Six years ago, a group of freelance theatre makers facing an unprecedented shutdown came together to ask a simple question: "How can we support our community?"
Six years later, Freelancers Make Theatre Work is still here - advocating, connecting, supporting and championing theatre freelancers through all the challenges our industry continues to face.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey.
We have some very exciting news. Following a three-month consultation process, Freelancers Make Theatre Work has now secured three years of funding from Arts Council England on behalf of DCMS and various arts organisations to support our next phase.
This is a vital moment for FMTW, and before anything else, we want to say a huge heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make it possible.
Hundreds of people from across the sector have contributed to this consultation. We received thoughtful written responses, held many brilliant one-to-one conversations with freelancers, and met with sector support organisations, venues and companies of very different scales from across the industry.
We are deeply grateful to every freelancer, organisation and individual who took the time to share their experiences, ideas and challenges with us. Many past and present volunteers also contributed to this work just as they have helped shape and sustain FMTW for six years. We are volunteer-powered, and we will always be indebted to the generosity, care and commitment of the people who are the backbone of this work. It has meant a great deal to work with people who understand the value of FMTW and what we are trying to achieve.
The aim was not simply to gather views, but to understand what freelancers want from FMTW in practical and structural terms. What should we focus on over the next few years to make freelance life fairer and more sustainable? What practical help would make the biggest difference in day-to-day working life? How should we stay in touch and offer support in ways that feel useful and realistic, not overwhelming? And, more broadly, what kind of organisation do freelancers need FMTW to become?
Freelancers were always at the heart of this process. Gathering written responses and holding one-to-one meetings directly with freelancers across the sector was an integral part of this work. We reached out to people across a wide range of disciplines, backgrounds and career stages, and we were especially keen to hear from those who do not always see themselves reflected in the organisations or conversations that claim to represent them.
Alongside this, we gathered evidence from sector support organisations, venues, producers and companies, and carried out a similar process of written and spoken consultation with them. That meant the final picture was shaped not only by freelancer voices, but also by a wider understanding of the structures, responsibilities and barriers that exist across the sector.
At the same time, we identified a need to review what the wider sector has already said. A huge amount of valuable work has already been done across published reports, but many of the same recommendations continue to reappear, suggesting that progress has been uneven and implementation inconsistent.
So we built a structured evidence base to guide our next phase. We reviewed 115 published reports and extracted around 460 recommendation items into a searchable, traceable dataset. That work helped us identify recurring themes, avoid duplication, and build a clearer picture of where FMTW can make the most useful contribution.
Bringing together the consultation findings and the published evidence has allowed us to identify more than 150 potential actions, which we then assessed against factors including impact for freelancers, feasibility and time to progress. Some ideas were clearly outside our remit, while others were too large or too technically complex for us to lead directly. That process has helped us focus on where we can genuinely make a difference.
As a result, we are now moving into this next phase with 10 clear focus areas:
Access and inclusion
Anti-racism
Data, evidence and advocacy
Online tools & resources, including a new Freelancing 101 hub
True Pay and fair rates
Regional support and connection
Training and career progression
Wellbeing and support
Contracts, payments and protections
Employer standards and accountability
Across all of this, the principles embedded in our work remain clear: active anti-racism, equity and inclusion, access by default, environmental sustainability, and continuous learning.
The new funding will allow us to retain two part-time members of staff, while also expanding our digital offer and beginning to roll out a wider programme of training and seminars for freelancers.
Over the last few months, we have also continued our work within the CIISA Advisory Board, maintained regular dialogue with DCMS and Arts Council England, and played an instrumental role in the creation of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group for Freelancers, where we will act as secretariat alongside Bectu, ALCS, DACS and Directors UK.
We are excited about what comes next, including the appointment of the new Freelance Champion, and we look forward to working alongside them in the months and years ahead.
There is a huge amount of work to do, but for the first time in a long time, we are entering this next chapter with the resources, evidence and plan to move forward with real purpose.
Thank you for being part of it.
NB. A full list of supporters is available on our website.
Are you interested in bringing your energy into the space?
All we ask of volunteers is to bring your lived experience, a commitment to our values, and the belief that things can be better. We would love to build a space that nurtures curiosity about advocacy, we are all freelancers, listening and learning from one another.
Whether you have particular strengths or knowledge when it comes to lobbying, research or advocacy, or are are a freelancer with no previous experience in any of these areas but are keen to get involved, we’d love to hear from you.
We will be holding an open online meeting on July 3rd, 9-11am, to share the findings of our recent consultation, and update the community on our plans. If you would like to attend please email hello@freelancersmaketheatrework.com for further details.