ArtsEd admits sexualised culture worsened by ‘failure in leadership’

A "misguided" and "cult like" culture at ArtsEd was made worse by failures in leadership, an independent review says.

Principal Chris Hocking, who was accused of overseeing lessons in which students were pressured to give lap dances, has resigned following a period of administrative leave, ending his 23 years with the drama school.

Rebecca Tuck QC found an "overly sexualised environment" within ArtsEd's School of Musical Theatre. Terms like "naked bond" and "wear what you dare" were "notorious, and clearly distressed some students", according to a summary published by the board.

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Lines were blurred by a culture in which staff and students would drink together, and had each others' personal phone numbers.

The board concedes that staff lacked regard for students' wellbeing and failed in their duty of care: "There are examples in the report of inappropriate relationships between staff members and higher education students."

"They should never have happened".

Dr Julie Spenser, Director of the School of Acting, will take Hocking's place temporarily, with further senior appointments expected in the coming weeks.

A person close to the situation said the school plans to implement a suite of recommendations from Tuck by the end of the academic year, including intimacy and consent training for musical theatre students.

Two panels, variously comprised of board members and independent experts, will review the school's policies and governance. Another review of its wellbeing provision is under way.

Cause for concern

There was "cause for concern" over ArtsEd's sexualised environment, relationships between staff and students, and poor supervision of visiting creatives.

Staff misconduct was mishandled, Tuck wrote, saying that a mixture of systemic issues and individual behaviour was to blame.

"Where there were instances of individual misconduct, I had concerns as to why these matters were not reported and whether that was a matter of culture.

"Some former staff members have expressed their views that it was impossible to challenge the Director of Musical Theatre/Principal and both former staff and students have said… it could be 'cult like.'"

When misconduct by freelancers was found, ArtsEd failed to follow its own processes. Staff with pastoral responsibilities received no relevant training, and investigations were not properly documented.

Tuck interviewed 54 people before forming her recommendations, which include potentially increasing mental health help on site and creating guidelines around nutrition and injury.

Students felt pressure to perform when injured and to conform to certain body types, the review found.

"There have been a number of allegations that certain practices or behaviours have been justified because it is preparing students for 'what is required for the industry,'" Tuck wrote.

She noted industry tutors will have "increasingly dated experience" and said ArtsEd should consider workshops with West End producers and directors.

"These should focus on the different kinds of shows and casts that are required… and would serve to ensure that tutors remain abreast of what they are actually preparing the students for."

A step further

These issues are not contained to ArtsEd: in the month allegations surfaced, three other drama schools faced similar scandals.

ALRA admitted shortly thereafter that it had "turned a blind eye to racism". 

Students at Guildford School of Acting, East 15, and the former Poor School said teachers sexually assaulted them or pressured them to perform naked, among other inappropriate behaviour.

An involved person told ArtsProfessional the school had gone further than others by engaging external advice.

The board said it doesn't want to "soften or equivocate" what's in the report but "naturally, it will take all of us some time to digest the full findings" and make changes.

The school has declined to release an anonymised version of Tuck's report, citing privacy concerns.

"It is clear from reading the authoritative conclusions that some of the events that took place within the School of Musical Theatre were wrong and the result of a misguided culture, which was made worse by a failure in leadership," Board Chair Mark Burch said.

"What happened should never have happened. Some staff members acted wrongly. The board of trustees is ultimately responsible for the conduct of the staff, freelancers and visiting creatives and on behalf of ArtsEd, I am deeply sorry."