Freelancers Make Theatre Work (FMTW) is a UK-wide grassroots organisation supporting the 200,000+ self-employed and freelance workers who make up 70% of the UK theatre workforce, covering all areas of theatre, opera, dance and live performance. FMTW aims to encourage more transparent and inclusive conversations within the performing arts industry by listening to and articulating theatre freelancers’ needs to theatre managements, production companies, industry bodies and government.
Department of Culture, Media and Sport - The department of English government that focuses on culture, arts, media, sports, tourism and civil society. Freelancers Make Theatre Work meet with representatives from DCMS once every six weeks to discuss activity and policy affecting theatre freelancers.
Theatre Safety Committee - We represent theatre freelancers at these quarterly meetings to discuss health and safety within the theatre industry. The meeting is attended by industry bodies and unions such as SOLT, UK Theatre, Equity, Bectu, The ALSD and The ABTT.
Joint Advisory Committee for Entertainment. Run by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), discussing health and safety in the wider entertainment industries (from film, TV, Video Games, Voice overs to Theatre, Circus and performing animals). This meeting takes place three times a year.
What Next? bi-monthly meeting. These are regular meetings, where questions across the performing arts sector are raised and discussed, frequently with leading politicians. We use our postition to remind the room of how topics land as regards freelancers which is normally very warmly received and carefully considered. This is a good space to remind leaders in the sector to be mindful of their freelancers.
Weekly check-in with organisations supporting the UK culture sector. A meeting of headline arts and heritage organisations usually held every other week. This is a cross sector room where topics such as the proposed Freelance Commissioner, The Good Work Review Task and Finish Group progress etc. are discussed. These discussions are then reported back to the wider FMTW steering group.
Briefing Members of Parliament and The House of Lords. We have delivered breifings containing data and evidence to elected (and unelected) officials for debate in the House of Lords.
We are members of the CIISA (Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority) Standards Advisory Committee – involved in the development of the CIISA Standards 2025.
Freelancers Make theatre work
In the press
Write to your MP
We update our MPs letter regularly and we encourage you to continue to send them to your local MP.
Feed into the conversation
Feed directly into our lobbying of theatre managements, production companies, industry bodies and government by sending us your suggestions and concerns via email or our 'contact us' page.
