnesses in the trial, which has pitted two of the tech industry’s most powerful men against each other in a dramatic courtroom showdown.Musk has accused Altman and OpenAI of breaking the AI firm’s founding agreement by restructuring it into a for-profit enterprise, alleging that Altman essentially swindled him into co-founding the company and providing tens of millions in financial backing. Musk also claims Altman unjustly enriched himself in the process and is seeking the CEO’s removal from OpenAI, the redistribution of $134bn to the firm’s non-profit and the undoing of its for-profit conversion.OpenAI and Altman have rejected all of Musk’s claims, arguing that he is motivated by jealousy after a failed bid to take over the AI firm in 2018 and a subsequent departure from its board
Florida students boo graduation speaker who called AI ‘next Industrial Revolution’
Though college graduations usually consist of a speaker giving advice to students, one recent ceremony featured students giving the speaker their opinions – loudly.The University of Central Florida’s 2026 graduating class booed as a real estate development executive spoke about how “the rise of artificial intelligence is the next Industrial Revolution” and about “living in a time of profound change”.The crowd of students was so loud that Gloria Caulfield paused, turned away from the podium and threw her hands up in the air.“Woop, what happened?” she asked, before letting out a nervous laugh: “OK, I struck a chord. May I finish?”As the crowd calmed down, Caulfield proceeded
Jim Furyk tells US players they need to make Ryder Cup more of a priority
Jim Furyk has admitted the United States need to make the Ryder Cup more of a priority as the 56-year-old plots a reversal of fortunes at Adare Manor in September 2027.Speaking expansively for the first time since being handed the US captaincy for a second time, Furyk pointed towards an overhaul of approach to the biennial event. He also suggested he will be keen to involve Tiger Woods on his backroom team.Victory for Europe at Bethpage last year means the US have won two of the past eight Ryder Cup stagings. The PGA of America wanted Woods to assume the captaincy for Adare, a scenario that was subject to delay before it was rendered impossible by the 15-time major winner’s Florida car crash in March
England v New Zealand: second women’s cricket ODI abandoned – as it happened
England’s one-day international against New Zealand on Wednesday was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain.Following their narrow-squeak win in Sunday’s game, England had named a new-look XI at Northampton which contained both Alice Capsey and Sophie Ecclestone. Capsey is now fully recovered from a bout of sickness, while Ecclestone’s inclusion was particularly welcome news as it suggests the quad problem which kept her out of Sunday’s match will not be a problem in next month’s T20 World Cup.However, after hours of back-and-forth between the groundstaff and the covers, persistent showers through the afternoon forced the umpires to call off the match at 4.40pm
Royal Opera House calls for release of Georgian bass singer jailed over democracy protests
‘Using his Terminator voice, Arnie said: “Your song. Give it to me. Now”’: Bad to the Bone’s creation – and aftermath
What is a ‘Scientology speedrun’ and why is social media suddenly obsessed with it?
Joseph Fiennes on parenting, politics and banning children from social media: ‘Stand up, Keir, this is your kids’ generation’
The Guide #242: Everyday Hollywood film comedies have faded but can they make a comeback?
Ah, ah, ah, ah - I saved my dad’s life with a little help from The Office and the Bee Gees