Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Releases New Report on Diversity in UK Drama Schools

Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation today releases a new report examining diversity within UK drama schools. As a follow-up to the Foundation's 2016 Centre Stage report, Centre Stage 2021 examines, through surveys and interviews, how 15 leading UK drama schools have addressed challenges highlighted in 2016 to build a more diverse and inclusive intake. The report uses its findings to set out recommendations that will continue to drive progress for students from ethnically diverse or low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Key research findings suggest that, since 2016, drama schools have seen the diversity of their student intake has slowly increased from 14% in 2016 to 21.5% in the 2019/20 academic year. However, diversity in some student cohorts is in single percentage figures.

Positive signs of progress include:

• 64% of drama schools have appointed special advisors to improve the reach of their audition and application processes.
• 57% of drama schools have reviewed and enhanced their access and outreach participation teams.
• 60% of drama schools have appointed diverse candidates into management and academic roles.
• 76% of drama schools have partnered with state schools, regional theatres and other community organisations to reach under-represented groups.
• A direct correlation is clear between those schools that used regional auditions, fees for which were waived for the most disadvantaged groups, and those with the highest increase in the diversity of their student intake.

Researcher Danuta Kean has found that three central recommendations made in the Centre Stage 2016 report have driven improvement:

• Fee waivers for applicants from the poorest backgrounds
• Regional auditions to reduce attendance costs;
• Investment in partnerships with state schools to challenge perceptions about inclusivity in the theatre.

However, whilst celebrating this progress, the report makes it clear that there is still a long way to go:

• In 5 years, the diversity of the student population has only improved by 7.5 percentage points and diversity in some student cohorts remains in single percentage figures.
• The target of 50% of places to be funded by scholarships and bursaries has been achieved by three of the 15 drama schools surveyed.
• There remains a low representation of people of colour in academic and management positions across UK drama schools.
• The Covid-19 pandemic represents the biggest threat to ongoing diversity efforts, including the sustainability of outreach and inclusion programmes due to shutdown or diversion of money from donor organisations.
• All 15 drama schools said funding aimed at improving inclusion had suffered.

Written and researched during 2020, the report calls for the momentum seen around the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer in the UK to be a catalyst for ongoing and meaningful change, particularly as the industry builds back from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Notable industry figures share their perspectives on what diversity brings to the UK theatre industry and how we can make meaningful change for generations to come. This includes Artistic Director of the Young Vic, Kwame Kwei-Armah; Golden Globe winning actor, writer, producer, DJ, Idris Elba;

Emmy, Tony, Grammy award winning actress and singer, Cynthia Erivo; Hamilton star, Giles Terrera, Chief Executive Producer of Shed in New York, Madani Younis and Lion King, Cinderella actress, Gloria Onitiri.

Andrew Lloyd Webber, in the report's foreword, said: "Five years ago my Foundation commissioned a report on diversity in the theatre, or rather the lack of it, with the conclusion that theatre was "hideously white". Five years on there has been change, but not nearly enough.

"Excellent initiatives are indeed taking place. Get Into Theatre, the online careers resource funded by my Foundation and produced in partnership with The Stage, steers young people from underrepresented backgrounds to where they can get help.

"Opportunity in education is the only way to unlock diverse talent so it can succeed in the theatre. Education costs money. My Foundation funds up to thirty scholarships annually. They are awarded strictly on the basis of need and talent. It speaks volumes that 70% of the current scholars are people of colour. Theatre schools need more scholarships, not just for performers, but for every discipline. I implore anyone who really cares about diversity in theatre to consider funding a scholarship. "

Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation suggests that this change should be focused around:

• investment, into funding support for a wider range of artistic roles
• management, needing to reflect the diversity of its students;
• sustainability, specifically maintaining the pressure required to keep diversity top of the agenda.

Diversity at senior management level is seen to be the most important catalyst for change.

Mark Wordsworth, Chair of Trustees at Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation said: "Our Centre Stage 2021 research was about listening, understanding and setting a challenge for us all to do better. The report shines a light on achievements made and examines the further steps necessary to ensure there are no barriers for the brightest talent to succeed. We sincerely hope that others reading this research will feel compelled to act on the recommendations it makes. This is not about pointing fingers. It is about pushing the bar and striving for us all to achieve more."

Centre Stage 2021 includes reflections from numerous Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation scholars about their experience of diversity at drama school and how they view the industry that they have recently entered.

Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation currently provides 30 performing arts scholarships every year for talented students with financial need, and diversity is now a key criterion for this funding: 70% of their funded scholars are people of colour.

Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation continues to carry out research, spark conversations and champion the importance of diversity of all kinds through its work. If you want to be a part of creating positive change, please seriously consider funding a performing arts scholarship and support talented students from under-represented backgrounds to grow and thrive. For more details on how Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation can help you fund a scholarship at no extra cost, contact Sarah Miller enquiries@andrewlloydwebberfoundation.com

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