In brief

The National Assembly for Wales’ cross-party Communities and Culture Committee has proposed that the Welsh government introduces a statutory duty requiring local authorities to support cultural experiences in their areas. It is one of several recommendations in a new report, the Accessibility of Arts and Cultural events in Wales.
A report highlighting how museums help raise awareness of mental-health issues has been published by Leicestershire County Council’s Open Museum service. The research, entitled Opening Minds: Mental Health, Creativity and the Open Museum, focuses on community projects such as the Not What It Seems touring display of artworks, created by participants who use mental-health services in Loughborough.
Culture minister Ed Vaizey has unveiled plans to set up a seed fund for exploring ways of using digital technology across the cultural sector. Arts Council England and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts will draw up proposals for a scheme to support the project.
English Heritage has published guidelines for local authorities seeking to transfer the ownership of historic buildings and monuments to community-based organisations. Pillars of the Community: the Transfer of Local Authority Heritage Assets examines financial and regulatory issues.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/pillars-of-the-community-summary/