January 11, 2021 –
Tracking the news across the global theatre industry this week has been a story of ups and downs. With vaccine deployment continuing to ramp up, more and more companies are beginning to formulate solid plans to get back on stage – and make important changes to their structures to support broader equity in the field. In the UK, artists are reeling from yet another lockdown after getting back to work, and now face uncertainty about touring in the EU with Brexit now in effect. Across the United States, the results of our regional confidence survey indicate that while regional theatres find themselves in a precarious position, they feel confident that they’ll be able to emerge from it. Finally, in Australia, where virus case counts remain low, theatre festivals begin the process of returning to live performances with the Sydney Festival having gotten underway.
All that and more, these are the stories we’ve been tracking across the industry this past week.
The Results of Our Regional Confidence Survey
As 2020 came to a close, we deployed a survey to Industry Insiders in more than 60 regions across the United States. In the article linked above, we bring you our top three findings from that survey – revealing regions that are on shaky ground financially, but confident in their ability to find their footing and return strong.
A Cabinet Level Secretary of the Arts?
NPR’s All Things Considered reported this week about the work that advocates are doing to promote the idea of a cabinet level Secretary of the Arts – and the economic sense that it ultimately makes in the way arts organizations support the economic life of the communities that surround them.
State Senator Brad Hoyleman: ‘Detroit-style’ Bailout of Broadway Needed
Stopping by NY1, New York State Senator Brad Hoyleman called for governmental investment in the return of Broadway – one of the primary economic engines of New York City – in a style similar to what the US Government did for the automobile industry following the 2008 market crash.
The first major arts festival of the year got underway in Sydney this past week, and all eyes are on the festival to see if they are able to successfully navigate health and safety provisions. Case counts remained low at the festivals beginning, and as other festivals hope to keep their spots on the Australian arts calendar in the coming months, this will serve as a litmus test for those procedures.
Not Included in the Brexit Deal? Guidelines for Touring Artists and Musicians
The Stage reports on the potential mountain of bureaucratic red tape that now faces touring productions that originate in London with plans to tour in the EU. While short stays won’t require a Visa, work restrictions make it impossible for the artists to work. With no guidance in current law post-Brexit, the industry is asking for support.
In the UK, Many Theatre Workers Are Falling Through the Cracks
As the UK and the West End along with it have whipsawed between being opened and being locked down in response to the virus, many freelancers in the theatre industry are falling through the cracks of governmental support programs, making their outlook for at least the first part of 2021 particularly grim.
Equitable Pay Could Lead to Better Art
In this essay for Howlround, Elsa Hiltner lays out the importance of finding a path to pay equity in theatre – the least of which is that the art produced by artists that are fairly compensated is going to be of a higher quality than when those artists are insecure about their finances.
Are Your Data Points Misleading You?
From Colleen Dilenschneider and IMPACTS, a dive into the way certain metrics might be misleading cultural institutions into thinking things are looking a little better than they are – particularly how stagnating attendance numbers can appear to be growth if you aren’t correcting for population growth.
Industry Pro Webinar: An Update from BroadwayWorld
Webinars Are Back! Join Us January 27th at 3pm Eastern as we reflect back on 2020 and look ahead to 2021 by exploring the trends in data gathered from surveys deployed by BroadwayWorld to theatres and audiences, how we’re reading (and the trends we’re seeing) in industry news, and we’ll be joined by BroadwayWorld Editor-in-Chief Robert Diamond to discuss all of the new features, programs, and opportunities that BroadwayWorld has launched over the last year – and how those can be utilized to supercharge your marketing.
The BroadwayWorld Streaming Calendar is the go-to resource for theatre audiences looking for a theatrical experience in their own living room. The best part? Listings are completely free of charge (with paid boosting options available). Add your streaming content today!
Need a digital program for your audiences?
Then check out Stage Mag from BroadwayWorld! This modern, fully interactive show program comes with an easy-to-use interface for building your program. Check it out at stagemag.broadwayworld.com.
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