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Ryan Reynolds has said the Welshpool suit from Deadpool and Wolverine has been ‘accidentally mounted professionally then inexplicably shipped to The Racecourse Ground in Wrexham’ with the costume from the hit Marvel movie now on display inside Wrexham AFC’s newly-opened café


At least 30 people have been injured following a fire on a Ferris wheel at a music festival in Germany


A prominent Russian critic has said that the country’s culture scene is ‘fully returning to the 1930s era of control and censorship’ following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine


A fort-like structure built by the Nazi’s during World War II has undergone a €100m transformation to reopen as a green hotel, bar and events space complete with a rooftop public garden


King Charles III has taken up a position formerly held by his mother Queen Elizabeth II, becoming Royal Patron for the UK’s Art Fund


The Albergo dei Poveri, one of Europe’s biggest historic buildings, is undergoing nearly €150m worth of work that will see it house the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, as well as university facilities and the city’s National Library


The Kursaal - home to the world’s first purpose-built amusement park - has been named in the Victorian Society’s annual list of endangered buildings in England and Wales


Puy du Fou has debuted its first Asian attraction in Shanghai, China, with Triotech supplying seven dynamic platforms to help the operator produce its unique brand of immersive storytelling


In a world affected by conflict, climate change and economic uncertainty, culture and cultural icons are under threat, but the British Council and its partners are leading projects across 19 countries to protect and preserve the world's cultural heritage. Stephanie Grant, director of the Cultural Protection Fund explains how this work is being done and why it is essential


An ex-intelligence officer from Saudi Arabia has alleged that Saudi forces were instructed to use ‘lethal force’ against those resisting relocation as a result of the under-construction linear mega city The Line


The event so bad the police were called is set to make its return, with Zach Galifianakis and the ‘sad Oompa Loompa’ Kirsty Paterson both set to appear in the reimagined version of the infamous Willy’s Chocolate Experience in Los Angeles later this month


Already the largest of its kind in Europe, here’s how the Signal light festival worked with Christie to bring the spectacle to life


The British Museum has been bombarded with social media messages from Chilean Instagram users demanding the return the institution’s iconic Easter Island statues from its collection


A new AI-powered Elvis Presley concert experience billed as a celebration of the artist’s life and legacy is coming to London later this year


Argentina no longer has a Ministry of Culture after its new President Javier Milei abolished the government office one day into his four year tenure


Legendary rock band Kiss have promised to ‘change music performance history’, after unveiling their own digital avatars and announcing a special stage show working with the likes of Thierry Coup, Industrial Light & Magic, and Pophouse Entertainment Group


A major cultural attraction has opened its doors in Manchester, with the £210m Aviva Studios representing the largest investment in a national cultural project since the opening of Tate Modern in 2000


Alex Book, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Arcade – The Creative Reality Company, explains how attractions and cultural institutions can make use of immersive technologies to reach new audiences


Marvel’s ‘Rogers: The Musical’ has been brought to life with a limited time run of the musical seen in Hawkeye now on show at Disney California Adventure Park


Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism board has revealed ambitious plans to grow its tourism economy to 24 million visitors a year


Virgin Voyages has partnered with Jennifer Lopez to launch Jen A.I. a new tool that enables guests to receive personalised invitations from the pop superstar


Morph has arrived in London for a wheelchair accessible public art trail, with the event to run until August in an effort to raise money for the children’s charity Whizz Kidz


A museum in the Netherlands has come under fire for cultural appropriation, after using the likeness of American rapper Nas’ in a Tutankhamun-inspired bust


The Royal Commission for the ancient Saudi Arabian city of AlUla has approved plans for a new eco-luxury destination with its own museum


UN experts have expressed alarm after three people evicted from homes to make way for Saudi Arabia’s The Line, now face the death penalty


A new outdoor art gallery, inspired by annual arts and music festival Burning Man, has opened on the Las Vegas strip


A first-of-its kind offering will make guests feel like they’re at the heart of the action during live UFC events, with Cosm’s ‘shared reality’ spectacles set to transform the way we watch live sporting events


A major museum dedicated to William Shakespeare will be built on the foundations of the theatre where the famed playwright hosted some of his first works


An official stage production based on Stranger Things will open at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End later this year


The Millennium Forum theatre in Derry has become the first Irish cultural venue to achieve Makaton Friendly Status


Attractions.io has teamed up with SSA Group to provide a fully digital experience for visitors to cultural attractions in 2023


After a difficult few years the museum sector is showing promising signs of recovery with several exciting projects set to open this year. Here are 14 of 2023’s most anticipated museum openings


The virtual band worked with Google to host two first-of-their-kind AR experiences in New York and London to promote their new single


A Ukrainian activist who tried to take a Banksy work from Kyiv faces a 12-year prison sentence for an act he says was intended to support the work of the country’s army


The Museum of Sex is expanding, with the New York attraction announcing plans to open a new Miami location in the spring


Culture, heritage and sport sites are set to receive £4.5m over the next three years to support actions in the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan


Country music icon Dolly Parton has revealed plans to open a self-dedicated museum in Tennessee that could form part of a wider cultural complex


Audiences around the world will soon get to see record-breaking stunt performers pushing the boundaries of what is possible with Guinness World Records and Mirage Entertainment Design announcing the launch of an exciting new show


Russia’s lethal barrage of strikes against Ukrainian cities this week has seen a number of cultural sites in the capital of Kyiv hit


The Louvre is among a number of French cultural institutions and landmarks turning their lights off in an attempt to cut soaring energy costs


Progress slow and hampered by financial woes, but museum soldiers on with hopes of a full reopening in 2027


The US$69m addition furthers the Queens Museum mission to bring arts and education to a diverse and international community


As well as multi-sensory, playful and colourful installations, the attraction has a café, bar and retail store


Changes to the 2007 definition of a museum reflect industry’s more inclusive and sustainable aims and roles


Blurring the lines between an experiential art gallery, interactive theme park and detailed film set, Wake the Tiger is a new attraction that just opened its doors in Bristol, UK. We spoke to co-founder Graham MacVoy about the new attraction, dubbed the world’s first ‘Amazement Park’


A £38m cultural development in the north of England is set to open its doors this weekend, with the debut of the astonishing Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot


An official stage production based on Stranger Things is in the works after the series became Netflix’s first English-language show to be viewed for more than one billion hours


Glastonbury founder, Michael Eavis has been commemorated with a specially-commissioned portrait at the National Portrait Gallery. He has also been named as a patron of Somerset’s Radstock Museum


The inaugural Wide Skies and Butterflies festival has been axed due to rising production costs and low ticket sales, the event’s organisers have said


Unesco has verified more than 150 cultural sites in Ukraine have been either partially or completely destroyed since the Vladimir Putin-led invasion by Russia


Pop supergroup ABBA need to earn £140m from ticket sales of their London residency Voyage to cover the cost of the virtual spectacle


The concert series, the second such partnership between Sofar Sounds and Tiqets, will see artists perform at iconic attractions in London and San Francisco.


Construction has started on the King Salman Park’s Royal Arts Complex, which once complete will act as a cultural hub for the Saudi capital of Riyadh


‘The Pop District’ from The Andy Warhol Museum will feature a larger cultural hub for live music, events, public art, expanded programming and a home for creative workplace development


With so many big things coming in the year ahead, we’ve rounded up all the key events taking place this year. Welcome to your attractions calendar for 2022.


A football-themed opera is set to be staged in Surrey, with the cultural spectacular to be broadcast on Sky Arts and NowTV


The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has announced US$24.7m in grants for 208 humanities projects across the US


Reanimated and ready to take a bite out of its visitors, the former Camelot Theme Park is being resurrected as an immersive cinematic zombie experience


An additional £30m in emergency funding has been made available through the UK’s Culture Recovery Fund to support museums, cinemas, theatres and heritage organisations with the impact of the Omicron variant this winter


Stéphane Lefebvre is taking the step up from COO to take the reins as president and CEO of the Cirque du Soleil entertainment brand


The charity launches Energise Young Minds to help alleviate “perfect storm” of disruptions affecting young people and the cultural sector


The Moscow contemporary art museum unveils SANAA’s designs for the new Hexagon building, a “thoughtful and sensitive” interpretation of the historic site


The K-pop music arena plans to host some 190 concerts per year


Netflix will create a “unique universe” themed around Dahl’s beloved children’s stories


Starting in October De Grote Efteling Koekoekshow will tour both the Netherlands and Belgium


The British Council is scaling back its work in more than 20 countries due to a pandemic funding shortfall


Architects Stufish have been tasked with creating a pop-up arena for iconic Swedish band ABBA’s virtual comeback in London


Covid concerns have sent Burning Man into the VR realm, though an unofficial festival has appeared in its place, with 10,000 people gathering in the desert for ‘Renegade Burn’


The Reading and Leeds festivals recently hosted pop-up clinics for visitors to get their COVID-19 vaccination between acts


Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis says he’s optimistic that the iconic festival will be able to return in 2022


Health experts are expecting to see a surge in COVID-19 infections in Chicago after 100,000 attendees gathered in Grant Park for the festival


Glastonbury’s Equinox mini-festival will no longer go ahead, with co-founder Emily Eavis blaming the cancellation on ‘a number of reasons’


Major British theatre chain ATG has backed the move to minimise the spread of COVID-19


Sport and culture, the spirit of Ancient Greece and the thousands of missing spectators for this year’s Olympics will be celebrated in a series of installations celebrating the event in Tokyo


Forced to close for over a year, Cirque du Soleil is finally back, making its first stop in Las Vegas ahead of a return to destinations worldwide


Download boss described the event as ‘the return of the full festival experience we’ve all been waiting for.’


The COVID-safe version of the event will go ahead at quarter capacity with no camping allowed


The Smithsonian has partnered with cruise operator Ponant to offer educational voyages to a number of destinations worldwide


The iconic marmalade loving-bear was inspired by a lone teddy bear in a toy shop close to Paddington station


Travel to the year 3000 and back with a brand-new Doctor Who-themed immersive theatre experience coming to London in May


Research has revealed that 26% of British festivals have been called off due to a lack of COVID-related cancellation insurance


Ticket-holders had to provide a negative COVID test to gain entry


The Dundee Cultural Recovery Fund will support cultural institutions through financial difficulties and bring tourists back to the area


Lithuania’s government is backing plans to transform its famous Lukiškės Prison complex into a multifunctional hub featuring museums, restaurants, hotels and other commercial and cultural spaces


Life in Stages is a brand-new conversation series from the National Theatre profiling some of the biggest names in British theatre


The Royal Albert Hall has released a short film, narrated by Mick Jagger, to celebrate the anniversary


Egypt has celebrated the long-awaited opening of its National Museum of Egyptian Civilization with a procession of 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies through Cairo


The London venue says the move will widen access to its performances while also enticing an audience fresh out of a national lockdown


The historic theatre in London will reopen with a series of Shakespeare classics starting in May


Jean Nouvel have won a competition to design the new opera house in Shenzhen, while SANAA submitted the winning entry for the city's maritime museum


Mexico’s famous luchadores are taking a stand against COVID-19, touring Latin America’s largest wholesale food market to promote mask wearing


The actor shared his story to raise awareness for the fund, which supports theatre workers in financial crisis


The gallery was originally founded with the hope of bringing art to the working classes


Isle of Wight festival organisers say that they hope to bring back as many artists as they can for the later dates


Coming to Canada in 2025, the multi-purpose venue will incorporate state-of-the-art features necessary to facilitate large-scale eSports events


DriveINSIDE Theatre will allow visitors to get a dose of culture right from their cars


What does it take to make it to the elite level of circus performer? Cirque du Soleil veteran Elena Lev reveals all...


Geoff Ellis says the vaccine rollouts are ‘encouraging’ for the festival sector, which has been hard hit by the Coronavirus pandemic


Coachella and Stagecoach will not be able to go ahead due to the ‘dire COVID-19 situation’ in California


Are plastic bubbles the future of live music?


The platform will help to recoup revenue lost as a result of the ongoing pandemic


Star Wars Identities: The Exhibition has been touring since 2012


A converted steel factory and Butchart-inspired gardens are at heart of Shanghai’s newest and largest parkland and culture zone


The world-famous Glastonbury music festival will not go ahead in 2021 ‘with great regret’


The spinning coaster by Mack Rides represents a €17.5m investment and is the first ride to be themed after a music festival


Work has begun to redevelop Berlin’s former Spreepark into a cultural attraction


The experience will feature memorabilia and memories curated by Def Leppard


The second round of NLHF’s Culture Recovery Fund makes £36m available for sites across Britain


The ‘cinematic’ performance follows the tragic story of poet André Chénier who was executed during the French Revolution


Industry leaders have urged the British government to set out reasonable return timetable for mass gatherings and to introduce insurance policies to provide stability for the country’s music festivals


Grupo Xcaret says its new landmark attractions will now open at the end of the year - 12 months later than originally planned


Recognising the world’s most astonishing attractions, Planet Attractions names 2021’s Wonder Award winners


See the Dickens Museum take its performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’ online with actor Dominic Gerrard


Combining cutting-edge technology with traditional stagecraft, a new virtual reality experience from the Royal Opera House will make its grand debut in 2021


Tier three is a major blow for London’s theatre venues, which had only just been given permission to reopen a few weeks ago


Our World Heritage is calling on the general public to save world heritage sites


The theatres might be closed but the British Library is inviting families to make their own at home


Actors call on a ‘fellowship’ of fans to help raise £4.5m to fund the house’s purchase and start a programme of events.


While most of the world is in shutdown, China has managed to keep the ongoing pandemic in check. With the country successfully adapting to its new normal, Alice Davis takes a look at five major projects coming to one of its largest cities - Shanghai.


The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited a number of entertainment venues to show their support for the sector


The Federation of Music Festivals of Wallonia-Brussels has written a letter to the Belgian health authorities, offering its services to assist with the country’s coronavirus vaccination campaign


The Channing Tatum-produced show returns after a long COVID hiatus

Industry insights



The world is on fire, so why should we care about cultural heritage?




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Culture

Deadpool and Wolverine’s ‘Welshpool’ goes on display at Wrexham football club


Ryan Reynolds has said the Welshpool suit from Deadpool and Wolverine has been ‘accidentally mounted professionally then inexplicably shipped to The Racecourse Ground in Wrexham’ with the costume from the hit Marvel movie now on display inside Wrexham AFC’s newly-opened café

Festival-goers injured after fire breaks out on Ferris wheel


At least 30 people have been injured following a fire on a Ferris wheel at a music festival in Germany

Russian culture ‘fully returning to 1930s era of control and censorship’ says critic


A prominent Russian critic has said that the country’s culture scene is ‘fully returning to the 1930s era of control and censorship’ following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine

Nazi-era bunker undergoes €100m transformation to become green attraction and hotel


A fort-like structure built by the Nazi’s during World War II has undergone a €100m transformation to reopen as a green hotel, bar and events space complete with a rooftop public garden

King Charles III becomes Royal Patron for UK’s Art Fund


King Charles III has taken up a position formerly held by his mother Queen Elizabeth II, becoming Royal Patron for the UK’s Art Fund

Museum plans included as Italy begins major redevelopment of one of Europe’s largest historic buildings


The Albergo dei Poveri, one of Europe’s biggest historic buildings, is undergoing nearly €150m worth of work that will see it house the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, as well as university facilities and the city’s National Library

World’s first purpose built amusement park under threat as Victorian Society reveals list of endangered buildings


The Kursaal - home to the world’s first purpose-built amusement park - has been named in the Victorian Society’s annual list of endangered buildings in England and Wales

Puy du Fou’s immersive theatre experience opens in Shanghai


Puy du Fou has debuted its first Asian attraction in Shanghai, China, with Triotech supplying seven dynamic platforms to help the operator produce its unique brand of immersive storytelling

The world is on fire, so why should we care about cultural heritage?


In a world affected by conflict, climate change and economic uncertainty, culture and cultural icons are under threat, but the British Council and its partners are leading projects across 19 countries to protect and preserve the world's cultural heritage. Stephanie Grant, director of the Cultural Protection Fund explains how this work is being done and why it is essential

Lethal force allegations made against Saudi Arabia’s The Line


An ex-intelligence officer from Saudi Arabia has alleged that Saudi forces were instructed to use ‘lethal force’ against those resisting relocation as a result of the under-construction linear mega city The Line

Zach Galifianakis headlines LA return for Glasgow’s viral for all the wrong reasons Willy Wonka experience


The event so bad the police were called is set to make its return, with Zach Galifianakis and the ‘sad Oompa Loompa’ Kirsty Paterson both set to appear in the reimagined version of the infamous Willy’s Chocolate Experience in Los Angeles later this month

Bright and beautiful: How Europe’s biggest light festival delivered with Christie


Already the largest of its kind in Europe, here’s how the Signal light festival worked with Christie to bring the spectacle to life

Influencer causes social storm as British Museum’s Instagram account inundated with calls to return Easter Island statues


The British Museum has been bombarded with social media messages from Chilean Instagram users demanding the return the institution’s iconic Easter Island statues from its collection

Return of the King: Elvis to make posthumous return with live avatar experience


A new AI-powered Elvis Presley concert experience billed as a celebration of the artist’s life and legacy is coming to London later this year

Argentina’s new President Javier Milei abolishes Ministry of Culture after one day


Argentina no longer has a Ministry of Culture after its new President Javier Milei abolished the government office one day into his four year tenure

Kiss promises to ‘change music performance history’ as band launches digital alter-egos and avatar stage show


Legendary rock band Kiss have promised to ‘change music performance history’, after unveiling their own digital avatars and announcing a special stage show working with the likes of Thierry Coup, Industrial Light & Magic, and Pophouse Entertainment Group

UK’s largest cultural investment in a generation opens doors in Manchester


A major cultural attraction has opened its doors in Manchester, with the £210m Aviva Studios representing the largest investment in a national cultural project since the opening of Tate Modern in 2000

Using technology to take the visitor experience beyond the four walls


Alex Book, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Arcade – The Creative Reality Company, explains how attractions and cultural institutions can make use of immersive technologies to reach new audiences

Disney brings Hawkeye’s ‘Rogers: The Musical’ to life at California Adventure


Marvel’s ‘Rogers: The Musical’ has been brought to life with a limited time run of the musical seen in Hawkeye now on show at Disney California Adventure Park

Abu Dhabi announces ambitious growth plans focused on tourism and culture


Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism board has revealed ambitious plans to grow its tourism economy to 24 million visitors a year

Virgin Voyages launches next ‘Jeneration’ AI tool with Jennifer Lopez


Virgin Voyages has partnered with Jennifer Lopez to launch Jen A.I. a new tool that enables guests to receive personalised invitations from the pop superstar

First-of-its-kind cultural event brings Morph to London for wheelchair-friendly public art trail


Morph has arrived in London for a wheelchair accessible public art trail, with the event to run until August in an effort to raise money for the children’s charity Whizz Kidz

Dutch museum faces backlash over Nas-Inspired Tutankhamun bust


A museum in the Netherlands has come under fire for cultural appropriation, after using the likeness of American rapper Nas’ in a Tutankhamun-inspired bust

Museum at the heart of plan for luxury eco-resort in Saudi Arabia’s ancient city of AlUla


The Royal Commission for the ancient Saudi Arabian city of AlUla has approved plans for a new eco-luxury destination with its own museum

Death penalties linked to Saudi Arabia’s The Line project condemned by UN


UN experts have expressed alarm after three people evicted from homes to make way for Saudi Arabia’s The Line, now face the death penalty

Burning Man-inspired art gallery opens in Las Vegas


A new outdoor art gallery, inspired by annual arts and music festival Burning Man, has opened on the Las Vegas strip

‘Beyond the arena’: UFC set to offer ‘shared reality’ live events at all-new experiential venues


A first-of-its kind offering will make guests feel like they’re at the heart of the action during live UFC events, with Cosm’s ‘shared reality’ spectacles set to transform the way we watch live sporting events

Major cultural attraction announced for London with Museum of Shakespeare set to open in 2024


A major museum dedicated to William Shakespeare will be built on the foundations of the theatre where the famed playwright hosted some of his first works

Stranger Things headed to London’s West End as details of live-action stage show are released


An official stage production based on Stranger Things will open at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End later this year

Derry theatre becomes first in Ireland to achieve Makaton Friendly Status


The Millennium Forum theatre in Derry has become the first Irish cultural venue to achieve Makaton Friendly Status

Attractions.io and SSA Group join forces to deliver fully digital experience to cultural attractions in 2023


Attractions.io has teamed up with SSA Group to provide a fully digital experience for visitors to cultural attractions in 2023

Fourteen of 2023’s most anticipated museum openings


After a difficult few years the museum sector is showing promising signs of recovery with several exciting projects set to open this year. Here are 14 of 2023’s most anticipated museum openings

WATCH: Gorillaz makes history with groundbreaking AR performances supported by Google technology


The virtual band worked with Google to host two first-of-their-kind AR experiences in New York and London to promote their new single

Ukrainian activist faces 12-year prison sentence for trying to remove Banksy mural


A Ukrainian activist who tried to take a Banksy work from Kyiv faces a 12-year prison sentence for an act he says was intended to support the work of the country’s army

New York’s Museum of Sex is expanding into Miami


The Museum of Sex is expanding, with the New York attraction announcing plans to open a new Miami location in the spring

Anti-racist action in culture, heritage and sport gets £4.5m boost from Welsh government


Culture, heritage and sport sites are set to receive £4.5m over the next three years to support actions in the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan

Dolly Parton announces plans for Tennesse Dolly museum


Country music icon Dolly Parton has revealed plans to open a self-dedicated museum in Tennessee that could form part of a wider cultural complex

Guinness World Records partners with Mirage Entertainment Design for new live stunt show


Audiences around the world will soon get to see record-breaking stunt performers pushing the boundaries of what is possible with Guinness World Records and Mirage Entertainment Design announcing the launch of an exciting new show

Cultural sites damaged in Ukrainian capital in latest wave of Russian attacks against country


Russia’s lethal barrage of strikes against Ukrainian cities this week has seen a number of cultural sites in the capital of Kyiv hit

Louvre turns the lights out amid spiralling energy costs


The Louvre is among a number of French cultural institutions and landmarks turning their lights off in an attempt to cut soaring energy costs

National Museum of Brazil completes first phase of restoration following catastrophic 2018 fire


Progress slow and hampered by financial woes, but museum soldiers on with hopes of a full reopening in 2027

Community-focused children’s museum central to Queens’ gallery expansion


The US$69m addition furthers the Queens Museum mission to bring arts and education to a diverse and international community

Museum of Ice Cream’s fifth location opens its doors in Shanghai


As well as multi-sensory, playful and colourful installations, the attraction has a café, bar and retail store

Defining moment: ICOM Prague Conference approves new museum definition


Changes to the 2007 definition of a museum reflect industry’s more inclusive and sustainable aims and roles

The world’s first ‘Amazement Park’: Wake the Tiger’s Graham MacVoy on Bristol’s newest immersive attraction


Blurring the lines between an experiential art gallery, interactive theme park and detailed film set, Wake the Tiger is a new attraction that just opened its doors in Bristol, UK. We spoke to co-founder Graham MacVoy about the new attraction, dubbed the world’s first ‘Amazement Park’

Shakespeare North: £38m playhouse set to rival London’s Globe Theatre


A £38m cultural development in the north of England is set to open its doors this weekend, with the debut of the astonishing Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot

Stranger Things slated for stage adaptation after fourth season receives record viewings


An official stage production based on Stranger Things is in the works after the series became Netflix’s first English-language show to be viewed for more than one billion hours

Glastonbury founder celebrated with painting at National Portrait Gallery, named as patron at Radstock Museum


Glastonbury founder, Michael Eavis has been commemorated with a specially-commissioned portrait at the National Portrait Gallery. He has also been named as a patron of Somerset’s Radstock Museum

Plug pulled on inaugural Wide Skies and Butterflies festival in UK


The inaugural Wide Skies and Butterflies festival has been axed due to rising production costs and low ticket sales, the event’s organisers have said

More than 150 cultural sites in Ukraine have been partially or totally destroyed during the Russian invasion


Unesco has verified more than 150 cultural sites in Ukraine have been either partially or completely destroyed since the Vladimir Putin-led invasion by Russia

‘Bloody expensive’: ABBA need to recoup £140m to cover costs of virtual Voyage residency


Pop supergroup ABBA need to earn £140m from ticket sales of their London residency Voyage to cover the cost of the virtual spectacle

Sofar Sounds partners with Tiqets for concert series at iconic attractions in London and San Francisco


The concert series, the second such partnership between Sofar Sounds and Tiqets, will see artists perform at iconic attractions in London and San Francisco.

Saudi Arabia starts work on Riyadh’s Royal Arts Complex


Construction has started on the King Salman Park’s Royal Arts Complex, which once complete will act as a cultural hub for the Saudi capital of Riyadh

Andy Warhol Museum announces plan to launch US$60m ‘Pop District’ in Pittsburgh


‘The Pop District’ from The Andy Warhol Museum will feature a larger cultural hub for live music, events, public art, expanded programming and a home for creative workplace development

Attractions Calendar: Your diary dates for 2022


With so many big things coming in the year ahead, we’ve rounded up all the key events taking place this year. Welcome to your attractions calendar for 2022.

Gods of the Game: Football opera coming to UK in time for 2022 World Cup


A football-themed opera is set to be staged in Surrey, with the cultural spectacular to be broadcast on Sky Arts and NowTV

More than 200 projects to receive share of US$24.7m in US culture funding


The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has announced US$24.7m in grants for 208 humanities projects across the US

Back from the dead: Abandoned Camelot theme park to reopen as immersive zombie experience


Reanimated and ready to take a bite out of its visitors, the former Camelot Theme Park is being resurrected as an immersive cinematic zombie experience

Emergency funding available for arts, culture and heritage doubled to £60m as British government tackles impact of Omicron


An additional £30m in emergency funding has been made available through the UK’s Culture Recovery Fund to support museums, cinemas, theatres and heritage organisations with the impact of the Omicron variant this winter

Stéphane Lefebvre named new Cirque du Soleil president and CEO


Stéphane Lefebvre is taking the step up from COO to take the reins as president and CEO of the Cirque du Soleil entertainment brand

Art Fund fundraiser aims to raise £1m to invest in museum youth initiatives


The charity launches Energise Young Minds to help alleviate “perfect storm” of disruptions affecting young people and the cultural sector

Abramovich’s Garage Museum to revive pavilions in expansion plans


The Moscow contemporary art museum unveils SANAA’s designs for the new Hexagon building, a “thoughtful and sensitive” interpretation of the historic site

Multi-use K-pop attraction CJ LiveCity breaks ground in Seoul


The K-pop music arena plans to host some 190 concerts per year

Netflix plans immersive Roald Dahl experiences following golden ticket acquisition


Netflix will create a “unique universe” themed around Dahl’s beloved children’s stories

Efteling set to debut touring theatre experience in October


Starting in October De Grote Efteling Koekoekshow will tour both the Netherlands and Belgium

COVID-hit British Council cuts overseas culture funding in more than 20 countries


The British Council is scaling back its work in more than 20 countries due to a pandemic funding shortfall

Mamma Mia! Here they go again! Stufish design pop-up arena to host ABBA’s virtual comeback tour


Architects Stufish have been tasked with creating a pop-up arena for iconic Swedish band ABBA’s virtual comeback in London

Burning Man festival goes completely virtual


Covid concerns have sent Burning Man into the VR realm, though an unofficial festival has appeared in its place, with 10,000 people gathering in the desert for ‘Renegade Burn’

Vaccine roll out at major UK music festivals a success says NHS chief


The Reading and Leeds festivals recently hosted pop-up clinics for visitors to get their COVID-19 vaccination between acts

Glastonbury boss Michael Eavis hopeful for festival’s future despite 2020 and 2021 cancellations


Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis says he’s optimistic that the iconic festival will be able to return in 2022

Lollapalooza festival could lead to spike in COVID-19 cases health experts warn


Health experts are expecting to see a surge in COVID-19 infections in Chicago after 100,000 attendees gathered in Grant Park for the festival

Glastonbury axes mini Equinox event


Glastonbury’s Equinox mini-festival will no longer go ahead, with co-founder Emily Eavis blaming the cancellation on ‘a number of reasons’

London’s West End theatres introduce COVID status certification as shows move to full capacity


Major British theatre chain ATG has backed the move to minimise the spread of COVID-19

Olympic Agora culture hub launched in Tokyo ahead of delayed 2020 Olympic Games


Sport and culture, the spirit of Ancient Greece and the thousands of missing spectators for this year’s Olympics will be celebrated in a series of installations celebrating the event in Tokyo

Cirque du Soleil comes back to Las Vegas as operator plans return to global stage


Forced to close for over a year, Cirque du Soleil is finally back, making its first stop in Las Vegas ahead of a return to destinations worldwide

Download Festival to return with 10,000-capacity mini-event


Download boss described the event as ‘the return of the full festival experience we’ve all been waiting for.’

Glastonbury given go ahead for Equinox mini festival in 2021


The COVID-safe version of the event will go ahead at quarter capacity with no camping allowed

Culture meets cruise: Smithsonian partners with Ponant to deliver sailings steeped in history


The Smithsonian has partnered with cruise operator Ponant to offer educational voyages to a number of destinations worldwide

‘A Bear Called Paddington’: British Library celebrates six decades of Paddington Bear with summer exhibition


The iconic marmalade loving-bear was inspired by a lone teddy bear in a toy shop close to Paddington station

Immersive theatrical Doctor Who adventure coming to London later this month


Travel to the year 3000 and back with a brand-new Doctor Who-themed immersive theatre experience coming to London in May

Britain’s music festival industry in crisis as more than a quarter of events get the COVID-19 axe


Research has revealed that 26% of British festivals have been called off due to a lack of COVID-related cancellation insurance

Blossoms headline pilot gig trialling safety of mass gatherings in Liverpool


Ticket-holders had to provide a negative COVID test to gain entry

Cultural Recovery Fund for Dundee reaches million pound target


The Dundee Cultural Recovery Fund will support cultural institutions through financial difficulties and bring tourists back to the area

Stranger Things prison complex in Lithuanian capital to be transformed into major culture hub


Lithuania’s government is backing plans to transform its famous Lukiškės Prison complex into a multifunctional hub featuring museums, restaurants, hotels and other commercial and cultural spaces

Olivia Colman, Adrian Lester and Jessie Buckley among performers set to appear in new National Theatre interview series


Life in Stages is a brand-new conversation series from the National Theatre profiling some of the biggest names in British theatre

Royal Albert Hall celebrates milestone anniversary as the iconic London venue turns 150


The Royal Albert Hall has released a short film, narrated by Mick Jagger, to celebrate the anniversary

Egypt holds grand parade as ancient mummies are moved to new home


Egypt has celebrated the long-awaited opening of its National Museum of Egyptian Civilization with a procession of 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies through Cairo

Battersea Arts Centre adopts ‘Pay What You Can’ model in attempt to reconnect with post-lockdown audience


The London venue says the move will widen access to its performances while also enticing an audience fresh out of a national lockdown

Shakespeare’s Globe to reopen in May as iconic venue announces summer season of performances


The historic theatre in London will reopen with a series of Shakespeare classics starting in May

Jean Nouvel and SANAA announced as winning designs for Shenzhen’s new opera house and maritime museum


Jean Nouvel have won a competition to design the new opera house in Shenzhen, while SANAA submitted the winning entry for the city's maritime museum

Pro wrestling luchadores take the fight to COVID in Mexico City’s Central de Abastos


Mexico’s famous luchadores are taking a stand against COVID-19, touring Latin America’s largest wholesale food market to promote mask wearing

WATCH: Benedict Cumberbatch shares acting turning point in support of Theatre Artists Fund


The actor shared his story to raise awareness for the fund, which supports theatre workers in financial crisis

London’s Whitechapel Gallery reaches milestone as historic institution celebrates 120th anniversary


The gallery was originally founded with the hope of bringing art to the working classes

Isle of Wight festival pushed to September as Download and Primavera get the axe


Isle of Wight festival organisers say that they hope to bring back as many artists as they can for the later dates

Proposal for 7,000-seat stadium aims to make Toronto a global hub for eSport competition


Coming to Canada in 2025, the multi-purpose venue will incorporate state-of-the-art features necessary to facilitate large-scale eSports events

Brian Blessed to perform at drive-in theatre coming to Manchester in May


DriveINSIDE Theatre will allow visitors to get a dose of culture right from their cars

WATCH: Learn from a master of the Hula Hoop with Cirque du Soleil


What does it take to make it to the elite level of circus performer? Cirque du Soleil veteran Elena Lev reveals all...

‘Too soon’ to axe Scotland’s summer events, says TRNSMT festival boss


Geoff Ellis says the vaccine rollouts are ‘encouraging’ for the festival sector, which has been hard hit by the Coronavirus pandemic

Public health order cancels Coachella and Stagecoach festivals


Coachella and Stagecoach will not be able to go ahead due to the ‘dire COVID-19 situation’ in California

The Flaming Lips use space bubbles to host COVID-safe concert


Are plastic bubbles the future of live music?

National Theatre launches digital streaming service


The platform will help to recoup revenue lost as a result of the ongoing pandemic

Touring Star Wars exhibition coming to Singapore’s ArtScience Museum for final leg of world tour


Star Wars Identities: The Exhibition has been touring since 2012

Shanghai’s 2010 Expo site gets new lease of life as culture zone


A converted steel factory and Butchart-inspired gardens are at heart of Shanghai’s newest and largest parkland and culture zone

Cancelled: Glastonbury gets the axe as Covid continues to decimate festival sector


The world-famous Glastonbury music festival will not go ahead in 2021 ‘with great regret’

Music festival partners with theme park for new rollercoaster as Plopsaland announces ‘The Ride To Happiness by Tomorrowland’


The spinning coaster by Mack Rides represents a €17.5m investment and is the first ride to be themed after a music festival

Abandoned Berlin theme park to undergo €45m transformation


Work has begun to redevelop Berlin’s former Spreepark into a cultural attraction

Def Leppard invites fans ‘into the vault’ with new digital museum experience


The experience will feature memorabilia and memories curated by Def Leppard

Crucial funding for British culture and heritage organisations now available through Heritage Fund


The second round of NLHF’s Culture Recovery Fund makes £36m available for sites across Britain

London’s Royal Opera House to live stream production of Andrea Chénier


The ‘cinematic’ performance follows the tragic story of poet André Chénier who was executed during the French Revolution

British music festivals call on government to save COVID-hit sector


Industry leaders have urged the British government to set out reasonable return timetable for mass gatherings and to introduce insurance policies to provide stability for the country’s music festivals

Effects of global pandemic felt as Xcaret delays launch of US$50m Xibalbá experience


Grupo Xcaret says its new landmark attractions will now open at the end of the year - 12 months later than originally planned

Recognising excellence as inaugural Wonder Award winners are revealed


Recognising the world’s most astonishing attractions, Planet Attractions names 2021’s Wonder Award winners

Scrooge saves Christmas for Charles Dickens Museum with virtual performances


See the Dickens Museum take its performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’ online with actor Dominic Gerrard

The Royal Opera House is combining VR with opera for a world-first ‘hyper reality’ immersive experience


Combining cutting-edge technology with traditional stagecraft, a new virtual reality experience from the Royal Opera House will make its grand debut in 2021

Devastation for West End Theatres as COVID restrictions hit London


Tier three is a major blow for London’s theatre venues, which had only just been given permission to reopen a few weeks ago

New conservation organisation aims to protect endangered heritage sites with public support


Our World Heritage is calling on the general public to save world heritage sites

WATCH: Build your own toy theatre with The British Library


The theatres might be closed but the British Library is inviting families to make their own at home

Martin Freeman and Sir Ian McKellen back bid to turn JRR Tolkien’s house into cultural centre


Actors call on a ‘fellowship’ of fans to help raise £4.5m to fund the house’s purchase and start a programme of events.

Five major projects to look forward to in Shanghai


While most of the world is in shutdown, China has managed to keep the ongoing pandemic in check. With the country successfully adapting to its new normal, Alice Davis takes a look at five major projects coming to one of its largest cities - Shanghai.

Prince Charles ‘praying’ that culture venues can reopen soon following visit to London’s Soho Theatre


The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited a number of entertainment venues to show their support for the sector

Music Festivals offer assistance to Belgium’s mass vaccination campaign


The Federation of Music Festivals of Wallonia-Brussels has written a letter to the Belgian health authorities, offering its services to assist with the country’s coronavirus vaccination campaign

Magic Mike Live returning to London’s West End in 2021


The Channing Tatum-produced show returns after a long COVID hiatus



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