Lewis spoke of the need to “match our cutting edge creative ideas with an equally creative global business strategy which ensures we can benefit from the new jobs and growth of the future”, adding that “The Conservative-led government has so far failed to provide the strategic leadership which is urgently required, and in education and the arts, they are implementing policies which are damaging the foundations of our creative success.” Other demands made by Lewis included a call or more cross-department working within government and for the collation of rigourous data about the sector.

The creation of the network is to be welcomed we think; it’s too easy for us all to work in our own silos, and an opportunity for a real opportunity for sector leaders to come together – to share ideas, develop joint initiatives and present a coherent set of policy recommendations – can only be a good thing.

In response to Labour’s plans, a couple of ‘morning after the night before’ points that our experience here at the hub immediately called to mind are:

1. Firstly, in terms of learning the business skills required to generate private investment, not all businesses want to become global enterprises, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need help to develop their business skills.

We’d say that Labour’s review needs to listen hard to the multitude of small businesses which together form the backbone of the creative sector about their ambitions and development needs.

We’ve done a lot of work with small businesses like this, for the Arts Council, various former Regional Development Agencies and the Learning and Skills Council, and know a fair bit about their business development needs, and what works and what doesn’t. We’d hope to follow up on this with the network, and would be happy to share what we know and plans we’ve developed for a Joining the Dots programme that in part will do just this.

2. Looking at the fairness pledge, which aims to ensure those signed up to it offer internships and jobs on the basis of merit rather than social background, we of course support that proposition. Who wouldn’t? However, many small businesses still find the costs of offering creative apprenticeships prohibitively expensive and CC Skills appears unable to get its head around the idea of small businesses offering a ‘collective’ apprenticeship, potentially across SMEs sharing creative industries ‘hub’ spaces. This is something of a hobby horse issue for us – and has been in our discussions with CC Skills down the years.

For the time being, internships are often the only way for small businesses to provide the entry level experience that is so important to those entering the creative sector these days. And many -ourselves included – pride themselves on offering an incredibly valuable, carefully sructured opportunity. Public sector support to help the ‘common man’ small businesses in the sector to provide more financially rewarding entry level internships would surely be a good thing?

3. Next, arts organisations are businesses, regardless of whether they have charitable status or not. Their business aims may be charitable, or they may be ‘for profit’, but either way, they are still businesses. It’s semantics you might argue, but we’d say the semantics get in the way of a bigger, cultural issue for the cultural sector. We work a lot in the music sector, and here the economy is very mixed, with individual artists working as micro businesses, and a multitude of small businesses working tirelessly to survive. These guys have to operate as businesses – albeit with charitable or social entreprise models – if they are to survive. So, using common terminology, are these guys, are we, an arts organisation or a business? We tend to describe ourselves an ethical business working in the creative sector. 4. And finally, back to that point about rigourous data. Yes, absolutely that’s needed. And without giving too much away, we’d suggest that everyone keeps an eye on info coming out of the National Campaign for the Arts l ater this autumn. We’re working with the NCA at the moment, and can’t say too much, but there are some really interesting numbers being crunched at the moment. If you want to keep up to date with that then sign up to our hub email newsletter.

And so to today’s work…

Brand new and unique in the UK, INTERROGATE! will take place between 23 and 25 September, taking a fresh approach to looking at income inequality, its impact and what we can all do about it. We hope that INTERROGATE! will be game changing, inspiring people – people like you and us – to take action.

Taking place on the Dartington estate, a home for forward thinking for 85 years, it’s a spotlight on a serious issue, but it’s also about getting inspired and having fun.

We’ve spent the last few months lovingly constructing a programme that lines up some of the UK’s most forward looking thinkers and activists – plus some fiercely funny comedy and cabaret shows, great gigs and all manner of other performances – to get you inside, under and on top of the issues.
Whether you’re someone who shouts at the telly during Question Time, you work in an area where income inequality is an issue, or you just fancy a weekend of thought-provoking ideas and performance in the beautiful Devon countryside, Interrogate is for you.

Our thinkers and activists are some of the sharpest minds in the worlds of economics, social policy and health – for starters, Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson, authors of the best-selling The Spirit Level; TV’s favourite geographer, Danny Dorling; Economics for Dummies author and lecturer Peter Antonioni and environmentalist and co-founder of the Transition Network, Rob Hopkins. Also taking to the stage are comedian Mark Steel with a special one-off show; multiple award-winning musicians Spiers and Boden (of Bellowhead fame); and the acclaimed Jean Abreu Dance company.

Aside from the performances, debates and podcasts, there are loads of opportunities to have your say. Tell us what you think on Speakers Corner, add your thoughts to our People’s Manifesto or join the Interrogate Choir. We can pretty much guarantee you’ll go home feeling inspired, having had a great time, made some new friends, thought a bit, and laughed a whole lot more.

Keep an eye out here and on twitter (@juliaatthehub) for full programme details over the next couple of weeks, and book tickets via the Dartington website. Fair play to us all!

Producer Matthew Linley is already on site, pacing the site and glancing anxiously at the skies (seems the weather’s going to be great though – it’s been worth keeping our fingers crossed all week!), and others are busy packing for the journey to Dartington tomorrow.

The line up is a corker. We’re very excited about the line up: Suzanne Vega is headlining (one of only 3 UK shows this year – the others being Glastonbury and Hyde Park!), alongside: Songlines Best Newcomer nominees Tamikrest; Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos; Sheema Mukherjee; Max Pashm, and Perunika.

Like festivals used to be when we were nippers (well, sort of…), HOME is that all too rare chance to get up close and personal with exceptional artists, and – as an added bonue – in the beautiful the Dartington estate.

Find out more on the Dartington website.

Hope to see you there…. Don’t forget the suntan lotion!

First off, you can download the Gigzine app created by New Music Plus… participant, Steve Symons, to receive exciting content and information about this event. Already available on the app are features on two of our producers, Jon Hering and Glenn Boulter, and over the next few days we’ll be adding other video and audio content, and information on all panellists. Those of you attending the event you will be able to use the app for exclusive interaction throughout the day. Download it now and click here to meet Steve and find out more about the app and how it works.

We’re also planning on posting live updates on the discussion on Twitter. Take part with hash tag #NMPNW and follow @juliaatthehub and @PRSFoundation. We encourage you all, whether you are attending the event or not, to join in the discussion via our live Twitter feed. This is a great way to have you say – from inside the venue, or anywhere else in the world!

For further event information, and to book one of the last few remaining places, click here.

Rock The House is a music competition with a political twist; as well as showcasing unsigned bands and artists, it will raise political awareness of the need for copyright protection measures and inform MPs and the general public as to the importance of copyright protection within the creative industries.

We first met the MP, who worked in the music industry for a number of years himself prior to beginning his political career, at a Westminster Media Forum event, where we were presenting our research into public sector support for British music export. He’s a clearly well-informed advocate for the creative industries sector, and we’re looking forward to taking our discussions on export further at our next meeting.

Backed by industry bodies such as UK Music and Music Managers’ Forum, and by key players such as Live Nation and EMI, Rock The House is looking to showcase the newest and most talented bands and the most innovative live venues.

Bands and venues have until 31 March to put themselves forward, via their local MP, who will make nominations to a judging panel of music industry heavyweights on behalf of their own constituencies.

Winners will be announced by the end of May and all competition finalists will be invited to attend an exclusive event on the Terrace of the House of Commons on 30 June. Further information is available at the Rock The House website.

The event is aimed at at independent music producers, and programmers, curators and marketeers working in performing and visual arts organisations and museums across the country. Exploring how music-led collaborations between independent producers and larger, established arts organisations can catalyse and sustain innovation, and what the future holds for cross-scale and cross-artform collaboration, the event closes New Music Plus…North West, a leadership development programme developed in partnership by the hub and the PRS for Music Foundation. The programme will include: high level panels; networking opportunities; the opportunity to hear from key funders, and presentations about New Music Plus?

With the full programme to be announced next week, other confirmed panellists confirmed include Laura Ducceschi (De La Warr Pavilion), Lindsey Fryer (Tate Liverpool), John Kieffer (Sound and Music), Joana Seguro (Lumin) and independent producers, Ross Dalziel and Jon Hering, both of whom took part in the New Music Plus… North West programme.

New Music Plus? aims to strengthen leadership skills and cross art-form learning amongst organisations and independent producers that want to develop their approach to programming new music and build new audiences for new music. It responds to needs for work-based training and reflection identified within music and other sectors.

During 2010, New Music Plus?North West supported eight independent producers from the region to develop their creative and business skills and understanding, and work on a series of co-productions with 10 host organisations: Band on the Wall; the Biennial; Bluecoat Arts Centre; Contact Theatre; Cornerhouse; FACT; National Museums Liverpool; the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; Tate Liverpool, and Whitworth Art Gallery. This programme built on learning from a 2009 pilot programme, which ran in London and had as host organisations: the BFI; Big Chill festival; Longplayer Trust; the Roundhouse; Tate Britain; the Serpentine Gallery; Sound and Music, and the South Bank Centre. New Music Plus… North West is supported by Arts Council England, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Sound and Music.

Places for Sustaining Innovation through Collaboration are limited, so early booking is essential. To secure your free place, email luke@prsformusicfoundation.com by 5pm Monday 28th February.

The event will explore how music-led collaborations between independent producers and larger, established arts organisations can catalyse and sustain innovation, and the challenges and considerations they present. Panellists will also explore what the future holds for cross-scale and cross-artform collaboration. The programme will include: high level panels; networking opportunities; the opportunity to hear from key funders, and presentations about New Music Plus?

With the full programme to be announced at the end of the month, panellists confirmed so far include Laura Ducceschi (De La Warr Pavilion), Lindsey Fryer (Tate Liverpool), John Kieffer (Sound and Music) and Joana Seguro (Lumin).

New Music Plus? aims to strengthen leadership skills and cross art-form learning amongst organisations and independent producers that want to develop their approach to programming new music and build new audiences for new music. It responds to needs for work-based training and reflection identified within music and other sectors.

During 2010, New Music Plus?North West supported eight independent producers from the region to develop their creative and business skills and understanding, and work on a series of co-productions with 10 host organisations: Band on the Wall; the Biennial; Bluecoat Arts Centre; Contact Theatre; Cornerhouse; FACT; National Museums Liverpool; the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; Tate Liverpool, and Whitworth Art Gallery. This programme built on learning from a 2009 pilot programme, which ran in London and had as host organisations: the BFI; Big Chill festival; Longplayer Trust; the Roundhouse; Tate Britain; the Serpentine Gallery; Sound and Music, and the South Bank Centre. New Music Plus… North West is supported by Arts Council England, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Sound and Music.

Places for Sustaining Innovation through Collaboration are limited, so early booking is essential. To secure your free place, email luke@prsformusicfoundation.com by 5pm Monday 28th February.

Headlining the gig last night were top improvising outfit, The Bays, who the hub previously worked with in the early 2000s, producing a national tour that saw them kick off a now long-standing relationship with Richard Barbieri. Throughout their intensely aerobic 90 minute set, which saw them improvising to tunes by everyone from Dizzee Rascal to Shirley Bassey via Talking Heads and Stevie Wonder (plus some music from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!), audience members directed their set list, voting on the tunes they most wanted to hear given that very special Bays treatment and working their magic on the visuals too. Cue for endless ‘arms in the air’ action when people heard the opening bars of the tunes they’d voted for, and a real sense of excitement and involvement amongst everyone there. I returned to my hotel, chuffed that I’d got the Stevie Wonder and David Byrne fix I was looking for…

Steve developed Gigzine as part of his participation in New Music Plus…, a producer development programme managed by the hub, and developed in association with the PRS for Music Foundation. Our New Music Plus…North West programme ran throughout 2010 and continues in 2011, with a conference called Sustaining Innovation through Collaboration at Tate Liverpool on 15 March. For more details contact me or and keep an eye out for future blog posts as we firm up the programme and begin to confirm panellists.

I was there to present key findings and recommendations from the hub’s Arts Council England- and British Council-commissioned research into how the two organisations can more effectively collaborate to support musicians and music organisations to work abroad. The resulting report Supporting Musicians Abroad was published earlier this year, alongside mapping data we collected as part of our research. Meanwhile, here’s a copy of my WMF Supporting Musicians Abroad presentation

It’s great to see that the two organisations have acted on a good number of our recommendations. Sometimes, as a researcher you work really hard to come up with carefully thought-through, industry-tested recommendations, only for them to be consigned to the ‘what could have been’ pile. So, I’m pleased that Arts Council and British Council have made some good moves as a result of our work with them, including:

* At a strategic level, our recommendations have been specifically referenced by the Arts Council and British the Council as part of their new Memorandum of Understanding, which sets out how the two organisations should work together
* Members of the music teams in both organisations now meet regularly, and attend each other’s strategic planning sessions; each officer in these teams now has a direct ‘oppo’ in the other organisation
* Along with UK Trade & Investment, the two organisations have formed an international music framwork group, through which they can share plans, jointly develop projects, maximise efficiencies and minimise duplication
* Arts Council England has invested in The Great Escape and Womex 2010 and 2011, the latter in partnership with UK Trade & Investment
* It’s also given ‘go and see’ support to a group of producers to identify relevant new showcae opportunities for English electronica/experimental music

Returning to the WMF seminar, which was primarily focused on the TV, film and gaming sectors, the key themes from the WMF seminar were the importance of a level playing in terms of tax breaks (give them to UK players or take them away from others!), collaboration as a means of making more happen, the challenges of balancing creativity and entrepreneurialism – and the imperative to do so and the need for information to flow freely between people working in different contexts within the creative industries (not least between policy makers and those making content). There were also repeated calls for the government to apply pressure to the banks to increase the amount of money flowing to small creative businesses via the much maligned Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme.

To conclude the final panel, Mike Weatherley asked panellists to tell him what they thought government should prioritise in terms of its support for the creative industries. Here, my insight is that flow of money (via improved lending and investment from banks and central government initiatives as well as public funding) to small independent music businesses – from across the whole sector, not just the indie/rock and pop sector – is absolutely key, alongside fit-for-purpose business-related training and mentoring support. Small scale promoters, creative producers, independent record labels – these are the folks who for decades have created the conditions for artists to innovate (before being ‘spotted’ by larger set ups, who can take them further), and whose continued ability to do so is absolutely crucial to the ongoing contribution made to the UK’s GDP by the creative industries

Let’s hope that Mike will take all those points back to his discussions with Ed Vaizey, Jeremy Hunt and Vince Cable.

I duly put together some possible options or pointers that festivals might find it useful to think about, carefully packed my copy of the new Arts Council England bestseller Achieving Great Art for Everyone and convened a discussion on a rainy Sunday morning. What followed was a lively hour-long discussion, focused on issues raised as important by those around the table, and on sharing with each other the huge amount of experience there was amongst those present. Tips on income generation shared across the table ranged from festivals joining their local chambers of commerce to positioning their festival with local businesses as a family friendly alternative to the annual panto outing for employees and their families – via discussions around merchandising, campsite fees, friends schemes, street collections, Gift Aid, sponsorship and funding! Thanks are due to all who took part, for being so generous with their knowledge.

Some of what I prepared came up in what delegates wanted to talk about, and some didn’t, and I promised to circulate my notes to them and to other conference delegates. So, here they are: AFO Life After the Cuts. They’re not intended to be definitive, but instead were put together to stimulate discussion between the festival organisers at the conference at what is a difficult time for many, given cuts to local authority (especially) and Arts Council funding.

Please do have a read, and please do add your comments and thoughts – there’s a wealth of experience and knowledge across the sector, and our sharing this with each other is key to our sector’s sustainability.