Stewart Lee ‘unfunwashing’ Farage with exactly the levels of acuity, accuracy & acerbity you’d expect. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

“The arts are not the cherry on the cake — they are the cake.” Opening a debate in the House of Lords yesterday, Melvyn Bragg said the UK should realise the full potential of the arts to transform our economy and society.

Out now: Stereolab live at Le Guess Who? concert film 👀 As guest curators of #LGW23, Stereolab were one of the closing acts of the festival. Watch the group perform ‘Lo Boob Oscillator’, ‘Miss Modular’, ‘Mountain’ & ‘Delugeoisie’ live in Utrecht ⟶ youtube.com/watch?v=lRAn3Y…

We are dismayed that Birmingham, the UK’s second city, will lose almost all its council funding for the arts over the next 2 years. Defunding the arts will harm quality of life, exacerbate inequalities & set back economic recovery. It will only make our problems worse. (1/8)🧵

Birmingham’s cultural figures - from @JoeLycett to Carlos Acosta (Carlos Acosta CBE), @DuranDuran to Napalm Death (Napalm Death) – have warned 100% cuts to the council's funding of arts organisations will “devastate” the ecosystem in Britain’s second city. theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/f…

Save Stirchley Library - Sign the Petition! chng.it/Gpyz5C8b via Change.org UK

Designate Birmingham's Station Street a Historic, Cultural and Civic Asset chng.it/sWNqhwrX via Change.org UK

"The Opposition pointed to figures from the Campaign for the Arts showing a 47% fall in arts subjects being taken at GCSE between 2010 and 2023." We welcome The Labour Party's commitments to address declining & unequal arts education. We urge all parties to act. independent.co.uk/news/uk/steve-…

ICYMI -📉 entries to GCSE and A-Level arts subjects have declined dramatically since 2010. 🔁Repost to show your support for arts education! #ArtsEducationMatters #DefendArtsAccess Source: Campaign for the Arts / JCQ / AQA Research 2023

BREAKING: Understand that Labour’s Richard Parker is set to take the W Mids mayor. Big upset and Starmer will take as huge win

"I've told the Prime Minister that if he doesn't call an election today then I will."

RISHI SUNAK HAS CALLED A GENERAL ELECTION FOR 4 JULY. It's the end of the Tories (and I feel fine).

A soggy Rishi Sunak announcing a general election while "Things Can Only Get Better" blares out feels quite on the nose..

Arts courses and departments are dropping at an alarming rate. Demoralised teaching staff are stretched thinner and thinner, reducing contact hours and quality of experience. This attack on arts education has to stop. Students and staff deserve better. 1/3

TOMORROW (Sunday 26th May 2pm) fizzle presents at Centrala a double bill with two excellent Birmingham based improvising groups, one led by Bruce Coates, the other by Alicia Gardener-Trejo centrala-space.org.uk/events/fizzle-…

Jasper doing his bit to turn Worcester red with auntie Ruth The Labour Party

“Unless you have a creative education, you don’t have a complete education.” ICYMI: Culture Sec Lisa Nandy MP sets out her approach to arts policy in the The Guardian today. theguardian.com/culture/2024/s…

The final record from Broadcast, ‘Distant Call’ is out today. A collection of early 4 track demos, subsequently worked into finished productions appearing on the albums ‘Haha Sound’, ‘Tender Buttons’ and ‘The Future Crayon’. → warp.ffm.to/distantcall