Industry Pro Newsletter: New Funding Challenges in the UK and US, New Leaders Take Their Posts

In the UK, there has been a major shift in governmental funding - with Arts Council England moving funds out of London and into the regions, causing a lot of major institutions to sort out how to fill the gap. In the US, programs designed to help businesses and producers make it through the pandemic have been winding down or coming to an end over the last fiscal year - but audiences and other funding aren't yet back to their pre-pandemic levels, leaving leaders in a tough position to figure out how to get their institutions back on firm financial footing.

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Industry Trends

The Broadway League and Actors' Equity Association Negotiate New Production Contract by Cara Joy David

In late September, The Broadway League and Actors' Equity Association kicked negotiations into high gear for the next Broadway and sit-down production contract. The last contract expired, but was extended while the two groups worked through various pandemic-related issues. Equity, ever the fan of a social media hashtag campaign, this week asked its members to share the hashtag #ItsAboutTimeBroadway along with their support for the union.

When negotiations began, Equity asked members to sign a Production Contract Bargaining Support Statement, which stated in part: "[N]o business model should require sacrificing the needs of its workers." In recent materials to its members, the union stated it is focusing on the "core issues of coverage, safety and scheduling" in the negotiations and the League isn't listening. Of course, raises are also on the table.

"Everyone has different thoughts with regard to the roles they play in our industry," said Jessica Rush, a veteran of six Broadway shows and co-host of the Mamas Talkin' Loud podcast. Rush said that age has a lot to do with what issues are most important to a member at any given time.

As a swing and understudy, THE MUSIC MAN's Maria Rose Briggs, stressed the importance of coverage. This involves both getting more people hired to cover and also how those covers are rehearsed. Briggs talked about the dangers of the "split track." In theory, swings go on for one missing cast member and follow that ensemble cast member's track. However, when there are more ensemble members out than there are covers, swings need to perform a "split track," meaning they perform multiple tracks during the same performance.

"[For THE MUSIC MAN], I have done a total of 44 different split tracks," Briggs said, noting that some involved performing for five people at a time. "Our company has four offstage swings for a cast of 41 on stage. We continuously do split tracks. And I think that that's the frustrating part -- we knew that we didn't have the appropriate coverage from the beginning."

Safety is a more all-encompassing issue. It includes things like covering multiple tracks because that can lead to safety issues backstage. But it also includes things like complaints about ventilation and black mold in theaters.

Then there is scheduling. This includes things like an end to "10 out of 12s," which Equity has been pushing in negotiations for at least two decades. (Some theaters and productions have eliminated these -- which allow for technical rehearsals to take place over a 12-hour per day period -- but the Broadway contract still allows for the possibility of them.) It also includes a push for additional personal and vacation days.

"My biggest issue is the personal day situation because it is at the producers' discretion to give you additional personal days," Rush stated. She explained that you are allowed four personal days (in addition to accrued vacation time) under the contract but that some shows are lenient in allowing extra personal days, whereas others are not.

"[Producers] always go back to the contract," she said. "But is it more important to have a cast that feels respected and seen and taken care of physically, mentally and emotionally or hold fast to these four days?"

The Broadway League declined to comment for this story. A source in the organization stated, unsurprisingly, their side was more likely to fold on extra days off than anything that would involve huge expenditures.

Broadway/New York

As Costs Rise, Broadway Explores New Ways to Achieve Profitability

But amid the spate of new shows, producers are also facing higher costs due to inflation and extra understudies, as well as the added stressors of unpredictable and changing audience behavior. There's optimism that the industry will move past this moment, if audiences return in greater numbers, but the timeline and the exact method for getting there isn't yet clear. Click here to read more...

The Tank Introduces New Affordable Rehearsal Spaces Options

The Tank has announced the opening of The Attic At The Tank, a new rehearsal facility with five rooms located on the sixth floor of their present Midtown Manhattan site on 36th Street (312 W 36th St, New York, NY, 10018). In addition to the free performance space The Tank presently offers, artists presenting work at the Tank will be given access to The Attic for up to fifteen hours of free rehearsal time per project. Additionally, The Attic rehearsal spaces can be rented, with discounted rates offered to independent artists and non-profit organizations. Click here to read more...

Lesley Hunter is HERE's First Managing Director

Hunter succeeds Brenna Thomas, director of external affairs, and Meredith Lynsey Schade, producing director, whose exits this year gave the organization the chance to restructure. Hunter's appointment marks the conclusion of a thorough search for a Managing Director who will collaborate with Founding Artistic Director Kristin Marting in a new leadership model. Click here to read more...

Regional

Jorge Valdivia Named Chicago Latino Theater Alliance's Executive Director

Valdivia previously worked as the Director of Performing Arts at the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), where he oversaw the museum's year-round program of activities centered on the performing arts, literature, and film. Additionally, he directed the eclectic Sor Juana Arts Festival, which he successfully expanded to seven locations. Click here to read more...

Sarah Slight Named Raven Theatre Interim Artistic Director

As reported last week, Cody Estle is departing Raven Theatre to take the Artistic Director post at Next Act Theatre. Starting December 1, Sarah Slight will serve as the Interim Artistic Director while the Board of Directors of Raven Theatre searches for a full-time replacement. Click here to read more

In Seattle, What to Do as PPP Loan Funds Run Out

Loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, which were intended to prevent layoffs, available for independent contractors and businesses of all sizes in 2020, followed by a second round in 2021. But what if those resources run out when sales are still below pre-pandemic levels? Three organizations with different budgets, and sizes of PPP loans were interviewed by The Seattle Times: Seattle JazzED, National Nordic Museum, and Seattle Theatre Group. Despite their differences, these groups face the same challenges: Although a significant financial gap has been left by the absence of PPP funding, overall enrollment or ticket sales for 2022 are still below pre-pandemic levels. Instead, they are relying on the community's generosity and innovative economic strategies to propel them forward. Click here to read more...

International

UK Arts Post Cuts: Case Studies from The Guardian

As UK Arts Organizations work through what the future will look like following the major shift in funding from Arts Council England, The Guardian is exploring what these funding changes mean at the individual organization level. Click here to read more...

Missed our last few newsletters?

November 7, 2022 - COVID Continues to Impact the Industry, UK Shakes Up Arts Funding

Ask anyone working in arts administration right now, and they'll tell you that the challenges they are facing are numerous and unprecedented. For many regional theaters, audiences are slow to return - but is that individual ticket buyers or season subscribers? Are they concerned about COVID or is it something else? In Europe, a looming energy crisis is putting the pressure on many organizations budgets, and on top of that the UK announced a major shake up of how they are funding arts organizations in London. As we start to wind down 2022, we're beginning to understand the new challenges being faced in the new normal. As we move forward from here, we'll be tracking the new solutions to these challenges right here in this newsletter. Click here to read more...

October 31, 2022 - Quiet Quitting in the Arts and Supply Chain Woes Hit the Theater

For many working in the entertainment industry, it can often feel like we're living in a different economy than everyone else - the hours maintained have long been different from the rest of the working world, the day to day tasks, the workplace cultures. Some of these things are baked into the nature of the industry - if we're entertaining everyone after their work days, then we need to work at different times than they do - but others are part of the bigger shift towards a better working environment that many creatives and entertainment industry workers are trying to change. This week, a few different stories about how broader economic trends - quiet quitting and the supply chain - are showing up in the arts. Click here to read more...

October 24, 2022 - A Casino in Times Square? Drabinsky Sues Equity

Actors Equity featured prominently in industry news last week - voicing support for a potential casino project in Times Square (in opposition to the Broadway League), as the subject of a defamation suit from Paradise Square producer Garth Drabinsky, and in their continued efforts to organize the dancers at Star Garden Topless Bar - which Industry Editor Cara Joy David provides great in-depth coverage of. All of this comes as the industry continues to work towards a new normal, while facing tremendous challenges on all fronts. Click here to read more...

October 17, 2022 - Unionization Takes a Step Forward at Star Gardens

Questions of access continue to be discussed after an incident at Hadestown last week, ultimately highlighting that there is a deep need for more education around the topic for everyone involved. In the UK, educational access for school children is becoming more challenging than ever before with cuts to funding for those trips. But we lead off this week's Industry Trends section with a great update from Cara Joy David on the unionization effort of the Star Gardens Topless Dive Bar and how that push factors into the wider plans for unionization pushes from Actors Equity Association. Click here to read more...

BroadwayWorld Resources

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Add Your Show to our Regional Events Calendar

As audiences get set to return to in-person performances, and as your company works to market your own return to the stage, make sure you've got your upcoming shows in our regional events calendars. Listings are free of charge, with boosting options available. Get your show listed now

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