Studies – Covid & Theatre

Covid had devastating effects on cities around the world. Alongside the loss of life and health, the pandemic had a wide range of socio-economic consequences for urban communities, including damaging impacts on cultural life.

While researchers have examined the effects of the pandemic on culture, much less is understood about how urban policymakers actively intervened. And even less is known about the enduring consequences of their responses for the future of post-Covid cities.

So researchers at King’s College London collaborated with the World Cities Culture Forum – a network of civic leaders from more than 40 cities across six continents whose leaders share ideas and solutions to meet pressing global challenges.

Their research investigated how city policymakers responded to the pandemic, and what the consequences might be for the future.

Read the report here

This survey was carried out to collect data on how companies and individuals across live events, entertainment and installations are recovering from the pandemic and what challenges remain.

A sum total of 1,313 respondents from over 46 countries completed the survey between 26 October and 20 November 2022

The findings detail key issues such as continued delays and shortages, as well as ongoing debt and low confidence.

Read the report here

This is the second Study of Night Time Economy. It has been commissioned by the NTIA to fully understand the economic contribution and significance of the night time cultural economy (NTCE) to the UK economy. It also situates the NTCE within the wider UK night-time economy (NTE) and the overall ‘out of home’ leisure economy (OHLE).

Read the report here

A new survey from Bectu outlines low pay, long hours and poor work-life balance as key issues driving the continued skills shortage plaguing the UK’s theatre sector.

The sector was one of the worst affected by the Covid-19 lockdowns and many, including Bectu, called for a post-pandemic reset to address poor terms and conditions, modernise the industry and  create fairer working conditions.

However, the survey of over 800 people working in all parts of the sector suggests a number of factors driving people to leave the industry have worsened over the last three years. 60% of respondents said that staff shortages had become ‘much worse’ since 2019.

Across September 2022 Bectu collected workers’ views on how reported skills shortages personally affect them, their working lives and implications for the wider industry.

Read the report here

Arts funding should be overhauled into a new model that categorises world-class national institutions separately from local organisations.

“We propose a model whereby world-class national cultural institutions, who often receive the most significant levels of public cash, are categorised and allocated funding separately from local and regional cultural institutions.

“This would allow for better comparisons between genuinely grassroots organisations and ensure those organisations in regions where there is a high concentration of national cultural institutions aren’t indirectly negatively impacted by well-meaning attempts to rebalance spending across the country.”

• The government should consider further ways of supporting arts and culture beyond one-off or ’flagship’ funds.
• DCMS should work with other sector organisations to develop a skills training programme for the arts.
• Local communities and decision-makers should be given a greater role in decision-making around arts funding.
• To combat the “existential threat” of the cost-of-living crisis to the arts, the government should urgently bring forward targeted support such as reduced VAT and business rate relief.
• Organisations responsible for distributing funding should take further steps to ensure organisations in the sector are improving conditions for workers.
• The government should take steps to ensure the long-term viability for arts schools that provide industry-backed qualifications.

Read the report here

Arts attendance has been increasing since the end of pandemic restrictions – but unevenly, according to a new analysis of official Government data by Data Culture Change and Campaign for the Arts.

The report finds that:

• Overall, the proportion of the population attending arts events in England was increasing between October 2021 and June 2022; however
• Engagement with different artforms is reviving at different paces. Audiences for theatre and live music are proportionally further from returning to pre-pandemic levels than those for cinemas and exhibitions.
• There has been a possible increase in the proportion of adults engaging with literary events

Read the report here

This report will look at how STAR members managed to serve customers and clients during these extraordinary circumstances and what lessons have been learned for the future. The report does not represent STAR’s recommendations for ticketing in the future. It presents the results of interviews with ticketing leaders in February – May 2022 for discussion by STAR members, the Council and the wider industry with a view to ensuring ticketing practices and policies are fit for purpose in the future.

Read the report here

This independent research report by SQW evaluates the Emergency Response Fund’s application process, delivery, and the effects of funding on job and business protection, creative practice, and communities during the early stages of the pandemic.

The report assesses funding data captured between November and December 2021, as well as interviews with applicants.

Read the report here

An online breathing and wellbeing programme (ENO Breathe) for people with persistent symptoms following COVID-19: a parallel-group, single-blind, randomised controlled trial

Read the study here