Theatres at Risk - RAAC infected theatres the Brunton, the Harlequin and Motherwell Concert Hall have been added to the Theatres Trust’s ‘Theatres at Risk Register’ as the list approaches two decades of advocating for building preservation. The three venues, two of which are facing imminent demolition following the discovery of potentially dangerous concrete (RAAC) in their infrastructures, are among five new additions to the register alongside Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre and Arts Centre and Cannock’s Prince of Wales Theatre. All five are local authority-owned, mid- to small-scale venues located outside of major cities.
Announcing the 2025 register, Theatres Trust director Joshua McTaggart noted that RAAC was proving a "particularly tricky" problem, and warned cash-strapped local authorities that cutting arts provisions would rob communities of "vital facilities". Only one theatre has been removed from the list this year, with Theatre Royal Hyde deemed "no longer at risk" by the trust following repairs spearheaded by the local Islamic Resource Centre.
Conceived in 2006, the at-risk register highlights theatres across the UK under threat of closure or suffering from severe decay and calls for redevelopment to safeguard them.
Wild West - Sir Paul McCartney has told the BBC proposed changes to copyright law could allow "rip off" technology that might make it impossible for musicians and artists to make a living. The government is considering an overhaul of the law that would allow AI developers to use creators' content on the internet to help develop their models, unless the rights holders opt out.
In an interview with Laura Kuenssberg, Sir Paul said: "When we were kids in Liverpool, we found a job that we loved, but it also paid the bills", warning the proposals could remove the incentive for writers and artists and result in a "loss of creativity".
The government said it aimed to deliver legal certainty through a copyright regime that provided creators with "real control" and transparency. Sir Paul said there was a risk that AI would create a "Wild West" in which artists' copyright is not properly protected. "You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don't own it," he said. "They don't have anything to do with it. And anyone who wants can just rip it off.”
Glastonbury - A competition giving new musicians the chance to play at Glastonbury 2025 has been launched. The winners of Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition will play one of the main stages and be awarded a £5,000 talent development prize from PRS Foundation. The winner of the 2024 competition was Jamaican-Irish rapper JayaHadADream, who has since got national attention and performed at Reading, Leeds and Boomtown festivals. She said: "Winning the Glastonbury competition changed my life in many ways."
Acts from any musical genre can enter the competition online until 17:00 GMT on 3 February. Once the entries are in, a panel of 30 music writers will help compile a longlist of 90 acts. The longlist will then be narrowed down to a shortlist of eight artists by judges including Glastonbury organisers Michael and Emily Eavis, before the live finals in Pilton decide the winning act.
Blue Plaque - Pop producers Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman have been honoured with a heritage blue plaque in Southwark. The three were behind some of the biggest names in 1980s and 90s pop, churning out 13 number ones at Vine Yard Studios – also known as The Hit Factory. They helped launch the careers of stars including Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley and Bananarama.
Green Belt - The team behind Marlow Film Studios believed there was a rising demand from film makers for more studio space in the UK. In May, Buckinghamshire Council rejected their proposals to build a new multi-million-pound development and argued the project was inappropriate for green belt land.
The Planning Inspectorate will now review this decision after an appeal was made by the developer Dido Property Limited. The inquiry will investigate if the proposed site is the right place for another British film studio. The council have said the proposed site is green belt land and not appropriate for the development.
Church Music - A cathedral's "majestic pipe organ" will be used to help celebrate the music of Pink Floyd, concert organisers have said. A group of musicians, called Everything Under The Sun, will perform Wish You Were Here in full at Coventry Cathedral on 8 March, to mark the album's 50th anniversary, as well as other songs.
(Jim Evans)
