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.
Jannik Sinner makes history with victory in Madrid Open against Zverev
It took just 14 minutes of the Madrid Open final for all 12,500 spectators packed inside Estadio Manolo Santana to collectively conclude that the match was already over. Down 0-3 and already desperately searching for a response to the superb play from his opponent, Alexander Zverev opened his service game with two horrific missed overhead smashes in consecutive points.While Zverev flailed helplessly throughout his pitiful 56 minutes on court, the world No 1, Jannik Sinner, pieced together yet another startling exhibition of relentless, destructive shotmaking paired with unwavering focus as he continued his total domination of men’s tennis by destroying Zverev 6-1, 6-2 to capture the Madrid Open title for the first time in his career.This is already one of the most remarkable winning runs the sport has seen and it is difficult to see where it could end. Sinner is the first man in history to win five consecutive Masters 1000 titles and the first to win the first four Masters 1000 titles of the year
Bordeaux Bègles 38-26 Bath: Champions Cup semi-final – as it happened
Robert Kitson’s report has landed:Thanks for reading, congratulations to Bordeaux, commiserations to Bath. Bring on the final.“So proud of these lads,” says the Bath scrum-half Spencer. “How far we’ve come since Johann came.“I thought we put up a real good fight
Bordeaux brush aside Bath to set up Champions Cup final against Leinster
Bath had hoped that a return to Bordeaux might rekindle fond memories of their Champions Cup triumph in the city in 1998. Sadly for their supporters it was not to be as the hosts moved a big step closer to retaining the trophy they secured at Northampton’s expense in Cardiff last year.Bordeaux Bègles will face Leinster in the final in Bilbao in three weeks’ time, propelled there by the familiar trio of their brilliant half-backs Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert and star wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey who scored one of his side’s five tries. While Will Muir scored a brace in response and the contest was never less than gripping, England’s domestic champions were ultimately second best against formidable opposition.It might have been a slightly different story had three apparent head contact collisions on Alfie Barbeary been highlighted by the French television director
Horse racing: True Love earns Aidan O’Brien his eighth 1,000 Guineas winner – as it happened
After a five-year hiatus, normal service resumed for Aidan O’Brien in the Newmarket Classics on Sunday as True Love powered clear of 18 rivals for a one-and-three-quarter length success in the 1,000 Guineas.Like Mother Earth, O’Brien’s winner of the same race in 2021, True Love was the second-string of his two runners according to both the betting and the jockey bookings, as Ryan Moore, the stable’s No 1 rider, was aboard Precise, the 9-5 favourite.Precise, though, faded tamely in the final quarter-mile as Wayne Lordan brought True Love, the 5-1 second-favourite, to the lead with a smooth, steady run. Though his filly drifted right through the closing stages, she was always holding her rivals at bay.Outsiders filled the rest of the frame, as Karl Burke’s Evolutionist (14-1) and Charlie Johnston’s Venetian Lace (33-1) were second and third with The Prettiest Star (16-1) fourth
Alex Zanardi obituary
Alex Zanardi, who has died aged 59, was a Formula One driver and two-times champion in Cart (previously IndyCar); he was also a paralympian who won four gold medals as a hand-cyclist. Perhaps above all he was esteemed as an inspirational figure who reinvented his life after losing both legs in a racing accident in 2001.In September that year, Zanardi was competing in a Cart race at Lausitzring in north-east Germany, the first time the American series raced in Europe, and was leading the race when he made a late refuelling stop. He lost control while exiting the pits, spun across the track and was hit broadside-on by Alex Tagliani. The impact sheared Zanardi’s car in half
The Swans are fast, bold, skilful – and making the most of the AFL’s new rules. It’s a good time to be a forward | Jonathan Horn
Malcolm Rosas Jr is the grandson of Bill Dempsey, who passed away in March. Dempsey was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2022, and should have been elevated to legend status on the strength of his speech alone. Dempsey was one of the greatest ruckmen to come out of the WAFL. His grandson is a completely different footballer – slighter, slippery around the packs and a superb user of the ball. His seven goals on Sunday propelled his team to the top of the AFL ladder, more than 30% clear of the second placed Fremantle
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