Callum Waiana Madge

Lung Ha Theatre Company Taking Part in Big Give Arts for Impact, 17-24 March 2026 - Lung Ha Theatre Company We are delighted to announce that we are participating in Arts For Impact 2026! From 17-24 March, we will be raising funds with the support of Big Give and

Double the difference!

We are delighted to announce that we are participating in #ArtsForImpact 2026! From 17-24 March, we will be raising funds with the support of Big Give and Figurative Philanthropy for Arts and Culture.

www.lungha.com/2026/03/big-...

Cool and arty Glasgow is dying before our eyes - here's why its demise is happening Trongate 103, once heralded as a publicly backed haven for Glasgow’s grassroots art scene, is facing turmoil as its cultural tenants report…

A Glasgow arts centre is facing turmoil as its cultural tenants report eviction notices and steep rent hikes, raising fresh questions over how the city values its independent creative community. @neilcooper.bsky.social @heraldscotland.bsky.social

This is the saddest day of my professional life. Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage. I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys. I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show, A show that I named and helped develop over all those years. Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry. These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter

In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices. Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'. • I chose the latter. It broke my heart. I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make. I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence. One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career.

I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more. I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost". James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice. Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences. I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness. Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire. I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal. I am so sorry to let you down. I hope that you can understand my reasoning. I have to accept that I am not what the current BBC expects of their freelance presenters.

Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not "just a job" I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world. From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too. The strawberry is dead. Long live the strawberry. B

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

If you want to understand the emotional end intellectual malaise of British politics, this piece by @mjrobbins.com is a pretty good place to start. It effectively describes a country that has gone mad. open.substack.com/pub/martinro...

In-person: 6pm - 8.30pm, 28 Oct, The Hub, Edinburgh (refreshments provided)
Online: November (BSL only) dates to follow, register interest

As a thank you, we will be offering £50 vouchers for all participants.

To sign up: email Trudi.collier@btinternet.com or text me at 07739963423

boptheatre on Instagram: "Edinburgh International Festival and Birds of Paradise Theatre Company (BOP) are working together to investigate ways of improving …" Edinburgh International Festival and Birds of Paradise Theatre Company (BOP) are working together to investigate ways of improving access to live music at the Festival with a focus on the experience of d/Deaf audiences.We know how often people are asked to input to focus groups. Our goal is to learn, test, and act based on your direct experience. To do this we're with Trudi Collier researching solutions to build and test new access provisions (like BSL interpretation or new event types) that are driven by d/Deaf audience experience.We need your input!Join a focus group (online in BSL or in-person with BSL/captioning) to discuss what works—and what doesn't—for accessing music genres from rock to classical.In-person: 6:00pm 28th Oct, The Hub, Edinburgh (refreshments provided)Online: November (BSL only) dates to follow, register interestYour insights will directly inform the new access provisions we trial. As a thank you, we will be offering £50 vouchers for all participants. To sign up to a focus group facilitated by Trudi Collier please contact: Trudi.collier@btinternet.com or text me at 07739963423

Edinburgh International Festival & Birds of Paradise are investigating ways of improving access to live music for d/Deaf audiences

Join a focus group to discuss what works & what doesn't.

www.instagram.com/reel/DP3UHpG...

What's your sign?

Dementia charity to launch toolkit aimed at making theatre shows accessible The Dot Collective, a charity that provides professional theatre to those in care, is developing a toolkit to help others make their shows more accessible

A dementia charity that provides professional theatre to those in care is developing a toolkit to help others make their shows more accessible 👇

Nice. Thanks for the tips ☺️

Has anyone got an absolutely must see #edfringe show they want to tell me about? Not your own show but something you've seen. My final Sunday is wide open.

Dance People | Edinburgh International Festival Choreographers Omar Rajeh and Mia Habis invite you to step into the rhythm of creativity in everyday life. Set outdoors against the striking backdrop of Ed

Have seen 7 shows so far this August and the best by far is Dance People. On until Sunday and still tickets left.
www.eif.co.uk/events/dance...

Barriers to Theatre Considerations of accessibility and inclusivity

Barriers to access in theatre are broader than the industry ever acknowledges. Broader than many of us with access support needs acknowledge. I'm posting about this on Substack - come join the conversation. jenifertoksvig.substack.com/p/barriers-t...

Yellow graphic with text saying the myth of meritocracy

In a new article for the RSA, Will Snell argues that we should bust the myth of meritocracy, and acknowledge the outsized role that luck plays in all of our lives- as well as the impacts of the structural barriers holding people back.

Read the full article here: www.thersa.org/rsa-journal/...

Yeah strong agree with this. I'd love an option that was cheaper, slower and used an ebike or something.

Concern remains for disabled creatives despite U-turn on cuts Current recipients of Personal Independence Payments and the health element of universal credit are no longer facing cuts to their financial support following a U-turn from Keir Starmer

ICYMI: Current recipients of Personal Independence Payments and the health element of universal credit are no longer facing cuts to their financial support following a U-turn from Keir Starmer 👇

Disabled-led theatre company pauses programming to cope with cuts

ICYMI: Touretteshero co-founder Jess Thom has revealed her theatre company has paused its creative programming to weather a cut to her share of a fund that helps disabled people get and keep jobs 👇

This is a concentration camp

Absolutely right @andyburnham.bsky.social 👏

Welcome to Britain 2025: where a musician's words cause more outrage than the murder and horror in Gaza | Owen Jones The issue of what happened at Glastonbury is obscuring the outrage about real bombs and actual death, and I think that is deliberate, says Guardian columnist Owen Jones

There's a national firestorm over Bob Vylan's chants about a genocidal army.

Rather than about the mass butchery of innocent people.

It is depraved, it is grotesque, it is beyond shameful.

New column about the world turned on its head 👇

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Joe Gilmour on inequality between employees and freelancers The sacrifices that freelancers make to participate in self-funded events chimes with the wider issue of unpaid work in the industry, says Joe Gilmour

The sacrifices that freelancers make to participate in self-funded events chimes with the wider issue of unpaid work in the industry, says Joe Gilmour in The Stage...

www.thestage.co.uk/opinion/ineq...

#FreelancersMakeTheatreWork #Theatre #UKTheatre #UKArts #SaveTheArts

Applications are open for BUZZCUT Emerging Artist Award, a year-long opportunity for two Scotland-based performance makers at the start of their journey buff.ly/oQDQAH0 (deadline - 4 July 2025)

👥 For Deaf, Deafblind & CODA young people (ages 11–21)
📅 7th–11th July
📍 Glasgow
🚨 Only 20 places available — don’t miss out!
Email: Jamie@soalrbear.org.uk or head over to the Solar Bear website.
#DeafYouthTheatre #DYTSummerProject #FantasyAndFiction #CreativeYouth #GlasgowEvents #DeafCreatives

The Extermination of Disabled People at Work - EXTANT Tam Gilbert outlines the effects of Access To Work cuts and how this is denying disabled people from working.

How can I not work, when I want to? Our Trainee Artistic Director, Tam Gilbert, writes about the potential Access to Work changes and how this could lead to the extermination of disabled people at work.
extant.org.uk/the-extermin...

AI bill passes through parliament without amendment A controversial data bill, which has garnered opposition from leading industry figures, has passed through parliament without an amendment that would have given creatives more control over their work

"Despite actively acknowledging that creative work is being stolen at scale, the government chose once again to remove transparency provisions... allowing the tech sector to continue to rob the creative industries blind. It is as cynical as it is bewildering." www.thestage.co.uk/news/news/cu...

A woman in a yellow top smiles while holding a pen, seated at a table with papers. Text reads: "Staying Creative Workshops. Applications close Friday 11 July, 5PM." Logos for Playwrights' Studio Scotland, Traverse Theatre, and Creative Scotland are visible.

Join award-winning playwright and mentor Lynda Radley at the Traverse for a course of four free workshops about building a sustainable writing practice.

Deadline: 5pm, Friday 11th July
Find out more: playwrightsstudio.co.uk/staying-crea...
@playwrightsstudio.bsky.social‬

Israeli settlers from illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank attacked a Palestinian village, setting houses on fire while families were inside. Israeli soldiers then turned up & shot the Palestinians who were trying to rescue people from their homes.

Nour Odeh reporting

Labour’s benefit cuts will have ‘devastating’ impact on disabled women, say charities Organisations say planned four-point rule will not properly take into account menstruation and other hygiene needs

The government’s disability cuts will have a “devastating” impact on women’s health and dignity and could breach equality law, experts warn.

The new rules won’t take into account menstruation or some women’s extra toilet requirements.

My exclusive: www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

On LBC @zoejardiniere.bsky.social lists 3 previous instances where military aircraft have been targeted by campaigners in order to prevent them being used in war crimes, and she describes the govt banning Palestine Action as terrorists as an abuse of state power.

Well said.

Sector Advisory Group All In believes creativity and culture should be accessible to everyone. That’s why we are developing a UK-wide access scheme.

So I'm making a series of 6 short videos to explain different aspects of the access offer, similar in style the video on this page.

I'm researching people at the moment, so send some examples of your work to callum.madge@eif.co.uk and I'll add you to my list. 😀

allin.online/sector-advis...

Sector Advisory Group All In believes creativity and culture should be accessible to everyone. That’s why we are developing a UK-wide access scheme.

So I'm making a series of 6 short videos to explain different aspects of the access offer, similar in style the video on this page.

I'm researching people at the moment, so send some examples of your work to callum.madge@eif.co.uk and I'll add you to my list. 😀

allin.online/sector-advis...