Award-winning theatre director Sam Mendes has revealed more details of his Theatre Artists Fund.
The new Fund will rollout a £1.5 million, two-year pilot programme in theatres across the UK, with 75% of funds having already been raised for 20 mid-career theatre professionals to receive 2-year contracts at 15 UK venues.
To date, 11 partner organisations are enabling 15 skilled professionals working in craft and technical disciplines in support of the study, including production management, design, company management, lighting, automation, rigging, carpentry, costume, props, draughting, and scenic art.
Recipients of the fund are each offered a full time post with commensurate salary, and will get additional paid mentoring from established freelance professionals throughout their 2 years. Evaluation of the pilot programme is provided by Tonic Theatre.
The organisations signed up so far are Theatre Royal Plymouth, York Theatre Royal with Wise Children, Leeds Playhouse, Chichester Festival Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Belfast, Nottingham Playhouse (with Rocket and Glitter Productions), Unicorn Theatre, Kiln Theatre, National Theatre with National Theatre Productions, National Theatre of Scotland, and Theatr Clwyd.
The funding for the scheme is currently coming from Backstage Trust, Gatsby Charitable Foundation, Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund, Mackintosh Foundation, Swire Charitable Trust, Jacqueline & Richard Worswick, Mama Exhibition Group, and 1 anonymous donor.
Sam Mendes first announced the Theatre Artists Fund programme in 2021 during the Covid pandemic.
The programme has been designed to address the huge shifts in the creative workforce towards film, TV, other careers, exacerbated by the pandemic. Largely affecting mid-career professionals – the ‘exodus’ is also impacting people looking to enter the industry as there are now fewer experienced practitioners on-hand to support essential professional development. This pilot seeks to embed skilled people back into buildings, provide financial stability and value them. A range of models for improvement are being explored, with a view to creating a blueprint for the future.
The pilot is operating in phases, responding to the recovery needs of each organisation which has the facilities and opportunities to enable mid-career professional development. Early partnerships and placements began in October 2022 whilst later partnerships and placements will complete by January 2026 at the latest. The final evaluation will be ready in early Spring 2026.
The Advisory Group for the Pilot Programme has consisted of Kash Bennett, Liz Botros, Paule Constable, Mark Dakin, Alan Finch, Shelley Maxwell, Sam Mendes, Caro Newling, Tom Piper, Indhu Rubasingham, Susie Sainsbury, and Morag Small.
Sam Mendes said in a statement: “This is proof that at least something good has come out of the pandemic, despite the fact that theatre and its practitioners suffered substantially during that time. I very much hope that this is the beginning of a scheme that will help many more theatre freelancers over the next few years. After all, those people are – and have always been – the beating heart of the theatre industry.”
Helen Flower, Senior Costume Assistant, Chichester Festival Theatre, said: “I graduated in Theatre Design and Production in 2003 and worked my way up through the Wardrobe ranks at Chichester Festival Theatre and various UK tours and West End shows. I changed direction to make time for my family and went into teaching; but much as I enjoyed encouraging the next generation of theatre makers, I really missed working in theatre. This scheme has enabled me to get back into the industry I love.”
Justin Audibert, Artistic Director, Chichester Festival Theatre, said: “Everyone in the industry is acutely aware of the challenges for freelance artists, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. The Theatre Artists’ Fund is providing invaluable, practical and financial assistance for both mid-career artists and theatres in helping to smooth out obstacles in the pathway to employment and enabling talent development. It’s win-win for both sides and we’re immensely grateful for their support.”
EJ Saunders, Company Manager, said: “My time as Company Manager at Kiln has been great in terms of career development for me. I have been able to hone and grow my skills and confidence in a supported environment. There have been opportunities and experiences that have challenged me such as transferring the Kiln production of The Wife of Willesden into ART in Boston and BAM in New York City. I have also been involved in recruitment for roles in Kiln’s production department and as a result have given support and mentorship to less experienced freelancers. I am passionate about this part of the role because the backstage industry is lacking in people from underrepresented backgrounds, particularly those from the Global Majority and if people can see and learn from those like themselves, we may begin to break down some of the barriers to access.”
Nicki Brown, Head of Production at the Kiln Theatre, said: “The Theatre Artist’s Fund pilot programme has allowed us to employ EJ as Kiln’s full-time Company Manager, a role that is proving invaluable to us. We have been able to increase our capacity to deliver excellent productions whilst also ensuring we are always providing pastoral support for our freelance workforce. We have also been able to increase our efforts to demystify technical, production and stage management careers – EJ has been absolutely instrumental in this work.”
Director Sam Mendes works across theatre, film and TV, and produces through his Neal Street Productions company, with Carlo Newling. His recent successes include the Olivier and Tony Award winning drama The Lehman Trilogy.
Mendes won an award last night in London for his support of theatre, taking home the Lebedev Award at the annual Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2023.
His production of Jack Thorne’s The Motive and the Cue, which also won best play last night at the awards, transfers from the National Theatre to the Noel Coward Theatre in the West End from 9 December 2023.
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