The ABTT Core Values Working Group was formed in response to our membership wanting to achieve greater gender equality, diversity and inclusion within theatre and the arts. We hope to drive tangible change across theatre and the wider performing arts and creative industries as well as within our own membership.
If you would like to be involved in this rive for change please contact admin@abtt.org.uk

Relevant movements or initiatives

#PullUpOrShutUp initiative: A call to action for Black representation in British theatre
We encourage all our members, and all organisations in the sector, to respond to the calls to action outlined on this website: https://theatrecalltoaction.wordpress.com/

These asks include reporting on the diversity of our workforces and Boards from the last ten years, reporting on the diversity of playwrights and creative teams, and clarifying the measures in place to ensure the safety of Black workers.

We are working on our response, although as with many organisations we have restricted resources due to many of our staff being furloughed. For any organisations in similar positions we recommend contacting the organisers through their Twitter account and outlining your plans and timelines for reporting: https://twitter.com/TheatreCTA

#WeShallNotBeRemoved is a UK disability arts alliance formed as an emergency response to the pandemic. IT is a forum to advocate, to campaign and support D/deaf, neurodivergent and disabled creative practitioners and organisations through and after Covid19.

Relevant petitions that need your signature or action:

DCMS Select Committee – lack of evidence from under-represented groups, especially Black British Theatre and disability and inclusive arts

Looking through the list of theatres that have submitted written evidence to the DCMS Select Committee, there is a lack of voices there from under-represented groups / theatre organisations whose work focuses on promoting work by people who are Black, Asian or minority ethnic, D/deaf and disabled for instance, or which represents diverse communities. We therefore encourage anyone or any organisations who want to add their thoughts to do so. Your submission doesn’t have to be long at all. The deadline is next Friday (June 19).

Amanda Parker is collecting this information relating to Black British theatre and practitioners, or any other minority ethnic groups, so please contact her here: aparker@incarts.uk
For any submissions relating to D/deaf and disabled work and practitioners, please contact us at: ukt@soltukt.co.uk

 

Relevant toolkits and resources:

Socio-Economic Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts: A Toolkit for Employers, based on evidence from a decade of the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme.

Photo library featuring people of colour in off stage roles

Partnership for London and the Roundhouse’s Self-Made Sector: Working in the creative industries report

Understanding the Legal Framework around Discrimination

Panic! Social Class, Taste and Inequalities in the Creative Industries

Maya Productions’ Pocket Guide to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Role Models and Leaders in the Performing Arts

Arts Council England’s Equality Action Plan Guidance

Arts Council England’s Making a Shift report

17 UK Orgs Supporting Black People in the Arts

Catherine Kodicek talking about women in theatre for International Women’s Day as part of a panel on Soho Radio show What’s Offstage:

Relevant organisations:

Candoco –  dance group that integrates able and disabled dancers.

DASH Arts – a disability arts organisation in Shropshire.

Disability Arts Cymru – disability arts organisation for Wales

Disability Arts International is a website and regular digital newsletter developed and coordinated by the British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

Diverse City is an award winning organisation committed to diversity and equality in the arts.

Deafinitely Theatre – a Deaf-led theatre company.

Disability Arts Online – website discussing Disability Arts with blogs, news, interviews and reviews.

Drake Music Project – works with disabled people to create music.

Extant – Britain’s only performing arts company for visually impaired people.

Face Front creates theatre that pioneers social change for an inclusive world. They use the transformational power of theatre to improve emotional well-being and address social injustice.

Graeae – champions accessibility and provides a platform for new generations of Deaf and disabled talent through the creation of trail-blazing theatre

Jerwood Arts  is the leading independent funder dedicated to supporting UK artists, curators and producers to develop and thrive.

Mind the Gap – a theatre group for people with learning disabilities.

Shape Arts is a disability-led arts organisation which works to improve access to culture for disabled people by providing opportunities for disabled artists.

Society for Disabled Artists is a charity that celebrates artists with a wide range of disabilities and enables them to develop their art within a supportive and creative environment.

StageSight’s  vision is to create an off stage workforce that is more reflective of our society today, inclusive of ethnicity, class and disability.

Tonic Theatre believes greater gender equality, diversity and inclusivity in theatre and the arts is not just desirable but eminently achievable

Prism Arts – supporting excluded groups in Cumbria to realise their creative potential

Relevant updates and notifications:

Statement from Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre on improving diversity in the industry
In response to current events and the Black Lives Matter movement, SOLT and UK Theatre have written a statement giving thoughts on our industry can improve representation in our workforces and on our stages. Please read their statement here:

SOLT and UK Theatre Inclusion & Anti-Racism Working Group

In response to the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement returning to prominence, leading industry bodies SOLT and UK Theatre have recently launched the Inclusion & Anti-Racism Working Group. The Group is seeking ways in which the industry can remove any forms of systemic racism, and create clear, actionable inclusion and anti-racism policies. The first meeting took place last week and they are now looking for diverse, underrepresented individuals to attend future sessions.

Leading disabled artists and cultural leaders send open letter to UK Culture Ministers

Over 100 leading disabled artists and cultural leaders have today sent an open letter to The Secretary of State for Culture Oliver Dowden MP and devolved UK Culture Ministers, demanding safeguards to protect the future of disability arts in the UK as a consequence of Covid19.

The letter warns that the pandemic has magnified inequalities for disabled people working in the creative industries. Disabled cultural leaders are calling on the government to implement a range of measures to ensure the renewal and recovery of the cultural sector is more inclusive and offers greater access and representation.
The open letter was organised by the new UK Disability Arts Alliance #WeShallNotBeRemoved.