Pigs (Three Different Ones)

We all love a dancing pig or two, don’t we? This - the earliest footage I've seen - is from the first Edwardian arts & health showcase, and features a very well-dressed pig and it's provocative partner. Stunning.

OK, that was the porcine treat, now here's a grim reality - Lancashire County Council are reducing their cultural services across the county over the next few years. 40 out of 74 Libraries will be closing over the next 15 months, and 5 out of 10 museums will close in March 2016. 

There will be an arts grants budget until March 2018, but after this there will be no arts funding. 

It is a little ironic then, that the next news tidbit, is that Arts Council England is inviting applications through its Grants for the Arts Libraries Fund. The Fund is looking to support projects delivered by public libraries or library authorities working in partnership with artists and cultural organisations across all art forms to encourage communities to take part in artistic and cultural activities. Public libraries can apply for grants of £1,000 to £100,000 for activities lasting up to three years. The lead applicant must be a public library, public library authority, network of public library authorities, or organisation managing a public library authority. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis until 31 March 2018. Click on the Book of Love below, for more - or - listen to the melancholic music instead.

'So long, and thanks for all the fish’!

...and so, a final farewell from Jayne Howard and Arts for Health Cornwall. Click on the hearts to read her lovely message.

Shared Ground Fund 

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation has launched a new programme that makes grants to not-for-profit organisations that work with young people, and/or work that seeks to influence relevant policy or practice in immigration. The "Shared Ground" programme will provide financial support for projects to test new approaches and explore ways of addressing new challenges. Applications must contribute to one or both aims of the Shared Ground Fund.

These are:

• "Living well together" - supporting work which helps communities experiencing high levels of migration become stronger and more connected

• "Staying safe" - ensuring that young migrants in greatest need can get help and support.

There are two kinds of grants available:

• Shared Ground ‘explore and test' grants - to help explore and test new approaches and ways of addressing new issues (awards will be for a maximum of £60,000, usually for up to two years).

• Shared Ground ‘more and better' grants - larger grants to help develop and embed more established activities (awards will be for between £100,000 and £400,000 for up to four years). Click on the bathroom mirror for details.