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I along with 1.9 million people working within the creative sector have had their working lives dramatically transformed since March. Overnight, the theatre industry crashed to its knees with theatres going dark across the World. [continued 1/8]
The theatre industry, before COVID-19, had faced several issues including: workforce underrepresentation, low pay, lack of investment and a shortage of skilled technical workers. [continued 2/8]
With the devastating impact of COVID-19 to the global economy it is unsurprising that the theatre industry isn’t coping - it’s an industry that thrives off of interaction and togetherness and a workforce that is passionate and engaged. [continued 3/8]
The UK’s creative industries, including theatre and the performing arts, are growing at almost twice the rate of the wider UK economy, and are worth £84.1 billion a year. [continued 4/8]
Regional theatres, like my workplace, contribute not only to the economy but to the cultural health of towns and cities and the education and wellbeing of youth. [continued 5/8]
This is being pushed aside and theatres are being forced to make devastating cuts and redundancies across the board which are ultimately leading to the closure of venues. [continued 6/8]
Theatres will not be able to financially operate until social distancing is no longer required, therefore the government needs to start publicly focusing on the arts industry and its longevity post COVID-19. [continued 7/8]
Other governments across the globe are backing their cultural sector by assigning significant monetary grants. Back in November, Boris Johnson and his Conservative government promised to fund the “largest cultural capital programme in a century” where is that support now? [end]
