News

The Independent Theatre Council (ITC) and trade union Bectu are rolling out a new pay and conditions agreement for in-house staff at independent theatres. 

Under the agreement, admin, tech, management and other in-house staff are covered by minimum pay rates. The rates include a real living wage for entry level workers, of £13.15 per hour in London and £12 in the rest of the UK.

A weekly rate of £540 is set for trained professionals, up to £610 for senior technicians, supervisors or team managers with less organisational responsibilities, £630 for managers with more significant financial, personnel or other responsibilities, or those running larger teams, and £660 for heads of organisations or other senior leadership.

The two bodies have also agreed on improvements to sick pay, parental leave and redundancy pay for in-house staff at independent theatres across the UK.

The new contract is being launched officially at an opening event later today (17 September) before it is rolled out in theatres later this year.

ITC and Bectu are urging the industry to sign up to the contract, ahead of anticipated employment law reforms, which are expected from the Labour government within the next month.

“It’s no secret that low pay is one of the core issues driving skills shortages in the theatre sector, and our members deserve to be paid properly and treated well at work,” said Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu.

“Ahead of welcome reforms to employment law, this agreement is a crucial step forward in ensuring good employment practices and achieving a more stable working environment for our members.”

The Director of the British Museum, Nicholas Cullinan, has said he plans to keep the institution free to all visitors.

Speaking to The Times, Cullinan, who took up post in June, said: “Free admission is one big reason why I have stayed in this country. It makes our museums very special.

"That said, it doesn’t mean museums shouldn’t be constantly thinking about how to earn income and be as self-sufficient as possible. But they already are doing that. Most museums are funded primarily by themselves, not the taxpayer.”

Discussing a slate of planned renovations, rebuilds and an innovative digital database, estimated to cost a total of at least £1bn, Cullinan said: "Luckily, I enjoy fundraising. But this is obviously quite a challenge.”

With £50m of funding secured from BP, Cullinan spoke of accepting money from controversial donors: “I think the debate has changed, but what hasn’t changed are the two criteria against which you weigh up donations and sponsorship.” 

“One is: was the money legally acquired? The other is: will accepting it cause us reputational damage? I think you have to have very good, clear reasons for turning down money that would help to keep the British Museum free to the public.”

Cullinan also discussed his hopes that a forthcoming redesign of the institution's 'western range' galleries, which house the Parthenon Sculptures, the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies, would allow for an opportunity to rethink how visitors navigate the building and interpret the collection.

Clarifying his intentions around changes to how the collection is displayed, Cullinan said: “What I mean is making sure our scholarship is up to date, not conforming to a particular sort of political agenda."

A Spanish language theatre in London has closed due to “a lack of financial support".

Performing in English and Spanish, the Cervantes Theatre showcased works by Spanish and South American artists. Since opening in Southwark in 2016, the venue has staged over 100 events, including theatre productions and concerts, and has been attended by over 11,000 Spanish students.

The company’s founders and directors, Jorge de Juan and Paula Paz, announced on 11 September that the 100-seat performance space “has to close its doors due to lack of financial support” with immediate effect. 

They said: “We have worked endlessly, we have lifted this project on our shoulders. Unfortunately, it has not been enough.

“The Cervantes Theatre needed fundamental institutional support that fell through. Like many other cultural institutions in the United Kingdom, we are in such a fragile state that any change or delay in funding can be deadly.”

In its most recent accounts, the Spanish Theatre Company, the charity that ran the Cervantes Theatre, said it “heavily relies” on public grants to fund its operations, mostly received from public bodies associated with the Spanish government. 

The accounts noted: “Given the climate of political instability in Spain, there is a concern among trustees and directors regarding the likelihood of receiving these grants from the Spanish government in 2024, and their timing. This represents a material uncertainty that casts significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

In 2022, the charity’s income from charitable activities totalled £62,063, derived entirely from Arts Council England, but it received nothing from the funding body in 2023, reporting a drop in grant income to £37,156.
 

Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester has cancelled all performances of its production of A Midsummer Night's Dream after “a number of issues”.

Due to run from 12 September to 12 October, the production, set in the “vibrant tapestry of Manchester’s contemporary rave scene”, was initially postponed due to “ongoing technical reasons”.

Manchester Evening News also reported that an injury to a cast member contributed to the decision.

In an email to ticket holders offering them a refund, the Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation said, "There have been a number of issues with the production.

"Every effort was made to get the show on. We apologise to all customers who had bought tickets and will issue immediate refunds."
 

Arts Council England has opened the application process for the next three-year round of its Creative People and Places funding programme, which focuses on parts of the country where involvement in creativity and culture is significantly below the national average.

Groups of organisations in 142 previously announced locations are eligible to apply for between £750,000 and £1m for the funding period.

The application process opened today (12 September) on Grantium with a deadline of midday on 16 January 2025.

ACE previously extended its 2022-25 Creative People and Places (CPP) for one year in response to "challenges facing organisations following the Covid-19 pandemic and the rising cost of living".