Tag: Department for Culture and Media

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 7 July 2023.

Bradford will benefit from a cash boost of at least £10 million to kick off the city’s tenure as UK City of Culture in 2025 and help grow the economy, one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities.

• Cash boost supports the Government’s ambition to grow the economy and create opportunities with almost 7,000 new jobs and growth of £389 million in the local economy
• Approximately 1,000 performances by local artists and creatives expected to attract more than 15 million visitors in 2025
• Announcement comes on ten-year anniversary of UK City of Culture programme

The investment will support the delivery of Bradford’s programme of cultural activity over the year – ranging from live performances in existing cultural venues to pop-up experiences in a bespoke touring venue, Beacon.

Approximately 1,000 performances will take place in 2025, developed alongside and in collaboration with local artists and creatives. They are expected to attract 15.5 million visitors and bring an additional visitor spend of £136.9 million into the local economy over the course of the year.

The increased cultural and economic activity is expected to deliver up to £389 million of growth for Bradford as UK City of Culture 2025.

The funding boost will also help Bradford with its ambition, set out in its bid to host the event, to create 6,845 new jobs and opportunities right across the city by 2030.

In addition, Arts Council England is allocating £5 million in National Lottery funding to support Bradford’s programme during its tenure as UK City of Culture.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund also confirms today it is awarding £4.95 million specifically to develop a programme of activities to bring the diverse heritage of the city to the fore during 2025’s celebrations.

Stuart Andrew, Culture Minister, said:

With its unique culture and young and vibrant population, Bradford will be a fantastic host for the UK City of Culture 2025.

We are investing £10 million in the city this year to help prepare for the event so we can make sure it stimulates new jobs and growth in the local economy through culture.

We want to open up access to the arts, create opportunities for young people, and inspire our next generation of writers, artists and performers.

Residents of Bradford will be able to participate in the various projects and develop their skills across several sectors. For example, Bradford 2025 recently launched a one-of-its-kind competition with the Royal Institute of British Architects to design a touring venue, Beacon, to play host to performances and live events across the district during the summer of 2025.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said:

The team at Bradford 2025 are already building a life-changing, awe-inspiring programme of brilliant artistic and cultural activities across the district’s arts organisations, museums and libraries. But there’s so much more to come.

This investment will have a huge impact on the lives of the people who live, work and study in the city – as well as thousands of visitors over the coming years. I’m on the edge of my seat, eager to see and hear how Bradford’s journey of amazing creativity will unfold.

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

I am delighted to announce that we are supporting Bradford with £4.95million National Lottery funding. It will shine a light on the city’s fascinating heritage when it takes its City of Culture crown in 2025.

Thanks to National Lottery players, we’ve enabled past City of Culture award holders to showcase the history and heritage of their cities.  We have seen first-hand the transformational effects that an exciting heritage programme can bring, creating a deeper sense of place, pride and identity.  We look forward to our funding opening up heritage for all those who live, work and visit Bradford, to celebrate and enjoy.

Dan Bates and Shanaz Gulzar, Executive Director and Creative Director at Bradford 2025, said:

There’s less than 18 months before we begin our year as the City of Culture 2025, and we welcome the funding announced today by the Minister. As momentum starts to build, funding support is essential for us in delivering against our ambitions and creating an unforgettable year that Bradford needs and deserves.

Over the coming months, thanks to the funding announced today, we’ll be able to progress key projects that will enable us to provide the opportunity for everyone in the district to engage in Bradford 2025 in some way – whether that is by attending an event, participating in a workshop, creating a performance or volunteering.

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Metropolitan District Council said:

The funding announced today by DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England is welcome good news. It’s further evidence of the willingness to invest not just in a global Bradford and in the cultural and physical regeneration of our city, but in the young people who will help shape its future.

Now is our time, time for Bradford to shine and become a beacon for what’s great about Yorkshire, and about the North.  We will also be the largest, most ambitious and the first district wide City of Culture bid ever so we also remain optimistic that we will see more funding of this sort from Government in the near future to help us fully realise the opportunity that being the UK City of Culture in 2025 brings.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of UK City of Culture, with the first host being Derry-Londonderry in 2013, followed by Hull in 2017 and Coventry in 2021.

The title has a proven track record of opening up access to culture and creativity and delivering culture-led regeneration, with 81% of Derry-Londonderry residents attending a UK City of Culture event in 2013.

In Hull, nine in ten residents attended or took part in UK City of Culture related activity. Government funding helped facilitate wider inward investment from the private sector and other partners worth £676 million. Similarly, Coventry received £172.6 million in inward investment which facilitated wider regeneration activity of over £500 million.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 June 2023.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has reappointed Heather Blyth, Sarah Dean, Paul Eccleson, Rita Mclean, Anthony Wilson to second terms of 3 years and David Flemming for a second term of 4 years.

Heather Blyth

Reappointed from 18 May 2023 until 17th May 2026.

Heather is a member of the House of Memories Steering Group. Heather has brought a very important perspective to the trustee board and has been excellent in her contribution. With her marketing background and significant experience in social media she has made a big contribution to both the House of Memories Steering Group and a range of other activities.

Sarah Dean

Reappointed from 01 March 2023 until 28th February 2026.

Sarah is Chair of the NML Finance & Resources Committee. Her contribution to the trustee board has been excellent. Her leadership of the finance and resources committee has been exemplary and in particular during challenging times of Covid. She brings an astute financial perspective to the board as a very experienced non-executive in terms of constructive challenge.

Paul Eccleson

Reappointed from 18 May 2023 until 17th May 2026.

Paul is Chair of NML’s Audit & Risk Committee. His contribution has been invaluable. Coming from a top-flight private sector commercial background, he has made an outstanding contribution to the Board of Trustees. His leadership of the Audit & Risk Committee has been excellent. With a new risk framework committee now established, Trustees feel confident that they are maintaining good governance.

David Flemming

Reappointed from 01 March 2023 until 28th February 2027.

David is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee. His contribution to the trustee board is excellent. With a wide experience in a range of sectors he has been particularly thoughtful around the development plan, the IT infrastructure and associated issues, and more particularly the general direction of NML.

Rita Mclean

Reappointed from 18 May 2023 until 17th May 2026.

Rita’s considerable experience in collections management and interpretation in the museum sector has been immensely helpful to the trustee board. At the trustee board she makes an excellent contribution across a wide range of issues and her museums sector experience is valuable. She is held in high regard by other colleagues.

Anthony Wilson

Reappointed from 18 May 2023 until 17th May 2026.

Tony’s experience as a partner and very senior lawyer in Liverpool has been welcomed on the board. He makes a valid contribution across a range of issues and is being particularly helpful in development plans with his extensive property development experience.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees are not remunerated for these roles. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Heather Blyth, Sarah Dean, Paul Eccleson, David Flemming, Rita Mclean, Anthony Wilson have not declared any significant political activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 June 2023.

Ambitious plans to grow the economy and boost UK creative industries by £50 billion.

• Government’s plan to grow the creative industries by £50bn and support a million more jobs by 2030, with £77m of new funding for the sector announced
• Advanced screen and performance technology research labs to be based in Yorkshire, Dundee, Belfast and Buckinghamshire
• £50m to support more regional creative clusters, plus extra cash for music venues, video games studios, London Fashion Week and the next generation of British music talent
• Plans to build a pipeline of skills and talent through new creative careers promise

New plans to maximise the potential of the UK creative industries and grow the economy have been set out by the government today.

One of the Prime Minister’s priority sectors for economic growth, the creative industries are a global British success story growing at more than 1.5 times the rate of the wider economy over the past decade and contributing £108 billion in gross value added (GVA) annually.

Employment in these industries has grown at five times the rate of the rest of the economy since 2011. Speaking at the London Tech Week conference on Monday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that Britain’s creative industries were “going like gangbusters” and represent a “unique strength” for the country.

Developed with industry via the Creative Industries Council, the Creative Industries Sector Vision published today sets out shared ambitions to build on that success and maximise the growth of the creative industries by £50 billion by 2030, creating one million extra jobs and delivering a creative careers promise that builds a pipeline of future talent.

Framed around the key principles for driving growth – facilitating innovation and investment, alongside building a skilled workforce – the Sector Vision is backed by £77 million in new government investment for the sector.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

The creative industries are a true British success story, from global music stars like Adele and Ed Sheeran to world-class cultural institutions like the National Theatre.

These industries have a special place in our national life and make a unique contribution to how we feel about ourselves as a country.

We want to build on this incredible success to drive growth in our economy – one of my key priorities – and to ensure that UK creative industries continue to lead the world long into the future.

Backed up with significant new funding, this ambitious plan will help grow the sector by an extra £50 billion while creating one million extra jobs by 2030.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

The imagination and ingenuity of British designers, producers, content creators, writers and artists are spearheading growth right across our economy.

The government is backing our creatives to maximise the potential of the creative industries. This Sector Vision is about driving innovation, attracting investment and building on the clusters of creativity across the country. And from first days at school to last days of work, we will nurture the skills needed to build a larger creative workforce to harness the talent needed for continued success.

Working with the industry this vision is helping the UK creative sectors go from strength to strength – providing jobs and opportunities, creating world leading content and supporting economic growth across the country.

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:

Our Creative Industry isn’t just about the glitz and glam of the red carpet in Leicester Square. It brings in £108 billion a year to help fund our public services, supports over 2 million jobs, and is world renowned.

That’s why we’re backing it as an industry to drive our economic growth, keeping the UK at the top of the world’s cultural charts with a multi-million pound boost.

This includes £50 million to grow clusters of creative businesses in locations all over the country, and more funding to help start-ups scale-up and to turn creative entrepreneurs into CEOs.

New investment will help the next Adele, Ed Sheeran or Sam Smith break into overseas markets, alongside financial support for new video games studios and hundreds of grassroots music venues. The government will continue to offer competitive creative industries tax reliefs to incentivise production of film, TV and video games in the UK.
This sector vision builds on more than £230 million in government spending on the creative industries since 2021, which includes £75.6 million to build the largest virtual production research and development network in Europe to put the UK at the forefront of advancements in visual effects, motion-capture technology, and AI for the screen industries and live performance. Today the government has announced regional research labs will be based in Yorkshire, Dundee and Belfast with a national lab in Buckinghamshire. The programme will be supported with an additional £63 million investment from industry.

Alongside investment, the Sector Vision commits the government to a new creative careers promise – a pledge backed by a comprehensive package of actions to open up more opportunities, particularly for young people, to pursue careers in the creative industries.

Sir Peter Bazalgette, industry co-Chair of the Creative Industries Council said:

The Creative Industries are coming of age with this ambitious policy framework for economic growth and cultural value. Our Sector Vision, developed jointly with government, champions R&D-led innovation and future skills, drawing on the talent of all our communities. It also promotes positive impact on health & wellbeing, the environment & Britain’s global reach. Helped by the government’s new spending commitments, the work starts now to deliver on this growth agenda.

Innovation, investment and exports

• Four new state-of-the-art research and development facilities will be set up to drive the next generation of screen technology and on-set virtual production, with £63 million of new industry investment announced today on top of the government’s £75.6 million investment. UKRI’s Convergent Screen Technologies and performance in Realtime (CoSTAR) programme is expected to create more than 820 new jobs across the UK.
• The government will invest at least £50 million in the next wave of UKRI’s Creative Industries Clusters programme. This funding will be used to identify and support at least six new clusters specialising in creative subsectors, helping entrepreneurs and businesses in these areas innovate with new technologies, secure investment, and access global markets. It comes as more than 300 creative companies across the UK receive a share of £13 million in government grants today to help them innovate and reach their high growth potential.
• DCMS will increase the budget of the Create Growth Programme by £10.9 million, bringing it to a total of £28.4 million until 2025. The increased funding will enable it to double the number of regions it covers to twelve and support 2,000 businesses to commercialise their ideas and access resources, knowledge and private investment to scale up – turning today’s creative entrepreneurs into tomorrow’s CEOs.
• Funding for the Music Exports Growth Scheme, which provides grants to support touring and help emerging musicians break into new global markets, will be expanded to £3.2 million over the next two years. Past recipients include BRIT award winners Wolf Alice, Dave and Catfish and the Bottlemen, as well as Mercury Prize Winners Young Fathers and BRIT Rising Star nominee beabadoobee.
• DCMS will expand Arts Council England’s highly successful Supporting Grassroots Music Venues Fund, providing an additional £5 million over two years to support around 400 grassroots music venues projects, as the lifeblood of our world-leading music sector and cornerstones of communities.
• The UK Games Fund will receive a £5 million uplift bringing its total funding to £13.4 million over the next two years. Since 2015 the fund has been developing talent and awarding grants to young video game developers and early-stage studios to turn their drawing board ideas into working prototype games and showcase them to investors. The additional funding will mean it can help maturer start-ups grow their businesses and attract even more private investment into our booming video games industry.
• Acknowledging UK excellence in holding international showcase events which enhance our soft power and boost creative exports, ministers have agreed new funding of £2 million will go to London Fashion Week for 2023-25 and £1.7 million for the BFI to deliver the London Film Festival 2024.

Skills and education

The Sector Vision’s creative careers promise commits the government to working closely with the industry to give young people from all backgrounds more opportunities to participate in creative activities from an early age, in order to build a highly-skilled, productive and inclusive creative workforce. To support these aims, DCMS and the Department for Education will:

• Publish the Cultural Education Plan later this year, deliver last year’s National Plan for Music Education which includes £25 million for musical instruments, and explore opportunities for enrichment activities as part of the government’s wraparound childcare provision.
• Work with industry to ensure post-16 technical skills routes work effectively for the creative industries. This will include supporting the rollout of T-Levels in creative subjects and increasing provision and take-up of high quality creative apprenticeships.
• Support lifelong learning in the creative industries and enable the sector to retain and retrain the existing workforce by working with local and regional partners to maximise the opportunities of Skills Bootcamps and to develop Local Skills Improvement Plans across England.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

The UK has a global reputation for creating, writing and producing amazing music and the Creative Industries generate over £50 billion in exports for the UK economy and are a key driver for UK growth. The Department for Business and Trade is committed to championing our world class artists and businesses around the world by doubling creative trade missions and expanding support for exporters in the creative industries.

UK Research and Innovation Creative Industries Sector Champion, Professor Christopher Smith, said:

The creative industries are a UK success story, key to the UK’s prosperity, wellbeing and resilience. From design to screen, fashion and textiles to heritage, they are generating high-quality employment and innovation.

UKRI’s creative industries investments, including CoSTAR, Creative Catalyst and the Creative Industry Clusters Programme, will catalyse the research and innovation that are crucial for this fast-growing and important sector.

The creative industries are now firmly embedded in the research and development ecosystem, ensuring that the UK remains a genuine world leader in the industries of the future.

Caroline Norbury OBE, Chief Executive, Creative UK & Creative Industries Council member

The UK Government’s Sector Vision recognises and cements the Creative Industries’ immense capacity for growth, and rightly prioritises much-needed investment in the sector. Creative UK, our members, and colleagues across the Creative Industries, stand ready to further unleash the power of creativity, so that together we can drive inclusive growth across all parts of the UK.

BRIT Awards Rising Star nominee beabadoobee said:

The funding from the Music Export Growth Scheme came at a great point in my career and gave me a helping hand. I’m happy to know the scheme is being extended and more money will be coming into music to help even more new artists breakthrough. This will all help in building artists fanbases in the UK and around the world.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 7 June 2023.

Local TV services are set to remain on the airwaves until 2034, subject to a review of each station’s future plans, under new proposals.

• Proposals to renew licences for the UK’s 34 local TV stations for ten more years
• Ofcom to review stations’ plans to ensure they can continue meeting local audiences’ needs
• Media industry and public invited to submit views in consultation published today

Local TV services are set to remain on the airwaves until 2034, subject to a review of each station’s future plans, under proposals set out today by the government.

The plans would allow the media regulator Ofcom to renew the licences of all 34 local TV services, subject to a review of each station’s plans to continue meeting the needs of local audiences, which are currently due to expire in 2025.

Launched in 2013, local TV services are accessible to 15 million people (normally occupying channel 7 or 8 on Freeview) and are required to show a number of hours of local programming each day.

Stations across the country include London Live, Sheffield Live, Cardiff TV and That’s TV. Many have established themselves as a trusted source for local news and distinctive shows focused on smaller geographic areas than national public service broadcasters.

While recognising the challenges they have faced, particularly during the pandemic, the government believes that local TV services continue to play a role in the wider broadcasting ecosystem. Many services – such as Notts TV in Nottingham and KMTV in Kent – also boost local journalism through training programmes provided in production, news reporting and technical roles, which enable students to gain hands-on experience.

In recognition that some outlets have struggled to generate stable revenue streams, maintain consistent audience numbers and sustainably fund genuinely local content, the government has published a consultation inviting views on the opportunities and challenges facing the sector to ensure it can continue to serve audiences and be sustainable in the long term.

Media Minister John Whittingdale said:

Local TV stations from Belfast to Birmingham help to support local journalism, drive the creative economy and foster pride in communities. We want to see this continue, so we’ve set out plans for Ofcom to review all services to ensure they’re well positioned to continue serving local audiences with trusted and distinctive content for years to come

Ofcom will review each station’s proposals for the decade ahead to ensure they can maintain their current service and continue making distinctive shows which meet the needs of the local area.

If Ofcom approves their plans, services will be allowed to continue broadcasting until 2034 and retain several benefits – including a prominent position in electronic TV guides. Should current providers choose not to renew their licence, or Ofcom decides not to approve a renewal, Ofcom will move to a competitive relicensing process.

Consultation and objectives

The government set out its proposed approach to the renewal process in a consultation published today, which invites views on the current objectives licence holders are assessed against by Ofcom.

These objectives include producing content that provides social and economic benefit to the community, caters to the taste and interests of those they serve and increases the amount of programming made in the area.

Participants will also be invited to submit responses on innovative suggestions relating to how local TV could be used to enhance local journalism and democracy across the UK.

The 12-week consultation will close on 30 August and is open to both industry and members of the public. Subject to the outcome of consultation, the government plans to move forward with the necessary secondary legislation later this year.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 2 June 2023.

Government has appointed Ralph Rimmer and Chris Pilling as independent advisers to work on the future stability of rugby union.

• RFL’s former CEO Ralph Rimmer and Chris Pilling of UK Sport appointed to work with the Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby Limited on their plans for the future of professional rugby union.
• Independent advisers will support solutions on the financial, sporting and regulatory challenges facing rugby following the failures of Worcester, Wasps and uncertainty at London Irish.

Former RFL CEO Ralph Rimmer, and UK Sport Board Member Chris Pilling have been appointed by the government as independent advisers to support the RFU and PRL in their work on the future sustainability of rugby union.

Following the recent failures of several clubs and the wider challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, rugby union has a unique opportunity to reshape its future strategic financial and sporting direction.

The government supports the RFU and PRL’s work to stabilise professional rugby union including attracting new capital investment. It shares the concerns of fans about where the game goes next, and has appointed two independent advisers to work with the RFU and PRL on their plans to restructure the Professional Game Agreement.

The issues at Worcester, Wasps and London Irish have laid bare the challenges facing the sport of rugby union. The inability of rugby clubs to raise capital investment and the financial challenges at various levels within the game have contributed to the need for urgent work to help secure rugby union’s immediate future and advise on its future direction.

The appointment of Rimmer and Pilling as independent advisers will add to the work being undertaken by the RFU and PRL, and has been made with their full agreement. They will provide further independent support and scrutiny on their vision to lead the game to a sustainable future.

Ralph Rimmer delivered substantial financial and regulatory reforms during his time with the Rugby Football League, while Chris Pilling will bring extensive sports management and financial sector expertise to the role.

Sports Minister Stuart Andrew said:

This is a challenging time for rugby union and Ralph and Chris have agreed to utilise their experience to help the game develop a clear path for the future.

We have seen several high profile clubs and their fans left devastated in recent times and this additional independent advice will be of huge benefit to the RFU and PRL as they look to implement a new strategic direction for rugby.

Ralph Rimmer said:

I absolutely recognise the importance of this sporting pyramid to communities across the country.

I also understand from my own experiences in Rugby League the challenges and pressures which the sport currently faces and I’m confident that I can help all parties in creating not just a sustainable future but also an exciting one.

Chris Pilling said:

I am delighted to have been asked by the government to support the work of the RFU and the PRL to seek the best solutions to help secure a better, more sustainable long-term future for rugby union.

The independent advisers will begin work immediately to help provide solutions to the financial, sporting and regulatory challenges facing the game as it charts a more sustainable path for the future.

Bill Sweeney, CEO, Rugby Football Union said:

The RFU and PRL have been working collaboratively for some time on a joint strategy to stabilise and transform Rugby Union following the exceptional challenges created by COVID.

Government choosing to work with us on this process is an important and much appreciated development and we are delighted to welcome Ralph and Chris to support the work we are doing to re-shape the future of the professional game.

The restructuring of the Professional Game Agreement into a strategic partnership provides a great opportunity for all stakeholders to set aside self-interest and collaborate to reset and secure the future long-term sustainable growth of the professional game including developing the strongest possible second tier.

Simon Massie-Taylor, CEO, PRL said:

We welcome the Government acknowledging the role that they play in helping stabilise the future of the Premiership.

And we are looking forward to working with Ralph and Chris as we finalise our plans for the future of the professional game with our partners at The RFU, RPA and other key rugby stakeholders.

In the coming days we will also announce our newly-formed Sporting Commission. And former government adviser Sir Nigel Boardman has also commenced work on formulating new financial regulations, as part of our Financial Monitoring Panel, with the first elements planned to be in place for the start of the new season.

During the pandemic, the government stepped in to provide a financial lifeline to keep elite and grassroots rugby afloat, and as key stakeholder in the future of professional rugby union is taking action to further protect its investment on behalf of taxpayers.

Rimmer and Pilling will work closely with the RFU, PRL and private equity partners CVC over the coming months in an independent capacity, and report directly to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 2 June 2023.

The Secretary of State has appointed Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens as Acting Chair of the BBC Board from 27 June for twelve months, or until a new permanent Chair has been appointed, whichever is sooner.

Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens is an experienced chair and non-executive director who has spent a career in broadcasting, the creative industries and academia. Dame Elan has been a member of the BBC’s governing body since 2010, first serving as Member for Wales on the BBC Trust, until its dissolution in 2017, and then as the Welsh member of the BBC Board. As a BBC Board member she has been the Chair of the Wales Committee and also served as Chair of the BBC’s commercial subsidiary from 2019 – 2022. She served for two terms as Chair of the Welsh-language broadcaster, S4C between 1998 – 2006 and subsequently served an additional term as non-executive director on S4C, representing the BBC Trust.

Dame Elan is currently the Pro Chancellor and Professor Emerita in Communications and Creative Industries at Aberystwyth University. She is the Electoral Commissioner for Wales and Member of the UK Electoral Commission Board. She is the Chair of the Wales Public Leaders’ Forum and Chair of the UNESCO International Prize for contribution to the creative economy. She has served on many cultural bodies including the British Film Institute (BFI) and the British Council. She still serves the BFI as a Non-Executive Director of the IMAX Cinema in Waterloo. She has been a member of the Wales Permanent Secretary’s Board where she was Chair of Corporate Governance. She has served as Vice Chairman of the Welsh Language Board and is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.

Dame Elan has been a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Professor of the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies at Aberystwyth University, where she is now the Pro-Chancellor. She was educated at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, a comprehensive school in the quarry valleys of North Wales and won an open scholarship to Somerville College, Oxford.

Dame Elan is a native Welsh speaker and lives in Aberystwyth. She has two children.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

I am pleased that Dame Elan will take up the position of Acting Chair of the BBC and has the unanimous support of the Board. When she takes over, Dame Elan will provide stability in the leadership of the BBC while a process to appoint a new permanent Chair is run.

Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens said:

It’s a huge honour to be appointed by the Secretary of State as Acting Chair and I am grateful to my fellow board members for putting their trust in me. As a board, we will champion the licence fee payer across all of the UK; ensure the BBC is a vital partner for the UK creative industries; maintain trust and drive change to make the BBC fit for a fast changing media landscape. There is much work to be done.

NOTES

Dame Elan will take over as Acting Chair of the BBC Board on 27 June, at which point the current Chair will step down. The appointment is being confirmed now to ensure that the transition can take place in an orderly fashion. This appointment process was run in accordance with the BBC Royal Charter and the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This role is remunerated at £160,000 per annum. The Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Dame Elan has not declared any activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 1 June 2023.

The Secretary of State has appointed Rory Brooks CBE, Shrenik Davda, and Mark Simms for three year terms commencing 27 March 2023.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 30 May 2023.

New guide for academics and industry aims to boost understanding of video games to support UK’s world leading sector.

• New framework for researchers will encourage more analysis on video games and related technology
• Plans identify priority topics for research including the economic benefits of games, their role in education and potential impacts on player wellbeing
• Publication fulfils government commitment to develop better evidence following call for evidence on loot boxes in video games

A new guide to support research and build a better understanding of video games is published today.

Video games are played by more than half of British adults and the sector is one of the UK’s fast-growing creative industries, contributing £2.8 billion to the economy and employing 27,000 people in 2019.

To support the potential growth and development of the industry, further research is needed to fully understand players’ experiences, and the impacts of games on individuals, communities and the economy more widely.

Last week at the Enders Conference, the Culture Secretary spoke about her desire to maximise potential within the creative industries – of which video games are a key part – with an ambition to grow the sector by an extra £50 billion by 2030; help create a million extra jobs in the sector by 2030; and deliver a Creative Careers Promise that builds a pipeline of talent into our creative industries.

The Video Games Research Framework, developed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in collaboration with academia, research councils and the games industry, aims to support researchers to build a stronger evidence base for future policymaking.

Minister for the Creative Industries, John Whittingdale, said:

Video games are a booming industry – employing thousands of people and contributing billions to our economy, whilst bringing enjoyment to people in fun and challenging ways.

Today’s plans will encourage more research and study in this area so we can better support the opportunities of this highly innovative sector while also protecting players.

Professor Tom Rodden, DCMS’ Chief Scientific Advisor, said:

DCMS supports some of the most exciting sectors in the UK and it is my priority to ensure that policymaking in the department is underpinned by the best possible science, research and evidence to drive growth and enrich lives.

The Video Games Research Framework aims to facilitate high-quality research in the field of video games – promoting inclusive, transparent and independent practice.

I am excited to see how adoption of the framework shapes new research and benefits not just policymakers in government, but the games industry and everyone who chooses to make video games a part of their lives.

The guide sets out a number of priority areas in need of stronger evidence to help academics and industry focus research projects. Priorities recommended by the framework include why people interact with games, their impact on physical and mental health and the effect of in-game features like spending and advertising on players’ experiences. The framework also suggests wider areas of focus, such as the economic potential of the industry and the role of video games in education.

The framework brings together guidance and examples of recommended research practices, including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) principles on research integrity, knowledge sharing and managing conflicts of interest.

The document also provides advice and information on data sharing, as academics identified access to industry and player data as a barrier to enabling better research. It outlines researchers’ legal obligations under UK data protection laws and directs users to guidance from expert bodies such as the Information Commissioner’s Office and UKRI on how data should be collected and handled during studies.

Publishing the framework delivers on the Government’s commitment to support better evidence on the impact of video games after the call for evidence on loot boxes in video games found that research in this area is still emerging.

Dan Wood, Ukie Chief Strategy Officer and co-acting CEO, said:

The establishment of a new Video Games Research Framework will provide objective, robust evidence, strengthening our understanding of the impact of video games across society. As a sector, we will never stand still on this issue and will continue to work collaboratively with government, academia, and industry partners, within the principles of the Video Games Framework to ensure any future change is driven through strong evidence.

Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:

The Video Games Research Framework should be a valuable tool for conducting research in the video games sector. TIGA is pleased to see this framework in place and looks forward to seeing it used as a guide for advancing understanding in this dynamic and world-leading industry.

Professor Peter Etchells, Professor of Psychology and Science Communication, Bath Spa University, said:

The new Video Games Research Framework provides a much-needed set of standards to advance the scientific study of games in an ethical, progressive and robust manner. My hope is that this will allow us to leverage the power of player data, in order to answer meaningful questions about how games can impact health and behaviour.

Professor Andrew Przybylski, Professor of Human Behaviour and Technology, Oxford Internet Institute, said:

The framework provides an actionable blueprint for industry and independent scientists to work collaboratively to harness the power of human play to understand how we shape and are shaped by games.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 26 May 2023.

Export bar placed on Tipu Sultan of Mysore’s Flintlock Sporting Gun to allow time for a UK institution or buyer to acquire it.

• The elaborately decorated gun was made in India for the Sultan between 1793 and 1794
• The decision to place an export bar follows the independent advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest

An 18th-century gun made for the Sultan of Mysore and valued at £2 million has had its export barred to allow time for a buyer to come forward to keep it in the UK for public study and education.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay has placed an export bar on Tipu Sultan of Mysore’s Flintlock Sporting Gun in the hope that it can be put on public display here in the UK.

The Minister’s decision follows the independent advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest.

The elaborately decorated gun was made for the Sultan of Mysore and is dated between 1793 and 1794. The fourteen-bore gun was designed for shooting game and is signed by its maker, Asad Khan Muhammed.

Known as the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan was a defiant opponent of the British East India Company and its allies during the Anglo-Mysore Wars. He was killed on 4 May 1799 while defending his stronghold of Seringapatam (Srirangapatna).

Following his death, his distinctive personal weapons were given to leading military figures. This firearm was presented to General the Earl Cornwallis, who had previously fought Tipu between 1790 and 1792.

The expert committee found the gun to be of aesthetic importance as well as significant to the study of Tipu Sultan and his court, to Lord Cornwallis, to British history, and to the conclusion of the third Anglo-Mysorean war.

Its assessment was based on the ‘Waverley Criteria’, established in 1952 to decide on works of art and cultural objects which deserve efforts to keep them in the country. At a speech to mark the 70th anniversary of the criteria last year, Lord Parkinson noted the important role they had played in preserving cultural heritage and sharing it with a wide public audience, and took the opportunity to invite thoughts on how they should continue to operate. He asked, for instance, “are we considering items’ connection to the history of other countries, or whether they are destined for public display rather than private collection?” His full speech can be found on gov.uk

Committee Member Christopher Rowell said:

This is the finest and most elaborately decorated of the personal firearms made for Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore, a large state in South India. Dated 1793–4, this fourteen-bore gun was designed for shooting game and is signed by Asad Khan Muhammad. It is extremely beautiful as well as technically advanced.

The mechanism allows two shots to be fired from the single barrel without reloading, revealing the probable influence of itinerant French gunmakers. Tipu’s court was sophisticated and its workshops produced a variety of fine metalwork including weaponry and ordnance, which was stylish as well as deadly.

Tipu was fascinated by Western technical innovations, including rocketry, but his leanings towards France antagonised Britain, which waged four wars against Mysore. In 1799, he was killed as the British army overran his capital, Srirangapatna [Seringapatam]. Among the victorious officers was Colonel Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington and hero of Waterloo.

This superbly executed sporting gun was presented to General Earl Cornwallis, victor of the previous war against Tipu in 1790-2, which had forced the Sultan to cede half his territory.

Tipu was known as the ‘Tiger of Mysore’ and his personal emblems are ubiquitous, from the tiger with brass-inlaid eyes carved into the hardwood stock to the stylised tiger stripes inlaid in silver along the blued steel barrel. One of the silver mounts depicts a tiger attacking European soldiers, an image redolent of ‘Tipu’s Tiger’ in the V&A.

Given its aesthetic significance, its impeccable provenance, its scope for further research and its relevance to both British and Indian history, I hope that this superb fowling piece made for the unfortunate ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, will be acquired by a British Institution where it can be appreciated by all.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

This visually striking firearm is a significant antiquity in its own right, as well as an illustration of the important, interconnected history between Britain and India.

I hope that it can be shared with the widest possible public and used to deepen our understanding of a fraught period which shaped both our nations.

The decision on the export licence application for the gun will be deferred for a period ending on 25 September 2023 (inclusive). At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the gun at the recommended price of £2 million.The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for four months.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 26 May 2023.

The Secretary of State has appointed Martin Esom, Alex Lacey, Bradley Pritchard and Jonathan Sellins for terms of three years commencing on 14 March 2023.