Without major funding, the arts is dancing with disaster
The arts have experienced several blows over the past 10 years, including austerity measures and the uncertainties of Brexit. Throwing a pandemic into the mix has placed us in even deeper waters. Losing the theatres that contribute billions to the economy and attract millions of tourists would be catastrophic, and the £160m of Arts Council funding simply isn’t enough to cover all strands of the arts.
Recent figures show that 70 per cent of theatres are now under threat due to a complete loss of revenue and
no legitimate answers on when it is safe to return. Philip Bernays, CEO of Newcastle Theatre Royal, says that while the furlough scheme has been a lifesaver, the extortionate costs of running a 183-year-old venue continue, despite ticket sales being non-existent.
Of the 290,000 jobs in theatre across the UK, 50 per cent of those jobs are freelance, work that is heavily reliant on the controversial “gig economy”, with many of those involved working from pay cheque to pay cheque; job to job. The past few months have been a disaster for the now unemployed freelance dancers and artists, as many continue to fall through the cracks in government support schemes. When I spoke to MP, actress and former shadow culture secretary, Tracy Brabin, for Dancing through the Pandemic, my podcast investigating these issues, she expressed her concerns that many may never return to the industry in the aftermath of the pandemic.
In truth, the system didn’t work before Covid-19 either. You will be hard pushed to find somebody in the performing arts who doesn’t work multiple, often inflexible, jobs in order to fund their career. Social distancing is a colossal problem for the dance sector. Not only is it impossible to pack an auditorium full of people, it is equally as impossible to dance on stage in ensemble or squeeze into the tight backstage corridors. Plus, fitting a dance company into a studio for rehearsals and remaining two metres apart is simply not feasible.
Dance is an art form that also requires Olympian-level athleticism. And while the industry has kept itself going, it will take time to regain strength, flexibility and artistry, as head of English National Ballet, Tamara Rojo, has recently stated. Lockdown has forced new and innovative ways of exploration within art forms, however. Creatives have kept people entertained over the past few months and will continue to do so post Covid-19. Pippa Fox and Annie McCourt, part of the artistic planning team at Northern Stage, told me that the future of dance and other forms of theatre may be digital: “It is something that has been on the horizon for a really long time” says Annie. “This lockdown is sort of a crash course of getting everybody up to speed.”
Can we really trust the industry with a minister who has held no roles in the sector, nor expresses a keen interest in a diverse range of art forms?
Although audiences across the country haven’t been able to be physically inside an auditorium, streamed productions online have become the norm. It is a complete novelty to be able to access such a wide array of theatre, all from the safety of a disinfected couch. Jasmin Vardimon Company, New Adventures and English National Ballet are among the leading dance companies that have been streaming shows, for free or with the contribution of a small fee.
This period could mean an increase in audience numbers after the pandemic; but making theatre more accessible may require more than simply streaming productions online. Research in 2016 found that over half of all theatre attendances are in London, audiences across the country are predominantly white, the average age lies between 45 and 74, and the average incomes of those attending West End performances is around £32,000 per year. It wouldn’t be cynical to assume the figures in attendance have remained virtually the same, despite the sudden move online.
Further losses of arts funding may undermine the progress that has been made in making the industry more diverse, a worry that has been presented to the Commons by Dr Dave O’Brien, a lecturer in cultural and creative industries. Secretary of state for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden, has continuously reassured those working within the arts that the sector is safe in his hands. But
can we trust the industry with a minister who has held no roles in the sector, nor expresses a keen interest in a diverse range of art forms? Is it any wonder that we are not getting the recognition we deserve?
A spokesperson from Arts Council England told me that they believe artists “will play a vital role in bringing our precious communities back together”, but the truth is the industry will not survive unless major action is taken to save it. We are resilient, hardworking and passionate within the arts, and it’s time that those providing the funding are as passionate as we are.
Erin Hughes is a dance artist based in Newcastle