Mike Bradwell in the Evening Standard today argues that arts organisations should resist entering into corporate sponsorship agreements with major polluting organisations (he cites BP and Shell) because it can compromise their integrity. “By consorting with polluters, arts organisations are polluting their own reputations,” he says.

Here’s the link to the full article…http://tinyurl.com/3y63lm4

It’s a plea to arts organisations to not compromise their integrity in these hard times, which ends “Be brave like Joan Littlewood. Tell them to bugger off.”

A thought provoking piece in these hard times. What do folks think? Will we all be re-examining our ethical policies, whoever and whatever they might rule out at the moment?

Last year the hub worked with the MusicLeader team, carrying out research amongst its 11 000 members, and providing recommendations for the strategic development of the service. Since then, MusicLeader, which exists to raise the quality, value and impact of music leadership in the UK, has extended its network into East Anglia and the South East, so that for the first time ever it can provide a truly national resource.

Our research provided information about MusicLeader’s members, their needs, ambitions and the challanges they believed they face and will face in the future. It also consulted them around how they thought that MusicLeader could most usefully provide support in the future, testing this with key figures in the music education sector, and providing recommendations for future programme development, communications and operations.

Informed by this research, MusicLeader has published a new on- and off-line brochure, describing the information, advice and guidance, training and networking opportunities and online resources it provides, and giving useful information about how all those involved in young people’s music making can access them. It looks great (!), and is packed with really useful information. If you’re involved in this kind of work, or know someone who is, then do check it out and get in touch with the MusicLeader team in your region; they’re a great bunch, they really know their stuff and can connect you to lots more free advice, training and guidance.

Arts Council England and British Council have published Supporting UK Musicians Abroad, a summary of research carried out by the hub last year, which provided recommendations for how the two organisations could work together more effectively to maximise the impact and benefit of their support for musicians and music organisations wishing to develop their work internationally.

In arriving at our recommendations, we mapped the support currently available to those musicians and other music professionals in England working, or wishing to work, internationally, and identified where the needs of such individuals and organisations are currently unmet.

the hub’s findings have been welcomed by both organisations, and they have already informed the new Memorandum of Understanding between the Arts Council and British Council and the Arts Council’s consultation document Achieving great art for everyone. On a practical level, the two commissioning organisations have also begun work in response to some of our recommendations, for example the suggestion of a more ‘joined up’ approach to strategic planning, showcasing in the UK and overseas, online intelligence and clearer communication of our international priorities. Meanwhile, recommendations relating to touring, internal professional development, evaluation and lobbying and advocacy will inform future developments.

You can find a copy of the executive summary, our mapping and gapping analysis of the current infrastructure in England and contextual information about the commissioning partners, along with their joint response to our research, here.

Following initial consultation carried out by the hub last year, the Mayor of London has launched Making Music Matter, his music education strategy for London 2010-12. Published earlier this month, just over a year after the first ever Mayor’s Music Education Summit which the hub also produced and which kicked off the consultation process, the resulting programme includes: a new £100K fund for music education in the capital, to seed fund partnerships between local authority music services and orchestras and ensembles in the city; an audit of music education provision across London boroughs; an annual Rhythm of London event; a Rhythm of London website, signposting musical opportunities for young people, teachers and the general public; events and publications to support teacher development; advocacy to funders and government, and regular consultation with young people, teachers, parents and music education providers. You can download the full document here.