Artists Sign Open Letter Calling On National Theatre To Reinstate Primary Theatre Schools Touring Programme 

Around 80 artists and arts industry groups have signed an open letter calling on The National Theatre (NT) to reinstate its primary schools theatre touring programme. This comes after NT decided to impose a 100% cut to their live theatre touring to primary schools across England, which came into effect after the 2023 Primary Theatre production of Hamlet (adapted by Jude Christian, a signatory of the open letter).

Signatories also include high-profile actors such as David Morrissey and Alfred Enoch; the playwright Roy Williams OBE FRSL known for Death of England and Sucker Punch; alongside artists, trade unions and other industry groups. 

In the letter, the signatories write “to express profound concern at the 100% cut to The National Theatre's (NT's) Primary Theatre touring programme”. They state that the open letter follows a private letter submitted to the NT Board in June and signed by over 50 actors, directors and sector workers.

The letter goes on to talk about the damage done to working-class communities through the removal of the programme; the reduction of opportunities for performers, creatives, and production staff; and the programme's cost being a fraction of NT's multi-million pound budget, which includes public subsidies.

The signatories call on the Chair of The Board of Trustees, Sir Damon Buffini, and Director Designate, Indhu Rubasingham, “to listen to the demands of NT's community” and:

•   Reinstate Primary Theatre touring across England, with performances in schools, demonstrating the unquantifiable value of theatre in the community;

•   Expand the touring programme and secure its long-term future.

Equity's General Secretary Paul W Fleming and President Lynda Rooke have also signed the letter, alongside a number of the performing arts and entertainment trade union's members, committees and groups. This includes Equity's Class Network, which represents the union's working-class members in the fight to make the industry less elitist. 

Equity's Class Network says: “The National Theatre Primary Touring programme creates transformative opportunities for young people nationwide, some of whom possibly never had the privilege to witness live theatre before. These experiences not only have enduring, intrinsic value, but inspire young people to dream of a career in the arts. The National Theatre must urgently reinstate this work, ringfencing the budgets to protect these opportunities for a generation. In uncertain times, it is the tired narrative of austerity to punish those most in need while claiming there was no other choice. We must protect the jobs and opportunities that the programme offers to creatives, actors and theatre workers.”

The above signatories are joined by people from a number of arts organisations, including Seamus John Allen, Head of Foundation at Oxford School of Drama; Emma Manton, a Royal Shakespeare Company/Globe Learning Practitioner; and Jon Bromwich, previously Executive Producer at British Youth Music Theatre.

Other signees include members of unions such as the National Education Union (NEU), Bectu, the Writers' Guild of Great Briain (WGGB), Musician's Union (MU), Artists' Union England (AUE), University and College Union (UCU), Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), and more.

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