Arts Group » Arts Group

Actors to Boycott Unpaid Work

Chair — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:37:10 +0000

Hello Comrades,

We’ve received the following info from our friends at http://actorsminimumwage.wordpress.com:

Oh what exciting times we live in! Lets rush to the barricades and die singing like French students in English musicals!

The organisers of ActorsminimumWage Blog (whom the Arts Group has been supporting with medical supplies and ammunition – and advice) are working with other actors and revolutionaries to bring the first act of organised resistance against the oppressor.

There is talk of a month long boycott of unpaid theatre to oppose the elitism and exploitation of emerging professionals in the acting profession.

It would be great for members to support this effort, and get you all joining in with the debate: vote and make comments on the Actors Minimum Wage website.

Take part in the poll and read more about la resistance: http://actorsminimumwage.wordpress.com/2010/07/24/the-boycott-question/

Viva la revolucion!

Arts Group tells Europe: sort it out.

Chair — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:30:38 +0000

The Arts Group has sent the Europe Unit & European Commission its response to their request for suggestions on Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries.

You can also download our report here

Arts Group Chair stands for National Office

Chair — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:48:08 +0000

See the manifesto I was standing on here, and the video & manifesto of the winning candidate, Usman Ali.

Alas twas not to be, but I’m sure the NUS will go on and serve Arts Group member Unions well regardless in the year to come. Thankfully the Arts Group policies which will mean alot to Arts Students nationwide passed – see the details at http://www.artsgroup.org.uk/2010/04/nus-passes-policy-on-internships-arts-education/

Arts Group on BBC Defends Interns’ Right To Wages

admin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:42:27 +0000

Arts Group Chair, Kit Friend, appeared on the BBC last weekend to defend the rights of interns to proper pay and treatment, highlighting specifically the issues with equality and diversity that the current lack of enforcement encourages.

To see the Arts Group’s recommendations on internships read the Emerging Workers Report here

Skillset & Arts Group On Internships: “Counting the cost”

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:50:57 +0000

Arts Group Chair Kit Friend presented at the NALN/UKADIA Conference with Skillset’s Gini Stirling around the issue of unpaid internships and their effect on widening participation in the Arts, following on from the Arts Group’s Emerging Workers Report and subsequent discussion with Skillset and others.

Download the pdf of our presentation: “Internships: Counting the cost”

Download the full draft of the Skillset report here: http://www.skillset.org/uploads/pdf/asset_14315.pdf?1

BBC: “Interns angry at being ‘exploited’ through unpaid work”

Chair — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:27:29 +0000

The BBC have published a news feature on the exploitation of interns including a fantastic interview with friend-of-the-Arts-Group Alex Try of Interns Anonymous.

It’s great to see the BBC bringing the issue up. Let’s hope they’ll be paying attention to working practice on all their programmes and making sure to prevent embarrassments like James May’s gloating over the use of unpaid Arts students in his productions.

Full link to the news article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8518617.stm

February Meeting – 11/12th February in Lincoln Register now

Chair — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:36:50 +0000

The Arts Group’s first meeting of 2010 will be held on 11th-12th February in Lincoln.

Please register your details below and we will contact you with joining instructions/accomodation info.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Arts Group on Internship Consultation

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:59:35 +0000

As part of the Arts Group’s work on Emerging Workers, Arts Group’s Chair, Kit Friend, attended the consultation regarding Parliamentary Internships yesterday, and encouraged the initiative to consider the measures recommended as national legislation in the upcoming “Emerging Workers” report to be published soon. These include a 4 week/160 hour limit on unpaid work, and living wage for all interns up to 3 months, whereby they should move to being made regular employees and subject to the same rules and protection.

Phil Willis’ website with continued updates on the Parliamentary Internship enquiry is at www.philwillis.org.uk

More fantastic documentation on the generally shocking state of Internships in this country is at Interns Anonymous

Arts Group Next meeting Oct 19th/20th – Liverpool

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:13:58 +0000

The Next Meeting of the Arts Group will currenly be on October 19th/20th in Liverpool, overlapping with the NUS’ Town Takeover, watch this space for more updates soon.

Arts Group Chair at Higher Education Academy Conference & Council for Higher Education in Art & Design (CHEAD)

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:37:48 +0000

Kit Friend, Chair of the Arts Group, was invited to attend the Higher Education Academy (HEA) Conference in Manchester as part of the first ever student panel, aimed at engaging students in the HEA’s work.

As part of the vigourous discussion put forward by the panel on the theme of the best and worst parts of the student experience, Kit spoke in particular about the inequality of the graduate premium, the need for the NUS’s funding blueprint for an alternative to top-up fees to be backed, and serious consideration given to the issues with the IELTS testing and international recruitment practices as a fair preparation for students. Both the ADM and Palatine subject centres were enthusiastic about the prospect of working with the Arts Group in the future to ensure a sustainable voice for students of the Arts.

Kit also visited the meeting of the CHEAD executive to present the Arts Group, and we look forward to working with this and other organisations in the HE sector in the coming months.

HEA website: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/
HEA Conference information and resources: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/conference
CHEAD Website: http://www.chead.ac.uk/