This action card relates to the measures theatres, concert halls and cinemas must take, by law, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition, this action card also sets out reasonable measures that those responsible for these venues should consider to minimise the risk of people being exposed to coronavirus, and spreading the virus, at their premises.

As a basis for deciding what measures should be taken, they must also carry out a specific assessment of the risk posed by the coronavirus. This should be reviewed periodically, especially when relevant regulations or guidance are updated.

The action card highlights risks generally associated with these venues and considers what reasonable measures could to be taken to mitigate those risks

Read the guidance here

Following the increase in the number of Covid cases that are sweeping the country, Bectu is receiving a large number of calls from members asking what to do if they have concerns in their workplace. This is a step-by-step guide on what you need to do. 

Read the guidance here

Guidance for organisations setting out which venues and events must use the NHS COVID Pass, or equivalent proof of vaccination or testing, as a condition of entry, and how to operate the scheme.

If approved by Parliament, checking the COVID-19 status of attendees will be mandatory in certain settings from 6am Wednesday 15 December.

Read the guidance here

This guidance applies to England. Scotland and Wales operate their own mandatory certification schemes.

On Wednesday 15 December, if approved by Parliament, the coronavirus (COVID-19) rules on attending certain venues and events in England are changing.

Read the guidance here

Freelancers Make Theatre Work along with 20 other leading industry trade bodies, membership organisations, unions and members of AAPTLE, support these Principles. We encourage all theatre employers, employees, freelancers, trainees, volunteers, and Board trustees and directors to adopt these principles and download this free A3 poster (https://uktheatre.org/assets/10Principles) and display it in your offices, rehearsal rooms and backstage areas.

Originally created in response to the #MeToo movement, the 10 Principles first launched in 2017 as part of SOLT and UK Theatre’s Safer and More Supportive Working Practices Handbook (https://uktheatre.org/_resources/assets/attachment/full/0/1250174.pdf), designed to help employers meet their legal requirements and promote a shared responsibility for creating and maintaining a healthy working environment. 

Among the relaunched Principles is the recognition that harassment and discriminatory language or behaviour may be unlawful, and the commitment to explicitly address and seek to prevent racism and all other forms of discrimination and bias, their manifestations and effects. 

Theatre employers are urged to accept their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and to respect everyone’s dignity and differences, regardless of seniority. 

Download the 10 Principles in English here (uktheatre.org/assets/10PrinciplesEnglish) and in Welsh here (uktheatre.org/assets/10PrinciplesWelsh), and download your A3 poster here (https://uktheatre.org/EasySiteWeb/GatewayLink.aspx?alId=3796829).

The coronavirus pandemic has had a massive impact on many sectors of the creative industries. Some have thrived, others have all but disappeared. Particularly hard hit are those businesses involved primarily with Live Events, with this sector (including theatres, concert halls, arenas, convention / exhibition centres and assembly rooms) instructed to close by Government for a prolonged period of time.

This document is intended to provide a summary of the different considerations that may be relevant when businesses that have been closed are planning to reopen

Read the guidance here

There is a vast range of different chronic illnesses, usually life long conditions.
In most cases, they are manageable in the right environment and with understanding from those around.

However, because of the nature of these often invisible illnesses, they are rarely discussed and too often not given much thought. Often theatre workers, especially freelancers, do not feel comfortable speaking about them, in fear of loosing or not getting work.

People navigating a career in theatre with a chronic illness could very easily be supported and included if a little thought was given and conversations were opened up. Good practice is not only statutory duty, but also imperative to keep the industry diverse and inclusive of all practitioners with excellent skill sets. Reasonable adjustments are often low/nil cost.

In February and March 2021, data was collected from people with chronic illnesses and long covid across the theatre industry.

Read the guidance here

Working Guidance for Arts Freelancers and Organisations

The creation of this document was facilitated by March for the Arts (MFTA), as part of an Arts Council England (ACE) funded project for the Liverpool City Region. The project’s working title was Freelance Working Agreement and Directory.

The document in its current form is now called Working Guidance for Arts Freelancers and Organisations. It is a piece of guidance that will grow and change over the coming months and years.

Download the guidance here

Or visit the website here

The Anti-racism toolkit.

Unlock gives arts organisations practical steps to take anti-racist action. Unlock has in it over 100 actions that will help creative work places become more inclusive.

The process is entirely confidential: at the heart of the Unlock toolkit is a commitment to give everyone equal treatment through trust, confidence, dignity and respect.   Thank you for working with us to make diverse and inclusive change. This is a vital part in your creative practice.

Inc Arts Unlock is for: Dance companies, Independent Producers, Museums, Regional theatres, Collections and archives, Visual Arts spaces, Receiving Houses, Festivals and Outdoor arts, Crafts organisations – and more…

Visit the website here

Venues North launches its first COVID-19 status report, designed to help artists and companies better understand where venues are with their current activity and reopening plans.

Annabel Turpin, Chair of Venues North said:

“This report is an attempt to pull together some of the key pieces of information that artists and companies want to know, to try and help them navigate some of the uncertainties we are all facing.

We know it doesn’t include all the things artists want to know, but we hope it is a useful starting point. We intend to update the report on a regular basis over the next few months, with the next one due in early April. As it develops, we will be including more information about programming cycles which will hopefully become clearer over the next few weeks.

Thanks to all our members for taking the time to share their information.”

You can download the report here.

‘We can’t wait to be together again enjoying live theatre in venues across the UK. We have been working hard to ensure that your theatregoing experience is as COVID-safe and as comfortable as possible.

We have been working with our colleagues across the sector to develop our brand new safety mark. When you see the mark, you can feel confident that theatres are complying with the latest Government safety recommendations and guidelines’

Visit the website

A draft document outlining guidance on protocols to help us find a safe way to return to rehearsals and production. It’s a live and evolving document which will eventually become ABTT formal guidance.

The guidelines aim to address the concern that when theatres open it could happen quickly, without producers, offstage workers and creative teams having the best information to understand new expectations or procedures.

Download the guidance here.

Download the principles here.

This is a collaborative document compiled by Costume Designers, Supervisors, Administrators, Wardrobe Managers, Dressers, in consultation with an independent Health and Safety Manager and Production Manager.

This document aims to effectively highlight the risks and offer solutions to help arrive at a Covid Secure working environment for the Theatre and Live Events costume industry.

This guidance is directed at paid professional workers.

Read the guidance here.

*you must have free CITA account to read the guidance

ABTT Release Guidance Note 103: COVID-19 Returning to Work in Places of Entertainment Production and Technical Departments Safe Working Procedures

Download the guidance here.

ABTT Release Guidance Note 101 & 102: COVID-19 Risk Assessments for Returning to Work in Places of Entertainment

www.abtt.org.uk/guidance-note-101-102/

The ABTT has produced guidance notes 101 and 102 in light of the Covid-19 lockdown to help guide the reopening of places of entertainment. This included guidance on risk assessments and steps for returning to work following lockdowns.

Recording of- ABTT Seminar: Covid-safe working for Costume and Wardrobe in Theatre and Live Events – November 30th 2020

Click here to view the seminar

CITA have issued some guidelines for costume workers returning to work.  The Guidelines are in 4 parts and should be read together.
More information on the below documents can be found here.

Please see the Guidelines below:

1. Costume for Theatre & Live Events Introduction and Summary Guidance
2. Costume for Theatre and Live events return to work safely Covid19 guidelines
3. Appendix A – Government guidelines
4. Appendix B – Glossary of terms and Supporting Documents

The Covid-19 pandemic has severely impacted businesses and individuals across our industry.

To support members and the wider industry, PLASA has been communicating with the government, campaigning for the best interests of the industry and sharing relevant resources as they emerge.

We spearheaded #WeMakeEvents, a campaign to amplify the industry’s voice and call for further support. Additionally, we created infographics for Concert & Touring and the Event Supply Chain, published letter templates for you to send to your local MP, created members-only groups on Facebook and Linkedin, and shared the results from several surveys conducted throughout the crisis.

Most performers and many other workers in the performing arts are freelance and will be working in many different environments as we return to work following the COVID-19 lockdown. The environment you will be working in will be doing their own risk assessment, but if you are a freelancer, you should be doing your own. Thanks to our expert occupational health doctors at BAPAM, and in particular, Dr Finola Ryan, we have published a risk assessment template for freelance performers which we hope will be helpful in considering any risks in returning to work.

Download Risk Assessment for freelance performers returning to work during COVID-19

They also have a list of Frequently Asked Questions which cover some of the key issues, but if you have other queries, please email them to info@bapam.org.uk with the subject Risk Assessment and we will put them to our team of experts and publish them.

The UK Government have issued specific guidance for the performing arts sector: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/performing-arts

If you are an employer, a workplace or contract performers and would like support from BAPAM’s Occupational Health service, please contact claire.cordeaux@bapam.org.uk

More on the BAPAM website here. 

Equity has been involved in discussions with broadcasters, film and TV producers and other organisations and stakeholders within the TV and Film industry about developing protocols for returning to work safely during COVID-19. See here for this guidance.  Equity has been in consultation with audio UK and there are published guidelines for those working in audio industry that can be found below.

However, we are aware that some of our members work on smaller scale engagements which may not be covered by these protocols.

Please click here to see the full guidelines.

This guide has been commissioned by XTRAX to support UK and EU artists and promoters by providing practical support around international touring after the UK leaves the EU in January 2021.

The guide has been devised by Split Second, led by Kevin Wratten and Axel Satgé, in collaboration with XTRAX.

This document is by no means definitive, but an evolving collection of information and case studies which will be regularly updated as we learn more about the ways in which a company or a festival can appropriately prepare to work internationally post Brexit.

Please click here to see the full guidelines.

Bringing you clear information pre and post Brexit for everyone in the creative arts industries on current and likely future agreements and requirements including

• Visas
• Work Permits
• Carnets
• Tax

An Independent initiative to keep the arts working, moving and growing within new realitites.

We are a totally independent initiative currently self-funded; this may change in the future, but any changes will always be made clear on this site. Initially, this site will be in English, but we hope as time goes on and with funding to make this site available in as many languages as is possible to give as broad as accessible as possible

Visit the website here