Saving buildings and administrative jobs is pointless without protecting artistsMuch to the surprise of many in theatre, the government recently announced a generous arts “bailout” package of £1.57bn. But the government still risks finishing the job that coronavirus started – providing nothing more to the theatre industry than dust sheets and packing crates. Whether the money will help save the theatre industry all depends on how it is spent.Depending on your outlook, for years arts funding has been either unevenly distributed, a total waste of money, horribly confusing or disastrously below what is required. Theatres subsidised by the Arts Council (as opposed to commercial or independent theatres) are vital places: they use much of their subsidy to keep ticket prices affordable and to produce exciting new work, including plays such as War Horse, that would otherwise be too risky. In order to satisfy Art Council conditions for their funding, which stipulate that certain roles are created in an organisation, many subsidised theatres also employ large numbers of administrative staff. Continue reading...
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/15/british-theatre-freelancers-protecting-artists