New cultural podcast brings together interesting voices from across the arts
10th January sees the launch of an exciting new cultural podcast set to bring together interesting voices from all across the arts for important and fun conversations – The Pink Podcast, hosted by Chloé Nelkin, will release an episode fortnightly with 2-3 guests joining this intimate conversation.
The podcast will discuss anything and everything under the arts umbrella providing the
opportunity to hear from some fascinating and leading figures in a conversational way. Each episode will end with Head First – a section called looking at mental health and what each guest is doing to take care of themselves in this frenetic world.

Episode one focuses on the arts in 2024 with guests Sofi Berenger and Sanjit Chudha. As both an in-house and independent producer, Sofi champions new and exciting work from all backgrounds. She is Executive Producer and acting Chief Executive at the King’s Head Theatre, which has just opened the doors of its brand-new venue. Sanjit has just closed the door on a phenomenal tenure at the Museum of the Home where he was Director of Audiences. Prior to that Sanjit led the rebranding and comms at Talawa Theatre Company where he ensured Audience Development and Digital strategies were always at the heart of Talawa’s work.

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TodayTix, the digital gateway to cultural experiences, announces the launch of its annual Boxing Day Sale. From 21 December, audiences will have the chance to access tickets starting at £15 and save up to 55% on London’s hottest shows this festive season.

With over 50 incredible productions taking part, ranging from brand-new shows to all-time favourites including Disney’s Frozen, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, A Christmas Carol and Nutcracker, there is something for everyone to enjoy throughout the end of December and into the new year.

“With so many theatre lovers looking to experience new shows in the New Year, or to give the gift of theatre tickets to loved ones over the Christmas period, TodayTix’s Boxing Day Sale is a great way for them to get access to the tickets they want,” said Stephen Crocker, General Manager at TodayTix. “This year our sale is bigger and better than ever, with new and unmissable productions joining for the first time. Anyone who is wanting to see more of London’s fantastic shows in 2024 should book now to get the best possible seats at these great prices.”

Participating shows available include: A Christmas Carol,A Mirror, A Very Very Bad Cinderella, Afterglow, Backstairs Billy, Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett, Bronco Billy, Cirque Du Soleil: Alegria, Choir of Man, Cockfosters, Cowbois, Cruel Intentions, Double Feature, Dreaming and Drowning, Edward Scissorhands, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, F**king Men, Finding Santa, Disney’s Frozen, English National Ballet’s Giselle, Guys and Dolls, Hamnet, Humbug, In Clay, Jason Robert Brown, Jenufa, Kim’s Convenience, La Clique, Nachtland, Nutcracker, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, Peanut Butter & Blueberries, Peter Pan: The Arena Adventure, Rehab, Sh!tfaced Showtime, Shifters, Showstopper!, Showstopper! Kids, Shrek, Side Show, Sister Act, Sleeping Beauty, SPIN, The Ballad of Hattie and James, The Barber of Seville, The Enfield Haunting, The Frogs, The House with Chicken Legs,  The King & I, The Little Big Things, The Magic Flute, The Most Precious of Goods, The Snowman, The Time Traveller’s Wife, This Might Not Be It, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, The Play That Goes Wrong, Two Strangers…, Unbelievable, We’ll Have Nunof It, Wishmas, Wild About YouandYou Lie In April.

For more information about TodayTix’s exciting Boxing Day sale promotion and to purchase tickets, please head to the TodayTixapp or todaytix.com.

In a move that seeks to break away from the tradition of ‘giving something up’ in the new year, Riverside Studios invites Londoners to discover something new with a specially curated programme of cultural and community events.

From dancercise and yoga to brand-new cinema, music and theatre, the venue is inviting its existing community and new visitors are invited to take part and #TryJanuary at Riverside Studios.

Kicking off in the first week of January with not-for-profit yoga with Lumi Foundation and the weekly series of ‘LIVE Next to the Apollo’ stand-up events, the month’s line-up embraces the concept of ‘trying out’ new life experiences. A wellbeing weekend on 13-14 January sees two brand-new events for those seeking a healthier, more mindful 2024: Sound Bath: total relaxation and Colour & Sleep Therapy sessions offer fresh perspectives from experienced wellness experts.

Opportunities to create continue with an introduction to Sculpting from sculptor, illustrator, and ceramicist, Maria Trupia. Riverscribes provides an open and creative space for developing new writing, led by award-winning actor and writer, Nadine Gray. A new course, Riverscribes: Writing Short Stories, brings four weeks of expert-led sessions—led by established author Dr Rachel Knightley—on capturing and creating compelling stories, with first-hand advice on how to approach and work with agents and publishers.

Affordable cinema for all: As part of its #TryJanuary line-up, the venue has reduced weekday cinema tickets for standard screenings to £6.50, encouraging as many people as possible to come and discover great film in the new year. From classic and arthouse cinema to new Hollywood blockbusters, the venue offers something for every taste and area of interest.

Artistic Director Rachel Tackley said: In 2023 we welcomed over 410,000 visitors to Riverside Studios with a broad range of work in our theatres, cinemas and exhibition spaces. As we look ahead to 2024, we thought it would be fun to have some new years’ resolutions – for ourselves and for our community.  So this New Year, we want to bring new experiences to more people than ever before. Whether it’s seeing a brand new show, treating yourself with a new wellness regime, or simply learning a new skill, there truly is something for everyone”

The unlimited pass for new theatre: January also offers theatre enthusiasts the chance to get their pass for entry to every show in the 2024 Bitesize Festival programme, taking place in February, with dates and programmes to be announced.

Throughout December and January, Bitesize attendees can save money by purchasing a Festival Pass for £50 which can be redeemed against pairs of tickets to all of the festival shows. With plans for over 20 productions spanning theatre, cabaret, musicals and comedy, the pass seeks to make theatre as financially affordable as possible, whilst supporting early-career and young artists.

To find out more about Riverside Studio’s programme, visit here…

LONDON, DECEMBER 2023 — TodayTix, the digital gateway to cultural experiences, is thrilled to announce the launch of its first ever TodayTix shop at the Leicester Square Underground station in London. Known for delivering unparalleled value for theatre tickets and cultural events to audiences across the globe, the global e-commerce leader will now have a dedicated store with the opportunity to shop exclusive prices only available in person.Opening its doors this December, the TodayTix shop will offer incredible inventory to West End and Off-West End’s best shows.

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Michael Grandage today announces the recipients of the seventh annual MGCfutures Bursaries awarded across a range of theatrical disciplines including directing, writing, producing, designing, performance-makers, and for the first time a puppet maker and a theatrical shoemaker. A registered charity, MGCfutures offers both financial and ongoing mentoring support to the recipients who come from across the UK.

This year’s recipients are Tom Bailey, Jessica Brigham, Nur Khairiyah Bte Ramli, Sarah Burton, Ruth D’Silva, Sharon Kanolik, Lubna Kerr, Roisin McCay-Hines, Louise Orwin, Em Spoor, Eleanor Taylor, Nikhil Vyas, and Alice Ortona Coles and Nicola Holter who receive Stephanie Arditti Bursaries, and Carys-Haf Williams who becomes The Other Room Production Manager Placement.

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Over 1,000 cultural organisations, leaders and practitioners have added their voices to a Global Call to Action which happened in advance of this year’s COP 28 in Dubai, which started on 30 November and runs until 12 December. They are urging the UN Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) to adopt a groundbreaking ‘Joint Work Decision on Culture and Climate Action’ to ensure culture-based solutions to climate change are recognised and implemented.

Existing climate policies have proven inadequate and left the world struggling to meet Paris Agreement targets. Culture-led solutions that are inclusive, rights-based, place-specific, demand-oriented, and focused on people and nature are already abundant. Yet in spite of its potential, culture has not yet been integrated into climate policy and planning.

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National Theatre at Home, the theatre streaming platform where global audiences can enjoy the best of British theatre, celebrates its third birthday this Friday 1 December.

National Theatre at Home launched in 2020 after the National Theatre hosted weekly free streams of archive productions during the summer lockdown when theatres around the world were closed, garnering over 15million views in 173 countries.

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NEWARK, N.J. and NEW YORK, N.Y. – December 7, 2023 – Audible Inc., the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, released today a new slate of five Audible Theater titles. In addition to presenting thrilling live performances at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York, audio releases are a staple of Audible Theater’s programming, which continues to deliver the live performance experience to millions of listeners around the world. Now celebrating its fifth season, Audible Theater’s dynamic mix of live and audio theater productions have been praised as “an agent for change.” (Forbes)

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Marisha Wallace, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre

Hiba Elchikhe and Tim Mahendran today announced the nominations for the 24^th AnnualWhatsOnStage Awards, the only major theatre prize-giving decided by the theatregoers themselves. The announcement of the nominations marks the opening of the final voting stage (until 11 January), with winners announced at the annual Awards ceremony held on 11 February 2024 at The London Palladium for the first time in the awards’ history.

WhatsOnStage’s Darius Thompson and Alex Wood said today, “Watching our readers nominating in their record-setting droves was such a fantastic way to spend November and we’re thrilled to see them generate such a stellar and vibrant shortlist – filled with rising stars shoulder-to-shoulder with long-time favourites. It’s been an incredible year for the National Theatre, under out-going Artistic Director Rufus Norris, seeing the flagship venue receive an incredible 24 nominations across 5 productions – two of which, Dear England and The Motive and The Cue also transferred to the West End.

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The winners of the prestigious Manchester Culture Awards 2023 were announced earlier this week on Monday night (4 December) at a special awards ceremony held at the city’s newest cultural venue, Aviva Studios.

First launched back in 2018 by the city council, the annual awards celebrate the very best of culture and the arts in the city with nominations invited from the public, arts professionals and others.

More than 400 nominations recognising cultural organisations and events big and small, were made in the twelve different categories of the awards this year, with the judges having a tough job to whittle the entries down to the final winners.

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