Creative Consent - Organisations including the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, Equity and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain are urging the government to ensure creative work cannot be mined by artificial intelligence unless its creator has given express consent.
The government is consulting on targeted protections for the arts following a backlash against its controversial new plans, under which AI would be able to train easily on content unless its creators forbade it. But unions have warned that “the clock is ticking” to put safeguards in place against the “industrial-scale theft” they claim is already unfolding.
Equity and the WGGB have now demanded an opt-in model for creative workers, under which they must give permission for their work to be used by AI, as well as fair remuneration for artists where their content is used, along with an independent regulator to scrutinise the use of AI in the sector.
SOLT and UK Theatre are also pushing for a system by which AI models cannot access copyrighted material without a licence from the rights holder, warning that without such protection the government risks “undermining the very talent that makes the UK a world leader in the arts”. Co-chief executive Claire Walker told The Stage that the sector’s future depends on having robust protections for intellectual property “that ensure artists, writers and creators are fairly rewarded for their work”.
She added: “We urge the government to strengthen copyright protections by requiring licensing to ensure rights holders retain control over how their creative works are used.”
Brit Awards - Charli XCX dominated The Brit Awards as she completed her transformation from underground hero to bona fide pop star by winning five awards including best artist, album and song of the year. Despite not performing, Charli XCX stole the show by winning the biggest awards of the night – artist of the year, album of the year for her cultural phenomenon Brat, and song of the year for Guess.
Ezra Collective, Sam Fender, Stormzy and best new artist The Last Dinner Party were the other big British winners on Saturday night, while Fontaines DC and Chappell Roan bagged the international awards.
Five Live - After 25 years apart, all five original members of the British boyband Five are reuniting for a massive UK arena tour. The group sold more than 20m records in the late 1990s and early 2000s with tracks such as When The Lights Go Out, If Ya Gettin' Down and Slam Dunk (Da Funk).
The group – Sean Conlon, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Abz Love and Jason "J" Brown – haven't performed as a five-piece since they broke up in 2001, amid burnout, mental breakdown and backstage fights. "This has been a long time coming and it really does feel right for all of us now," said Scott in a statement. The reunion announcement lands on the 25th anniversary of the band winning best pop act at the 2000 Brit Awards.
Cultural Superpower - A growth plan designed to make London’s economy £107bn larger by 2035 has emphasised the "cultural superpower" of West End theatre. Called the London Growth Plan, it makes the "experience economy" a central pillar of its ambitions – noting the "vital role" that theatres and the West End have to play in London’s past, present and future. Developed jointly by City Hall and London Councils with growth agency London & Partners, the 10-year plan outlines a route towards the creation of 150,000 new jobs and opportunities for unlocking the city’s economic evolution.
In a foreword to the plan, city mayor Sadiq Khan and chair of London Councils, Claire Holland, state their ambition to build a "fairer, safer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone". The document sets out four key goals – from raising productivity growth rates to 2% average per year between 2025 and 2035, to increasing the real household weekly income of the lowest earning 20% of London residents by 20%. In addition, leaders want to "accelerate progress" towards achieving the city’s net zero target for 2030 and grow London’s services exports by an average of 6% per year.
Creamfields - David Guetta has been confirmed as a headline act for the upcoming Creamfields festival. More than 300 artists will perform across 30 stages at the dance music festival in Daresbury, near Runcorn, over the August bank holiday weekend. Anyma, described as the "biggest name in electronic music today" was named as a headliner earlier this month, but organisers have now unveiled the full line-up.
Other high-profile acts include Chase & Status, Martin Garrix, Hardwell, Sonny Fodera, Amelie Lens, Ewan McVicar, Patrick Topping, Jamie Jones, CamelPhat, Eric Prydz, Fatboy Slim, Solardo, and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. Creamfields, which takes place at a 600-acre (240-hectare) site in Daresbury, near Runcorn, from 21 to 24 August, announced a three-year plan to massively reduce its environmental impact in 2024.
(Jim Evans)
