Tag: Press Release

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 27 November 2024.

A temporary export bar has been placed on Dame Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red.

• The sculpture has been valued at almost £3.7 million
• Export bar is to allow time for a UK gallery or institution to acquire the sculpture

An export bar has been placed on celebrated British artist Dame Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red.

Born in 1903 in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Hepworth became one of the leading British artists of the 20th century, creating prominent sculptures for the 1951 Festival of Britain entitled ‘Contrapuntal Forms’, which are still on display in Harlow, Essex and her prestigious work ‘Single Form’, which stands in the plaza of the United Nations building in New York City.

Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red is a painted wood sculpture created in 1943. It is part of a larger series in Hepworth’s oeuvre, which she developed throughout the Second World War after she settled with her family in St. Ives, Cornwall.

The piece is a notable example of this series, which pioneered her stringed and coloured sculptures for the first time. Although this concept of colour and strings is understood to have been first conceived in London, Hepworth consistently associated these elements with the organic elements she observed in her rural surroundings in West Penrith.

This work also marks a pivotal moment in the artist’s development as a leading pioneer of the direct carving method and it is the only surviving oval carving after the first prototype of the series was broken when Hepworth cast it in bronze in 1961.

Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:

Dame Barbara Hepworth was a phenomenal artistic genius, who will continue to inspire future generations with her unique genre defining sculptures, which remain as powerful and engaging now as during her lifetime.

Hepworth was influenced by her surroundings and this sculpture is a beautiful insight into her new life in St.Ives after the outbreak of the Second World War.

I hope a UK buyer can be found for this sculpture so the British public can continue to learn and engage with one our most important artists for generations to come.

Stuart Lochhead, RCEWA Committee Member said:

Having moved to Cornwall at the outbreak of the Second World War, Barbara Hepworth found herself in a profoundly different environment where, even with limited resources, she produced ground breaking sculpture.

Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red embodies the Cornish sky, sea and rugged coastline, in which she lived and which influenced her so deeply. One of only a handful of stringed and coloured sculptures she produced during this period, it marks a significant evolution in her practice, bridging her pre-and post-war artistic developments. As such, this beautiful and immensely informative work by one of Britain’s greatest artists must be saved for the nation.

The Committee made its recommendation on the basis that the sculpture met the first, second and third Waverley criteria for its outstanding connection with our history and national life, its outstanding aesthetic importance and its outstanding significance to the study of Dame Barbara Hepworth’s working practice and the evolution of her work.

The decision on the export licence application for the sculpture will be deferred for a period ending on 26 February 2025 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 sculpture at the recommended price of £3,652,180.63 (plus VAT of £129,800). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for five months.

Notes to editors

1. Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the sculpture should contact the RCEWA on 02072680534 or rcewa@artscouncil.org.uk.
2. Details of the sculpture are as follows: Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red, 1943. Painted wood and string, 50.2 cm. Signed, inscribed and dated ‘Barbara Hepworth/”Sculpture with colour/pale blue & red”/1943’ (on the underside of the base), painted wood and string, unique. This work is recorded as BH 119.
3. Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist by Helen Sutherland in March 1944. Acquired from the above by Nicolete Gray, London, in 1966, and by descent. Anonymous sale; Christie’s, London, 1 July 1998, lot 20, Anonymous sale; Christie’s, London, 6 June 2008, lot 164, where purchased by the previous owner. Anonymous sale; Christie’s, London, 20 March 2024, lot 12, where purchased by the present owner.
4. The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an  independent body, serviced by Arts Council England (ACE), which advises the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 27 November 2024.

Creative technology firms and artists in Merseyside and the West Midlands are in line for a major financial boost, as a £13.5 million investment in training, research and development funding is announced by the Culture Secretary to boost economic growth and job opportunities.

• £13.5 million awarded to boost Merseyside’s thriving live music sector and help creative firms in the West Midlands revolutionise live performance with VR and immersive technology
• Clusters funding builds on UK’s regional strengths as part of government’s growth-driving mission for the creative industries
• Next phase of advanced ‘movie magic’ research labs launched, with £6.6 million of funding available for SMEs

Liverpool City Region’s MusicFutures cluster will benefit from £6.75 million to bring together partners including the city’s two universities, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Liverpool M&S Bank Arena. The cluster will provide funding and training for musicians, educators and small businesses to harness new technologies such as AI and Extended Reality (XR) and explore making the live music sector more environmentally sustainable.

CreaTech Frontiers in the West Midlands will also benefit from £6.75 million, with the investment focusing on developing small, micro- and medium-sized businesses specialising in creative tech like video games and immersive reality. Several regional universities alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) will work with industry to boost skills and develop new products, technology and multi-platform content. This will include using VR, 3D-modelling and animation techniques in live events, and adapting video game engines for use in music, theatre and film.

Experimental performance projects curated by the RSC will be showcased at South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas in 2026, while the Birmingham Opera Group and The Rep theatre will stage new works, including co-creations with young people in deprived areas of the West Midlands.

It comes as the CoSTAR network of R&D labs being built across the UK to drive the next generation of ‘movie magic’ visual effects tech in film, TV and performing arts enters its next phase, with £6.6 million now available to help innovating firms build prototypes and take their products to market.

Merseyside and the West Midlands have been selected in the government’s Creative Industries Clusters, delivered by the Arts and Humanities Research Council on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, which aims to grow specialist creative subsectors across the UK. The UK’s world-class creative industries have been named as one of the government’s eight growth-driving sectors in its forthcoming Industrial Strategy.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

Talent is everywhere but opportunity is not. That’s why we are supporting firms, artists and freelancers that are innovating, using new technology and driving growth in creative clusters across the country.

Liverpool and Merseyside hold a special place in our nation’s music landscape, and this funding will support imagination and experimentation across the city and region, as creators explore how we can make gigs more environmentally friendly.

Birmingham and the West Midlands have a rich industrial history, and we are putting them at the forefront of a potential new industry developing the amazing technology that will revolutionise visual effects in film, theatre and gaming.”

AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith said:

AHRC is delighted to announce the launch of a new wave of Creative Industries Clusters.

The two new clusters announced today, MusicFutures and CreaTech Frontiers, will create vital support for technology and innovation in the UK’s world-leading creative industries and expand our regional investment.

These clusters will support artists and creators so they can benefit from new technologies across a wide range of platforms, and develop their innovation and business skills.

The remarkable projects made possible through our Creative Industries Clusters span sustainable fashion, game design and extended reality, and have attracted major co-investment. They have helped solve real-world problems and they deliver commercial benefits to the UK economy in line with the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 27 November 2024.

• Government to bring forward statutory levy as first step to strengthening harmful gambling protections
• Mandated levy to generate £100 million for the research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms, with half of funding to directly benefit NHS-led gambling treatment system
• Government also confirms online slot stake limits of £5 for over 25s and £2 for young adults aged 18 to 24

The government has taken its first steps towards strengthening gambling harm legislation today, confirming plans to implement a statutory levy on gambling profits and online slot stake limits to help tackle the issue of gambling addiction.

Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross has outlined how a levy on gambling operators will be designed and implemented as the government moves forward on its manifesto commitment to reduce gambling harm.

The landmark levy will be charged to all licensed operators and will guarantee increased, ringfenced and consistent funding to prevent and tackle gambling harm.

Under the current voluntary system not all gambling companies contribute equally, with some operators paying as little as £1 a year towards research, prevention and treatment. The new mandatory levy will ensure all operators contribute a fair share.

The Gambling Minister has also confirmed that the government will introduce stake limits for online slots, a higher-risk gambling product associated with large losses, long sessions, and binge play.

Stake limits will be set at £5 per spin for adults aged 25 and over and £2 per spin for 18-24 year olds. Evidence from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the Gambling Survey for Great Britain shows young adults can be particularly vulnerable to gambling related harm with under 25s having one of the highest proportion of respondents scoring 8 or more on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) of any age group.

Minister for Gambling, Baroness Twycross said:

Gambling harm can ruin people’s finances, relationships, and ultimately lives. We are absolutely committed to implementing strengthened measures for those at risk, as well as providing effective support for those affected.

The introduction of the first legally mandated levy will be instrumental in supporting research, raising awareness and reducing the stigma around gambling-related harm.

We are also helping to protect those at risk, with a particular focus on young adults, by introducing stake limits for online slots.

These measures will help build an NHS fit for our future and strengthen protections whilst also allowing people to continue to gamble safely.

From October 2023 to January 2024, the government sought views from clinicians, academics, the industry and the wider public on how the levy should be designed and implemented.

In its response to this consultation, the government has confirmed 50% of all funding generated will be directed to NHS England and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales to develop a comprehensive support and treatment system. This will include referrals and triage, through to recovery and aftercare.

Prevention is a crucial part of the government’s efforts to tackle gambling harm. 30% of levy funding will go towards investment in this area, which could include measures such as national public health campaigns and training for frontline staff. The government is taking the time to get the important decision on the future of prevention right and will publish next steps in the coming months.

The remaining 20% of funding will be directed to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Gambling Commission to develop bespoke Research Programmes on Gambling, undertaking vital research to inform future policy and regulation.

Claire Murdoch, NHS national director for mental health, said:

Problem gambling can completely ruin lives and the issue has skyrocketed, with NHS services treating record numbers and our latest data showing a staggering 129% increase in service referrals compared with the same period last year.

I am delighted to welcome this commitment to a mandatory gambling levy which the NHS, bereaved families and the voluntary sector have been calling for so we can treat this growing problem – and we will continue to work with government to do all we can to protect problem gamblers from this billion-pound industry.

Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones, National Clinical Advisor on Gambling Harms at NHS England, said:

Gambling harms have a devastating effect on people’s lives. We know that 2.5% of the population are gambling in a severe and harmful way but many more are affected, whether family members or gamblers already experiencing negative consequences but below the clinical threshold.

We recognise the need for more action, which is why I am thrilled to support the Government’s new levy, which will help us address the negative impact of gambling harms on communities using treatment, prevention and research through an independent evidence-based strategy at last.

Funding from the levy will be distributed to the NHS and UKRI, the umbrella body for research councils, by the Gambling Commission under the strategic direction of the government. The gambling industry will have no say over how money for research, prevention and treatment is spent.

The levy will be charged to all licensed gambling activity at varying levels depending on the sector and nature of the gambling activity to ensure impacts are proportionate. Rates take into account the difference in operating costs and the levels of harmful gambling associated with different gambling activities.

Minister for Health Andrew Gwynne said:

Tackling gambling harm is a crucial part of our commitment to support people to live longer, healthier lives.

This levy will provide an important funding boost for the NHS, whilst also enabling independent research and more effective prevention initiatives.

By making NHS England responsible for all treatment and support services for those experiencing gambling-related harms in England, we will ensure people are getting the most effective care possible.

Technological developments in recent years have paved the way for a dramatic shift in the ways people gamble. Gambling has moved away from betting shops and casinos to people being able to play anywhere, anytime, on their phones, leading to a significant increase in online gambling behaviour.

The levy and online slot stake limits announced today complements a raft of major changes the government and the Gambling Commission is delivering to make gambling safer in an age of technological advances. This includes including financial risk checks to better alert operators to risky behaviours and tighter controls on marketing.