NCA's document covers areas including funding, artistic exchange and export, and talent development. Because of its charitable status, it cannot express a view on whether the UK remains in the EU or leaves.
But West said, "We do think there are questions that need to be considered carefully by those who care about the arts. For example, if the UK were to leave the EU, how could our arts organisations continue to attract and retain world-class talent? How might our own artists benefit from opportunities to work in the rest of the European Union? The result of the EU referendum could mean big changes for arts and audiences in the UK. We hope our briefing note will stimulate debate and encourage deeper thinking."
Moscow Talks Cancelled - Sir Elton John has said he hopes to "find time in the future to meet" Vladimir Putin after a proposed chat between the two was cancelled. The singer wanted to discuss gay rights and Aids with the Russian president while in the country to perform. A Kremlin spokesman announced on Thursday that "no appropriate time" could be found for the meeting.
Speaking on stage in Moscow on Monday, Sir Elton said he hoped the talk would still happen at some point. He said although on this visit, the discussion "wasn't possible, I'm deeply grateful to him for inviting me to discuss some serious issues in Russia, including LGBT, HIV and Aids". He added, "I very much hope we will find time in the future to meet and discuss."
Intellectual Property - Germany's highest court has ruled in favour of a hip-hop artist who used a two-second sample of music from the pioneering electro-pop band Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk's Ralf Hutter sued Moses Pelham, alleging that his use of the clip, without asking, infringed the band's intellectual property rights.
But the constitutional court decided that the impact on Kraftwerk did not outweigh "artistic freedom". The sample came from the cult band's 1977 album Metal On Metal. The dispute centres on a short drum sequence looped repeatedly in the song Nur Mir (Only Me) by Sabrina Setlur.
Mobo Awards - The annual Mobo Awards are to return to Glasgow's SSE Hydro on 4 November, its organisers have confirmed. The event will see the awards celebrate their 21st anniversary with "spectacular musical performances from a host of world famous artists". It will be the fourth time the awards, which celebrate urban music artists, have been held in Glasgow. London, Liverpool and Leeds have also previously hosted the awards, which were established by Kanya King in 1996.
Street Music - Gary Barlow surprised shoppers in Bristol with an impromptu concert - which started with him wearing a disguise - as himself. The star wore a Gary Barlow mask as he began playing Could It Be Magic on a piano at Cabot Circus shopping centre. Shoppers watching the mystery performer were astonished when he revealed his true identity and sang the hit song. The entertainer is known for surprising fans - in 2015 he "crashed" a number of weddings.
(Jim Evans)
