In the face of cuts, the theatre sector needs to move the conversation about employment rights and pay forward, says Lorne Campbell.
In all conversations about pay and conditions in theatre there is an uncomfortable truth: the vast majority of people in full-time employment are better paid, and enjoy better working conditions and ancillary benefits, than those who work freelance. This truth is exacerbated by the fact that the majority of freelance workers are the actors, the directors, the designers and the stage managers, without whom nothing could function.
This tension frames an argument that puts the funding of buildings into a position contrary to the funding of artists. For me, this way of viewing our undeniable and complex challenges creates a counter-productive sense of “them” and “us”.
But then, I would say that... Keep reading on The Guardian
In all conversations about pay and conditions in theatre there is an uncomfortable truth: the vast majority of people in full-time employment are better paid, and enjoy better working conditions and ancillary benefits, than those who work freelance. This truth is exacerbated by the fact that the majority of freelance workers are the actors, the directors, the designers and the stage managers, without whom nothing could function.
This tension frames an argument that puts the funding of buildings into a position contrary to the funding of artists. For me, this way of viewing our undeniable and complex challenges creates a counter-productive sense of “them” and “us”.
But then, I would say that... Keep reading on The Guardian