Tonic and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Collaborate on Research to Improve Equity in Arts Careers

Tonic and The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (Central) have collaborated on a piece of research which seeks to understand the needs and concerns of young people looking to build careers in the arts.

The research and resulting recommendations for employers and policy makers have now been released in a new report - New Beginnings: The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Early Career Theatre Workers in the UK - which aims to make entry to the arts industry more equitable.

The research was undertaken following Tonic and Central’s joint recognition that today’s cohort of young adults (defined as under 28-years-old for the purposes of the research) have faced a highly unusual and complex set of circumstances in recent years. These have included the continued impact of Covid, the cost-of-living crisis, and wider societal shifts which have exacerbated already existing inequalities and created additional barriers to entry for those seeking to pursue a career in the arts.

New Beginnings: The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Early Career Theatre Workers in the UK aims to consider how ways of working and the nature of opportunities predominantly aimed at young people (such as entry-level jobs, professional development programmes, and training) should be adapted to respond to the specific needs of this cohort, acknowledging they may be different to those of pre-COVID theatre workers. Since the onset of the pandemic, industry figures have underscored the risk of a ‘lost generation’ of young and emerging theatre workers whose training and career progression have been put at risk by successive national lockdowns and theatre closures.  The report uses the evidence gathered and consulted to re-think how training programmes and funding for early-career workers in theatre and performance are framed, who they are appealing to, and how they can be more inclusive and innovative in the forms they take.

Dr James Rowson, Lecturer in Theatre and Cultural Policy at Central, said, “This exciting collaboration with Tonic provides an urgent snapshot of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the experience of young people who entered the performing arts industry after March 2020. This project has responded to the specific concerns and priorities of early career theatre workers and examines what has helped or hindered them since the start of the pandemic. Our research produces conclusions about the barriers faced by young people entering the theatre industry and considers strategies to help sustain their careers in the sector.”

Lucy Kerbel, Director of Tonic, said, "The research has enabled us to understand in detail the impact of the last few years on young people, and to come up with practical recommendations for employers in response. Although the research surfaced much that is complex and challenging, it did also point to opportunities; if we can rethink how to support the arts workforce with the post-pandemic generation in mind, this will contribute to the renewal that is very much needed in the sector right now." 

Professor Maria Delgado, Vice Principal (Research and Knowledge Exchange) at Central, said, “This collaborative report allows us to better understand the different constraints that face theatre workers entering the industry; it’s a call for more viable career options, for an understanding of generational shifts, for the importance of a work-life balance, and a prioritisation of better mental health in working lives. The report provides the space for those entering the industry to discuss their experiences and aspirations. It’s about the present and the future of the industry and contains a wealth of practical suggestions on what needs to change and how.”

Research was undertaken with a view to providing employers and policy makers with practical insights and recommendations in relation to the particular circumstances being experienced by young people, and to suggest measures that could help ensure more equitable access to the industry.

Findings from this research, together with recommendations, have been published in a report which was launched at an event at London’s Park Theatre on Tuesday 14th May 2024. The event included a workshop-style section to give attendees a chance to discuss and reflect, as well as a presentation of recommendations for employers.

The full report, New Beginnings: The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Early Career Theatre Workers in the UK, together with recommendations for employers and policy makers is available to read at Tonic’s website.

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