Artistic Freedom - Theatres, opera and dance companies from across the European Union have warned the European parliament that "brazen attacks on artistic freedom" are posing an existential threat to creativity across the continent. Almost 250 artists and 178 cultural institutions from every EU nation are represented in the open letter to the parliament, which is also backed by UK figures including Battersea Arts Centre’s head of programming Pelin Başaran, reports The Stage.
The European Theatre Convention, Opera Europa, the Prospero – Extended Theatre platform, German and Swedish theatre academies and the national theatres of countries including Slovakia, Albania, Greece and Croatia are among those raising the alarm about an "orchestrated cultural-political strategy aimed at the disappearance of a diverse European culture".
According to Vienna Festival, whose directors Milo Rau and Artemis Vakianis have also signed the letter, it marks the first time that so many different international organisations have addressed the European parliament in unison. "We, cultural institutions and artists from across Europe, are alarmed by current cultural-policy developments in various EU member states," the letter, entitled Resistance Now: Free Culture, begins.
Addressing members of the EU parliament as well as its president Roberta Metsola, and the chair of its committee on culture and education Nela Riehl, it explains: "We are aware that one of the principles of the European Union is not to intervene in the cultural policies of its various member states, but only to support them in ‘crises and unexpected challenges’, as stated in the EU Strategic Framework for Culture. So let us be clear: culture in Europe is facing just such a crisis."
Rollers Forever - The hits of the Bay City Rollers are to be turned into a new musical to mark the 50th anniversary of their first number-one hit next year. The fans who followed them obsessively and screamed their loyalty are to appear centre-stage in Rollers Forever.
The new show will feature the band's biggest hits, including Bye Bye Baby, Keep On Dancing, Shang-a-Lang and Summer Love Sensation. The show will follow the story of two Bay City Rollers superfans, who meet up for a Saturday night and relive their teenage years following their idols.
Original Roller Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood is serving as artistic consultant. Woody joined the band at the age of 17 in 1974, just before their success exploded with the hit Shang-a-lang. He said the great thing about the musical was that it was about the fans, who – like the band – have been around for 50 years. "Thank god for the fans. They've kept it alive all these years," he said. The play is written by award-winning playwright Danny McCahon and directed by Liz Carruthers.
First Encounters - The Royal Shakespeare Company will tour its work to more schools and communities than ever before in 2025, as part of an expanded touring programme that doubles this year’s offering. The theatre company said an estimated 24,000 young people would see a Shakespeare production in their school hall or local theatre next year, up from 12,000 in 2024. It will tour two First Encounters Shakespeare productions on tour. This will include The Tempest, directed by Aaron Parsons. This year, the First Encounters tour of Romeo and Juliet visited 31 venues across 12 weeks.
Trucking On - Kasabian, The Courteeners, Nothing But Thieves and Bloc Party will headline next year's Truck Festival at Hill Farm in Steventon, Oxfordshire from 24 to 27 July 2025. Also on the bill are Blossoms, Franz Ferdinand and The Last Dinner Party. Festival organisers said the line-up was "like a big coming together of our favourite bands".
On The Beach - The Prodigy and Raye will headline the Boardmasters festival set to take place between 6-10 August 2025. Organisers named 40 further acts and said "hundreds more" were yet to be announced. After seven injured people were taken to hospital after a crowd surge on the Friday evening of last year's festival, organisers have promised to boost security personnel numbers by 20%. Afternoon sessions will feature for the first time and these will be headed up by Kaiser Chiefs, Natasha Bedingfield and Rizzle Kicks.
Madness Returns - Madness will play at the Eden Project in Cornwall next year, organisers have confirmed. The band is the third act to be announced for the annual Eden Sessions, with Gary Barlow and The Script also confirmed to play in June. Rita Broe, managing director, said Madness last performed at the Eden Project in 2017, which was a "huge success" and the attraction was "incredibly excited" to welcome them back.
(Jim Evans)
