Behind every great performance

Supporting world-class technicians and theatre artists

Pilot Programme

Working in conjunction with Backstage Trust and Theatre Development Trust, we have designed a programme which will help to nurture and develop the creative workforce, in collaboration with performing arts venues across the UK.

Starting in Autumn 2022 and culminating in Winter 2026, the pilot will realise twenty full-time jobs, each running for two years, for people working in craft and technical disciplines at emerging and mid-career level. Alongside economic stability, each person will be supported with integrated training and mentoring from established freelance theatre artists.

Through this process, our aim is to identify new ways of working to help people develop their careers, understand how to improve working culture for freelance practitioners, encourage positive change and new frameworks for organisations, and benefit the wider creative industries and our communities.

Programme Headlines

2022–26

Programme duration

20

Full-time, salaried roles

2 years

Two-year contracts with training, networking and mentoring support

16

Performing arts partners, UK wide

13

Disciplines including Sound, Lighting, Costume

70%

mid-career and 30% emerging career level roles created

Advisory Group

Our thanks to: Kash Bennett, Liz Botros, Paule Constable, Mark Dakin, Alan Finch, Katie Kerry, Shelley Maxwell, Sir Sam Mendes CBE, Caro Newling OBE, Tom Piper MBE, Indhu Rubasingham MBE, Dame Susie Sainsbury

Our Story

Between July 2020 and March 2022, Theatre Artists Fund realised emergency funds for theatre freelancers across the UK in need of critical financial aid, due to the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the theatre sector.

£9.9 million, including £1.9m from Department for Culture, Media and Sport through Arts Council England, was raised to distribute 9,964 emergency grants, towards living costs such as rent, food, and electricity, alongside signposting to mental-health support.

In July 2021 Sir Sam Mendes announced that a pilot programme – focusing on employment opportunities – was going into development.

Why have we created the Pilot Programme?

The impact of Covid-19, exacerbated inequalities within the UK theatre industry and illuminated how precarious the industry is for craft and technical disciplines. There is now an urgent need to give confidence to and sustain the creative workforce.

To address this issue, we designed a pilot study which enables twenty new positions, salaried over two years, alongside enhanced training and networking opportunities, in disciplines identified as ‘in need’, including: Lighting Electrics, Sound Engineers, Wigs, Hair & Make-Up, Scenic Construction, Company Management, Automation, Costume, Wardrobe and Production Management.

Our aim is to enable people to become more robust and explore a new way of working for the benefit of the workforce, venues, audiences, communities and the wider creative sector.

Our Objectives

Nurturing and supporting the creative workforce, in collaboration with performing arts venues across the UK, our aims are to:

Empower artists and technicians through sustainable employment in partnership with venues
Retain skills and extend networks for mid-career artists and technical creatives by linking in experienced external freelancers
Enable career pathways for emerging and mid-career artists and technical creatives with key training opportunities and exposure to and experiences in commercial and touring theatre
Connect the creative workforce with organisations in a more integrated way by encouraging interventions in buildings to build confidence, networks, and shared understanding

Our Partners

Unicorn Theatre (London), Kiln Theatre (London), Nottingham Playhouse & Rocket Scenery Ltd, National Theatre & National Theatre Productions (London), York Theatre Royal & Wise Children, Theatr Clwyd, Leeds Playhouse, Chichester Festival Theatre, Lyric Belfast, National Theatre Scotland, Scottish Opera, Royal Opera House, New Adventures & Cameron Mackintosh Limited, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, and Theatre Royal Plymouth.

Our Theatre Artists

Ciara Leneghan-White’s Story
Costume – Lyric Belfast Participant

"The best thing to come out of COVID for the theatre industry, by far"
– Catherine, Lyric Belfast

Impact

Pilot Programme

20 participants in full-time salaried roles
16 partners across the UK including theatre, opera and contemporary dance
13 different disciplines including costume, sound engineering, wigs, hair and make-up, lighting, electrics and scenic painting
70% mid-career and 30% emerging career level roles created
85% female and 15% male representation amongst twenty participants

"Having the time to focus on having a full-time position, has allowed me to put all of my brain into the processes we are using rather than worrying about the next job or juggling a few jobs at once."
– Beth, Leeds Playhouse

Our Supporters

Pilot Programme

Backstage Trust
Gatsby Charitable Foundation
Anonymous Funder
The Mackintosh Foundation
Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund
Swire Charitable Trust
Neal Street Productions
Ambassador Theatre Group
Jonathan & Maya Nelson
Jacqueline & Richard Worswick
MAMA Exhibition Group

Emergency Fund

We remain tremendously grateful to everyone who donated their time, creativity, and money for the major and necessary emergency fund campaign. Thank you.