30 October - Arts Council NPO delay: Labour demands explanation
Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell calls on government to explain why National Portfolio funding announcement was delayed, saying arts organisations have been ‘left in the dark about their future’.
28 October - Lauren Clancy: Extreme measures in a time of great uncertainty
The Bush Theatre has made the very difficult decision to introduce cost saving measures in order to remain financially stable. Our Executive Director Lauren Clancy reflects on the ongoing challenges for the theatre industry’s recovery, the looming cost-of-living crisis and the need for further government support.
28 October - Scottish Government: supporting arts 'incredibly challenging'
Following a spate of closures in recent weeks, the Scottish Government is in talks about how to help struggling arts and culture organisations but warns limitations on its powers makes it difficult to respond.
26 October - NPO delay 'due to reshuffle', former Arts Minister claims
A decision to delay the announcement of Arts Council England’s investment plans was made due to this week’s government reshuffle after Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister, a former Arts Minister has said.
26 October - Sustainable theatre production: case studies
A multiple case study is promoting new ways for theatre to make sustainable productions. Roberta Mock and Siobhan Bauer report on three companies putting the Theatre Green Book into practice.
26 October - Touring is becoming 'almost untenable', theatre leaders warn
Touring theatre is facing a crisis on multiple fronts, as reduced audiences, crumbling infrastructure and squeezed budgets are making it “almost untenable”, industry leaders have warned.
26 October - Theatre can’t afford not to refresh its rules of engagement
Diversity: everyone wants it, everyone benefits, and it’s a no-brainer for theatremakers everywhere, right? But when every producer in the land is making survival-critical decisions, is audience diversity going to get a look-in as they seek to stem haemorrhaging attendance?
25 October - ACE caught in the eye of the political storm
The email Arts Council England sent today (Wednesday) delaying the announcement of the new national portfolio is final proof the arm’s length principle is dead.
25 October - Chaos of government trickles down to arts funding
Less than 24 hours before it was due to announce its 2023-26 national portfolio organisations funding decisions, Arts Council England sent a short email revealing that its planned press conference in Bradford was axed and funding announcements were delayed, but that “the announcement of the portfolio will instead be made as soon as possible within the coming days”.
25 October - Training sector must unite if it is to effect real change
Earlier this month, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama hosted the annual Conservatoires UK conference. Conservatoires UK is a consortium of 11 member organisations, all of which train artists and creatives. The aim of the day was to rethink, reaffirm and focus – and, dare I say it, to enjoy each other’s company.
25 October - Theatre audiences slower to return to pre-pandemic levels than film
Audiences for theatre and live music are proportionally further from returning to pre-pandemic levels than those for cinemas and exhibitions, according to analysis of government data.
25 October - Breaking news: ACE 'pauses' NPO announcement
With less than a day to go until arts and culture organisations were due to find out whether they will receive investment as part of the National Portfolio, Arts Council England delays the decision date.
24 October - Two national arts movements merge to form Campaign for the Arts
Two arts advocacy organisations have merged to form one nationwide initiative called Campaign for the Arts.
The National Campaign for the Arts and the Public Campaign for the Arts have joined forces to continue their mission of championing and defending the arts across the UK.
19 October - 'Major issue': theatre leaders criticise lack of offstage representation
Talawa artistic director Michael Buffong is among industry figures calling for more diversity in offstage roles, describing it as a “major issue” for the sector.
19 October - Wild West: what went wrong for the troubled drama training sector?
The drama training sector is battling a funding crisis, the ongoing impact of Covid and claims of bad practice – intensified by a lack of oversight and mixed messages from government. Tim Bano investigates a climate of cuts, caps and credibility issues and asks where this leaves the sector now
17 October - Shift in the government’s agenda must not stop us striving for equity
If richness of perspective is the mother, creativity is the child: and yet the cost-of-living crisis affects the sector inequitably, just as it does elsewhere. When pickings are slim, it’s hard to think beyond personal need.
It’s been four years since our last ArtsPay survey to gauge the realities of earnings in the sector – four years of upheaval including Brexit, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis. We hope this latest report, from our editorial partners Baker Richards, together with analysis from the Arts Professional news team, contributes to the understanding of the state of arts pay in 2022.
10 October - Arts commentators call for abolition of ACE
Two arts commentators have published a booklet calling for Arts Council England (ACE) to be abolished, claiming its ‘left-wing, woke agenda’ is failing to support ‘art of real consequence’.
10 October - LAMDA chair: Drama schools need government help if they are to survive
LAMDA chair Shaun Woodward has called on the government to provide more financial support to drama schools, claiming that the recent closure of ALRA and the Musical Theatre Academy should be a “warning to us all”.
7 October - Theatres in Wales face closure as living costs increase – Arts Council
Theatres in Wales are having to spend up to 40% to make productions, compared with a year ago, because of the cost-of-living crisis, and many will face closure without support, the Arts Council of Wales has warned.
4 October - Pay insecurity and harassment make freelancers lot an unhappy one
Poor pay, a lack of regard for well-being, and a corrosive ‘show must go on’ culture are the norm for the UK’s theatre sector freelancers, a new report says.
4 October - Donelan: DCMS will prioritise economic growth
In her first major speech as Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan pledges to drive growth within arts, culture and tourism sectors in order to ‘create more wealth and prosperity’.
3 October - What the UK's financial meltdown tells us about theatre's diversity problem
In the wake of the new chancellor’s mini-budget, the waters are very choppy indeed. This country’s yawning post-Brexit wealth gap seems only set to widen: those who have will only get more and those without will be further deprived. Anyone harbouring hopes for a more equitable society is screaming into an abyss.
So how can we really effect change beyond burning the house down, as the call comes at the end of Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s Emilia, or simply sitting around moaning all the time and then going straight back and participating in the industry that we have been complaining about?
