SOLT Update 5 August 2021

Aug 6, 2021 | SOLT Updates

The below correspondence is posted here by kind permission from the Society of London Theatre

The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is an organisation that works with and on behalf of their Members to champion theatre and the performing arts.

Find out more about SOLT and visit their website here.

Scotland eases restrictions
Earlier this week Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that restrictions will ease in Scotland from 9th August, joining England and Wales from 07 August.

SOLT & UK Theatre released the following statement on 3 August: We welcome the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement today that restrictions in Scotland will be lifted from 9 August, allowing audiences to return to full capacity. Scotland will join England and, from 7 August, Wales, in reaping the many benefits of live performance – including greater stability and financial viability for theatres, as well as increased footfall in towns and cities across the country.

DCMS announces visa free short-term touring allowed in 19 EU member states 
DCMS have been engaging with EU member states on the ability for UK based performers or productions to work in those states post Brexit. 19 Member states have confirmed that short-term touring is possible without a visa or work permit, and DCMS ministers are leading engagement with other states to align their rules with the UK’s position on touring.

Read the press release here, or for more guidance on touring to the EU guides can be found here.

CRF 3 – Continuity Support Fund
The Arts Council have published guidance for CRF 3 – Continuity Support Fund, which will open for applications at 12pm Monday 16 August 2021. This round of the fund is only open to applicants who received CRF 1 and/or CRF 2. Full guidance here.

Advice on working with MPs and Councillors
If you want to highlight your impact in your local community and would like advice on building a relationship with your local political representatives, David Leigh-Pemberton (SOLT/UK Theatre’s political consultant) is available to provide guidance to members. To book a call with David, email david@soltukt.co.uk.

Arts Council Report: A High Street Renaissance
Arts Council England have published a report saying 69% of people think that culture on the high street makes their area a better place to live. Read The Stage article here and find the full report here.

Tickets For Good 
Tickets For Good provides NHS workers with free and discounted tickets to the UK’s most exciting events – from West End opening nights to thousands of festival tickets. 

Theatres can contribute their preferred number of tickets, from a small proportion of the run, to collaborating on an NHS-exclusive event. Every collaboration is based on a shared goal: expanding the audiences of cultural events, while sharing the joy of live performance with hardworking NHS staff. The platform supports the longevity of venues and events, demonstrating their social utility in a tangible, meaningful way.  
If you’d like to discuss working with Tickets For Good, please contact their Business Development Manager James Huxtable on james@ticketsforgood.co.uk or 07712703193.

You could win £10,000 or more in Ecclesiastical’s Movement for Good awards – applications close on 6th August 2021
The Ecclesiastical Group is one of the UK’s biggest corporate donors, and is a UK Theatre sponsor. They have provided this information below:

One of our giving initiatives is a £1m ‘Movement for Good awards’ and it might be an exciting opportunity for your charity.

Our Movement for Good awards have already given £500,000 in £1,000 donations to hugely diverse charities all over the UK and Ireland. But the second half of the awards are now open offering larger grants for fantastic projects.

Please take a look to see if your charity could apply. We’ll be awarding 30 x £10,000 grants and we’re particularly looking for projects that support the theme of Arts, Culture and Heritage;

You can find more information and the application form on our website at www.movementforgood.com

Action: please complete this survey on accessibility in theatres and cultural venues
Ecclesiastical are working with The Heritage Alliance on a project about Diversity and Inclusion, to understand how accessibility is prioritised in the heritage sector (including theatres and cultural venues), through this survey. The results will help us to better understand how accessibility is managed in your organisation as well as some of the challenges you may be facing. In anonymised form, the data will also be used by Ecclesiastical Insurance for PR and marketing purposes. 

Please share your views through this survey by 12th August  

Freelance PR opportunity at ANPR

ANRPR is looking for some part time freelance PR support (up to 20 hours per week) for an initial period of three months, with the possibility of an extension, starting asap. The role will involve media research and pitching, with other ad hoc admin tasks as required.

1 – 2 years plus experience of PR required, ideally in theatre and live entertainment, but lifestyle, events, tourism and attractions also considered.

Please email arabella@anrpr.co.uk for more information on the role and salary, including a CV.

 

USEFUL RESOURCES

Coronavirus Recovery Guidance 

Wellbeing and mental health support for you and your staff

Jobs & careers in the sector