July 2022
28 July - What does Boris Johnson's exit mean for controversial 'levelling up' of arts funding?
One of the aspects that is most frustrating touring companies grappling with Arts Council England’s controversial Transfer Programme is the prospect that by the time the programme is in play – and theatre companies have made extremely difficult decisions with long-term ramifications – the driving force behind it will have left the stage.
28 July - What will the next Prime Minister mean for the arts?
Either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak will become Prime Minister on September 5.
As senior cabinet ministers in Boris Johnson’s government, both the current Foreign Minister Truss, and Sunak, Chancellor until his recent resignation, have voting records in lockstep with the current Conservative agenda.
This suggests little will change when either moves into 10 Downing Street, but a closer a look at some of the pressing issues facing the sector uncovers some differences between the two.
27 July - 'Russian roulette': ACE transfer scheme puts London-based touring companies at risk
London-based touring companies have warned they are at risk of being “completely annihilated” after being forced to choose between remaining in the capital or relocating under Arts Council England’s controversial Transfer Programme.
21 July - Will Stage Directors UK’s move to become a union help directors?
Stage Directors UK’s decision to become a trade union has been on the cards since it was founded in 2014.
It launched against a backdrop of frustration from directors, who felt the fees they were receiving had stagnated and there was no single, strong voice speaking on their behalf.
21 July - ArtsPay Survey 2022: preliminary findings
Initial findings of ArtsPay 2022 survey reveal earnings growth for full and part-time workers failing to keep pace with inflation, but freelancers buck the trend.
21 July - Depreciating capital – the importance of local arts scenes and writing
With the arts – and arts writing – still so focused around London, critic Tracey Sinclair argues the importance and practical value of nurturing criticism that is rooted in local theatre ecosystems
18 July - Stage Directors UK to become trade union in bid to improve working conditions
Directors are in line to benefit from greater negotiating rights around pay and working conditions, after members of the body representing them voted for it to become a trade union.
18 July - Government urged to fix touring 'crisis' in Europe
The government should appoint a touring “tsar” to unravel the red tape facing British musicians in Europe, a cross-party group of MPs and peers has said.
18 July - Extreme heat prompts theatres to implement additional safety measures
Theatres have introduced extra measures – including additional breaks in performances – to allow workers on stage and backstage to rehydrate and get cool during the extreme heat.
13 July - Theatre digs: call for cross-sector alliance to solve issues
Producers, venues, unions, arts organisations and accommodation providers must work together to agree minimum acceptable standards for theatre accommodation, stakeholders say.
13 July - Sunday-working pushback as union negotiations loom
Compulsory Sunday working in the West End is untenable and will lead to more talent leaving the sector at a time when the workforce is already at “breaking point”, leading bodies have warned.
12 July - Is ACE’s diversity strategy - and reporting - fit for purpose?
Reading ACE’s latest Equality, Diversity and Inclusion data report, it appears diversity is primarily seen as the number of people who work for or visit arts institutions like the Royal Opera House, says Kevin Osborne.
11 July - If theatre wants to stay relevant it has to challenge ingrained working practices and inequalities
If theatre genuinely want to be relevant, then we have to keep changing and not fall back into the pre-pandemic ways of doing things
08 July - Objectified, derided, demeaned: sexism is still rampant on stage in the era of #MeToo
From Jerusalem and Pretty Woman to a 70s Alan Bennett farce, unreconstructed attitudes and old-fashioned smut still permeate British theatre. And irony is not much of a defence
07 July - Edinburgh fringe tries to quell revolt after criticism of 2022 event
More than 1,600 comedians, agents and producers sign open letter that accuses festival of mismanagement
07 July - Jennifer Greenwood: how touring artists are being put at risk without a digs-vetting process
What is the number one thing they don’t teach you at drama school that will be essential to your everyday life as a freelancer in the performing arts? No, it’s not how to do your taxes – although institutions, please add this to your curriculums – it’s how to be your own HR manager. And one of the most notorious times you will need this skill is when touring theatre.
04 July - Performing arts programme 'could provide £3.3bn boost for economy'
Expansion of a performing arts project to all primary schools in the 20% most deprived areas in England it could be worth up to £3.3bn to the economy, a report analysing the impact of a year-long programme by charity Artis has suggested.
04 July - One giant leap: why we are witnessing a brave new world for Black British theatre
The conversations thrown up by Black Lives Matter and Covid have ushered in an exciting new era for Black stage creatives. Those at the forefront explain why it needs to be more than a passing trend
04 July - Dominic Raab’s assertion that opera is elite shows the Tories’ disdain for culture
Nadine Dorries’ talk of achieving fewer barriers around the arts counts for nothing in the face of Raab’s assertion that Rayner was a “champagne socialist” and what was her crime and act of class treachery? As a working-class woman, she had the temerity to go to see The Marriage of Figaro at Glyndebourne.
03 July - Tory contempt for the arts means we face a second dark age
Proposed cuts to English lit courses are symptomatic of the Conservatives’ ignorance of culture and disregard for ordinary people’s access to it
01 July - Relocation dilemma for NPOs as Arts Council reports record grant demand
Stick or twist? London-based cultural organisations confronted with tough choice to move elsewhere in England or to stay put in capital, with no guarantee of funding success in either scenario.
01 July - Access all areas: the creatives opening theatre up to disabled audiences
An audio describer, a creative captioner and an access consultant explain how their work is becoming integral to the theatre industry