| Series title: | Touring Department: Contemporary Music Network Files, 1977-1990 | |
| Reference: | ACGB/91 | |
| Extent: | 5m 50cm |
The Contemporary Music Network was founded by Annette Morreau in 1971 and was initially regarded as an experimental scheme to repeat performances of contemporary music in centres throughout Britain. Initial success led to considerable expansion and during the 1973/74 season, 70 performances were given in co-operation with the Regional Arts Associations and the Scottish and Welsh Arts Councils.
By the early 1980s the scheme placed a strong emphasis upon supporting educational activity and developed a new style pubicity. By 1985/86 the Arts Council was able to report that over the past three seasons, the average attendance at Network concerts had risen by 60%.
The following year CMN left the Music Department and joined the Touring Department. The educational programme continued to play an important role in promoting a wider understanding of contemporary music.
This series is made up of those files clearly identifiable as central to the management of the CMN scheme. It contains those papers relating to the administration of the scheme (AR90.), the marketing of the scheme (CMNMark) and to the scheme's educational (CMNEducation) programme. Some of the files date from before 1986/87 and were therefore probably created by the Music Department and transferred to the Touring Department. There are also files for many of the participating companies and organisations.
Further general CMN records can be found amongst series ACGB/100.
Arrangement
The records have been sorted into a number of topics which can be requested: education, marketing, companies/organisations. The remaining material is miscellaneous.
There is no list of individual files in this series currently available.
Restrictions on access
Access to unpublished material less than 30 years old is subject to the written permission of the Arts Council of England. Apply in the first instance to the Archive of Art and Design at the Victoria and Albert Museum.