Your reports Find reports How can we get the government to believe in theatre and are therefore worth supporting? Issue: How can we get the government to believe in theatre and are therefore worth supporting? Convener(s): Charlotte Smith Participants: Zoe Klinger, Cat Loriggion, Jaimie, Matthew, Jon Spooner, Erica Whyman, Ed Coliere, Graham Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations: Arts Council, Government, … ACE – poor job on lobbying for government funds on theatre’s behalf better people; outsourcing failed in message take responsibility more ACE – are charged with delivering the government policy But they are also creating the policy – so should lobby on our behalf They should listen to the makers more, instead of being inaccessible More tax breaks for private investors (though we would be in trouble if government saw this as a way to further reduce subsidy) Reassess national funding on a local level. Lobby local government to fund their arts centres. Not just fad funding, but longterm. Divert tax payers money away from paranoid foreign policy: Less Guns More Theatre Elitism Problem with elitist perception of theatre within general public consciousness. – is this true? Politicians should come to see more How can we change this perception of elitism? Many people don’t engage because of the idea it ‘wont be for them’ Create loyalty amongst potential and actual audience (brand awareness) to venues / companies / theatre makers Theatre makers take action, developing the audience, … Personal responsibility of the artists to promote work effectively (break through elitist perception Dishonesty at the highest level as to why arts matters / dishonesty at lowest level in terms of promoting as there is a fear of underselling This is a dishonest approach to the audience / government by marketing collateral and by proposals for funding. Theatre is for anyone but not everyone (eclectic niche market) Stop comparing it to theatre or football Must find new ways to define itself Theatre is an asset within the community Focus on regeneration – House prices can be augmented by having a theatre in the area – even if homeowner doesn’t go – they get the inherent value in having a theatre in the neighbourhood! Funds available to build swanky building – but insufficient funding for the programming. Education and workshops are good way to demonstrate quantitative value – more so than being able to understand the value of a production (its quality) Economic conflict: Subsidising short run, experimental innovative theatre is absolutely necessary – innovative productions – risk taking – is important for progress of theatre, Invariably it is impossible to recoup the initial production investment through a short run that has limited brand awareness / pulling power to ensure levels of audience attendance. (no big star long run formula that enables commercial theatre to prosper) 2012 Will emphasis be on sport rather than arts (another battle) – funding being no longer a popular way to spend tax payers’ money?