Between July 2020 and March 2022, Theatre Artists Fund generated emergency financial aid for UK theatre freelancers in need as result of the Covid-19 pandemic. £9.9 million, including £1.9m from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through Arts Council England, was raised. Although the emergency fund is now closed, Theatre Artists Fund decided to explore longer-term initiatives to support the creative workforce.
Working in collaboration with Backstage Trust and Theatre Development Trust, Theatre Artists Fund developed a scheme called the Creative Workforce Pilot Programme. In partnership with performing arts venues across the UK, the pilot is realising 20 full-time jobs, each running for two years, for people working in craft and technical disciplines aimed at mid-career level. The scheme started in Autumn 2022 and will culminate in Winter 2026. The aim is to identify new ways of working to retain or encourage people to return to the performing arts industry and to provide practical steps for developing careers. Overall the ambition is to encourage positive change which can benefit the creative industries and their communities.
We interviewed Morag Small, Project Director at the Theatre Artist Fund to learn more about the privately funded programme, which encompasses 16 partners, 20 participants and 13 disciplines in craft and technical roles across all four UK nations. We also learned more about what the organisation is aiming to achieve in the EDI space and what the risks are of not doing so.
What are your motivations for addressing diversity and inclusion within your organisation?
We wanted to find a way to continue the good work that was happening before the pandemic. Our core role is offering financial stability, but we also recognised that within that focus, those who are more at risk of financial hardship tended to be those who were of the global majority, female and identifying as d/Deaf or d/Disabled. Evidence from our emergency fund show that we had low representation in all those areas, and we wanted to make it a demonstrable strand of the work that we continued when the emergency fund finished. We didn’t want conditions to go backwards.
What are your main EDI goals?
We want to give a voice to the fact that we want to encourage more women in the industry, particularly those practicing at mid-career level. During midlife, many things can happen to you (generally at a higher rate than at other ages), whether you wish to have a family, buy a house, you’re partner is experiencing redundancy or you need to care for someone - or you experience a life-changing injury or illness. The mid-career seam of expertise within the industry is weakened by what happened in the pandemic because so many people had to make complex personal decisions or the schedules just don’t work for them anymore.
Mid-career people are also critcial to the growth and development of people entering the industry, and capturing the skills and knowledge of those retiring from the sector. We also hoped to attract more people of the global majority or those who identified as d/Deaf or d/Disabled, but so far, our percentages are low for representation in these areas.
We want to make theatre a place where everyone feels welcome. So, to try and level the playing field, we've included various constants, and so far, we've got 85% females on the Creative Workforce Pilot Programme cohort, which is fantastic and interesting in equal measure, because recruitment was entirely open to all through our partners. We want to use the programme to show people that it's still possible to stay in the industry, and identify ways which help both freelancers and organisations to become more robust.
How are those goals embedded within the wider company strategy?
Within the project itself, we've asked partners to consider the government's Guaranteed Interview/Disability Confident scheme. Whilst we did enable autonomy for each of the partners to recruit in the way that they would normally, we did ask them to outline the structure of the programme which came with the support package of mentoring and training.
Because representation in our pilot has proved to be low amongst those of the global majority we have now allocated additional funding to better understand how we can make positive interventions in one particular discipline - wigs, hair and make-up - an area which is in need of sustained investment and learning to bring positive change. We know it's still very hard for people to recruit in that area, and particularly to secure people of the global majority or those who have existing afro hair or textured hairdressing skills. Although we may only be able to impact a small number of people through this new initiative, we still hope it will make tangible change which will support other campaigns and interventions currently underway. Our work in this area is likely to start in 2025.
Can you tell us more about the Creative Workforce Pilot Programme?
So, with £1.6 million worth of funding raised from indivuals and trusts, we’ve been able to realise twenty positions which are salaried, full-time, in a performing arts organisation for two years, with inclusive training and mentoring. It's across all four nations in the UK, from rural to urban areas, targeted at mid-career, and focused on craft and technical disciplines.
One of the things we identified is that freelancers can sometimes struggle with networks and getting work. Also that networking, getting to know people and building bonds in a digital age is not as easy as it is in person. So, part of the programme is about how they can open up those networks and make sure they get themselves seen. The mentoring aspect of the programme was designed to help people find established freelancers who could be helpful in their career, but who could also share life experiences about how to move through the industry - and all the learnings that can be made from that.
The training happens as identified by the partners specific to each discipline, and also includes organisational training including, health and safety, safeguarding, anti bullying, anti racism and other training which freelancers wouldn’t normally have access to in-building.
To support our evaluation, partners and participants will be asked to take part in quantitative and qualitative which will be in addition to the demographic information we’re collecting. Our evaluators will also undertake one-to-one semi-structured interviews with the representatives of the partners and the participants.
At the moment, the intention isn't to run the pilot every year. It’s been designed to gather evidence to enable a broader conversation and supportive ‘blueprint’ for people in the industry and for related government departments to recognise that the industry which returns a high economic input for them, needs further investment.
What are the main areas the programme aims to address?
It's a lack of financial stability for freelancers in craft and technical roles, a lack of integration in workplace cultures, resources and infrastructures, and barriers to access to training and professional development for freelancers working in craft and technical roles, combined with an awareness of the potential impact and benefits of training and development for freelancers' careers.
In addition, there isn't much evidence gathered about the value of creative collaboration or co-working for freelancers, i.e. not working in an isolated environment. They can be inspired by other people within the workplace and also realise efficiencies. So, one strand of the outcomes might be about demonstrating the need to enable the creative workforce to be back in buildings on a more permanent basis. However, some people like the freedom of being freelance - so, how else can we support them in their careers?
Also, a need to better understand what encourages mid-career creative workers to remain in the industry and identify workable mechanisms to retain them. In addition we need to better understand what would entice people from other industries into theatre e.g. a hairdresser who doesn't realise they could work in wigs, hair and make-up.
What have been some of the outcomes and impacts you've seen as a result of the programme so far?
I think confidence is increasing, both personal and professional. I also think the training is being valued and bringing benefit back to the partners. We know the reflection time with Theatre People and the professional development workshops they are also hosting, are impacting people because we're getting positive feedback from participants. Also, the fact that we've got high female representation in the group. As I mentioned earlier, we've got 85% females on the programme, which shows something's working. Some participants and partners are also asking when we might run the programme again.
We have 70% mid-career people (the remaining 30% are emerging) taking part, so we know the recruitment approach has worked in those cases with those particular disciplines to a degree. Plus, the Technical Directors, or Heads of Workshops have told us it's really helping their own mental health and wellbeing. They've said they feel they can support their teams in a better way because they've now got other, more experienced people back in the building on a full-time basis, who they can discuss ideas with and support departmental knowledge and development.
In your view, what makes this initiative successful?
Three key elements. Our Advisory Group - they give me a lot of the energy and expertise I need to make this pilot happen. The willingness of the partners we've invited to take part in the programme. We've chosen them because of the recognition from others of their ability to grow people and the facilities and equipment on-site to train. And most importantly, the willingness of the individuals who have put their trust in us, and who are soaking up all the opportunities we’re delivering for them.
What advice or key learning would you share with other organisations considering delivering similar initiatives?
Recruitment. How and where are you advertising positions? Do you operate open days? At mid-career, what conditions are you offering for people? Is there in-house training? Reflection is also a key factor. Is there access to a wellbeing counsellor for personal discussions or structured moments for professional reflection? In terms of training: where can you create hubs for learning? Can you provide the training instead of going out to a commercial entity which doesn't produce the theatre?
Valuing people at mid-career level means recognising that learning doesn’t stop after the first couple of years. Discussing and building a training schedule demonstrates investment in the individual as well as the organisation. It draws people into understanding and being part of the wider ecology of a creative place and it also enables them to learn new skills and network effectively.
What do you believe are the risks of not addressing EDI in your organisation or in the theatre sector?
I mean, it's everything. If we're not walking the walk in a place where the role of theatre is to represent the society outside on the street, then from a very basic level, it's not going to make money anymore. We're also not going to attract the audiences that we want to come and experience a collective, sometimes life-changing moment. Whilst there should be consideration for communities and the financial models of theatre, I also believe that theatre should represent the stories of everyone because all cultures and communities share stories. If we don't ensure that fundamental fact, theatre can no longer be considered a progressive art form.
Learn more about Theatre Artists Fund, the Creative Workforce Pilot Programme and its supporters by visiting theatreartists.fund.
Explore other case studies today at diversity.wearecreative.uk/case-studies.
