With summer occasionally peeking out its golden head from behind the clouds these days, we have the seaside on our minds. Whether it’s a beach in the Med, Scotland’s craggy coastline or a perfectly chilled lake in cottage country, we’re sure water will figure in lots of Dilettantes’ holidays this year.

Interesting to read Arts Council Chief Alan Davey's comments in Wednesday's The Stage about the need for the arts to make a rational argument in defence of their funding. And Davey's right: in these straitened times - with 'tough choices' being made all around - every penny of government spending is under the microscope, so the arts need to show what they're giving back besides a jolly good time.

If you checked out our recent blog about TV talent shows, you won’t be surprised that we pounced on this week's news about Rhydian Roberts’s defection. You might recall that Rhydian is the platinum blonde Welshman with the computer-generated face - aka ‘the opera singer’ - who rose to fame in 2007 on the UK’s X Factor.