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| Class crisis in the arts must be cracked, says Labour report | Class crisis in the arts must be cracked, says Labour report |
| (6 months later) | |
| Inquiry carried out by party found stage and screen increasingly dominated by people from well-off backgrounds | |
| Mark Brown Arts correspondent | |
| Thu 10 Aug 2017 00.01 BST | |
| Last modified on Tue 19 Dec 2017 20.53 GMT | |
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| The word “class” is often missing in the debate about access and diversity in the performing arts but the issue needs to be tackled by the government, a Labour party report says. | The word “class” is often missing in the debate about access and diversity in the performing arts but the issue needs to be tackled by the government, a Labour party report says. |
| The opposition held its own inquiry into one of the biggest issues in the UK’s cultural sector: inequality, both in terms of who works in the arts and who gets to see it. | The opposition held its own inquiry into one of the biggest issues in the UK’s cultural sector: inequality, both in terms of who works in the arts and who gets to see it. |
| The Acting Up report, published on Thursday, says the performing arts – whether stage, television or film – is “increasingly dominated by a narrow set of people from well-off backgrounds”. | The Acting Up report, published on Thursday, says the performing arts – whether stage, television or film – is “increasingly dominated by a narrow set of people from well-off backgrounds”. |
| It continues: “In an industry where perception and wealth are so important, recognising and understanding the role class plays is crucial. But at the moment there’s a big C-shaped hole.” | It continues: “In an industry where perception and wealth are so important, recognising and understanding the role class plays is crucial. But at the moment there’s a big C-shaped hole.” |
| Tracy Brabin, a former actor and MP who led the inquiry with fellow MP Gloria De Piero, said: “The systematic eradication of arts education in schools, sky-high drama school audition fees, chronic low pay and a lack of diversity behind the scenes are all contributing to a diversity crisis on our stages and screens.” | Tracy Brabin, a former actor and MP who led the inquiry with fellow MP Gloria De Piero, said: “The systematic eradication of arts education in schools, sky-high drama school audition fees, chronic low pay and a lack of diversity behind the scenes are all contributing to a diversity crisis on our stages and screens.” |
| Brabin said “cracking this crisis” was political. “We can’t just leave the industry to drive change. Things like poverty pay are the government’s business and we need them to step into the void,” she said. | Brabin said “cracking this crisis” was political. “We can’t just leave the industry to drive change. Things like poverty pay are the government’s business and we need them to step into the void,” she said. |
| The report is based on two evidence sessions the party held in parliament and more than 100 written submissions. | The report is based on two evidence sessions the party held in parliament and more than 100 written submissions. |
| Among its conclusions and recommendations are: | Among its conclusions and recommendations are: |
| • A revamp of the English baccalaureate in schools, which the report says “has led to a systematic marginalisation of arts subjects, particularly drama”. | • A revamp of the English baccalaureate in schools, which the report says “has led to a systematic marginalisation of arts subjects, particularly drama”. |
| • A call for drama schools to stop charging audition fees of up to £100. “Drama schools are too expensive to apply to and instances of racism and snobbishness inside them are too common.” | • A call for drama schools to stop charging audition fees of up to £100. “Drama schools are too expensive to apply to and instances of racism and snobbishness inside them are too common.” |
| • A widespread culture of low and no pay in the performing arts holds back “all but the most well-off talent” and needs to be tackled by the government. | • A widespread culture of low and no pay in the performing arts holds back “all but the most well-off talent” and needs to be tackled by the government. |
| • Broadcasters, film companies and theatres need to do more to bring on and develop working-class and diverse talent at all levels. | • Broadcasters, film companies and theatres need to do more to bring on and develop working-class and diverse talent at all levels. |
| • Diversity data is “too patchy and often has a big hole where class data should be”. Politicians need to spearhead a move “to recognise socio-economic disadvantage in law” to ensure a framework for better data collection. | • Diversity data is “too patchy and often has a big hole where class data should be”. Politicians need to spearhead a move “to recognise socio-economic disadvantage in law” to ensure a framework for better data collection. |
| Among those giving evidence were Michelle Collins, a former EastEnders and Coronation Street actor, who said: “I didn’t go to drama school, I was turned down by every single drama school. In fact, I got a recall for Central but I think they had their quota of chirpy cockney working-class girls.” | Among those giving evidence were Michelle Collins, a former EastEnders and Coronation Street actor, who said: “I didn’t go to drama school, I was turned down by every single drama school. In fact, I got a recall for Central but I think they had their quota of chirpy cockney working-class girls.” |
| Cush Jumbo, who appeared in the last series of US drama The Good Wife and stars in its spin-off The Good Fight, recalled nearly leaving Central after her first year “because I felt so uncomfortable, so working class”. | Cush Jumbo, who appeared in the last series of US drama The Good Wife and stars in its spin-off The Good Fight, recalled nearly leaving Central after her first year “because I felt so uncomfortable, so working class”. |
| “I remember being told by the teacher who I was studying received pronunciation with that my accent was lazy, that south Londoners had lazy mouths and lazy accents,” she said. | “I remember being told by the teacher who I was studying received pronunciation with that my accent was lazy, that south Londoners had lazy mouths and lazy accents,” she said. |
| She said she was one of only four actors of colour in her year. “It wasn’t until I went to Central drama school that I actually looked in the mirror and realised I was of colour,” she told the inquiry. | She said she was one of only four actors of colour in her year. “It wasn’t until I went to Central drama school that I actually looked in the mirror and realised I was of colour,” she told the inquiry. |
| The report quotes figures that suggest just 16% of actors come from a working-class background, whereas 51% have a privileged background. Another stat says 42% of British Bafta winners attended a fee-paying school. | The report quotes figures that suggest just 16% of actors come from a working-class background, whereas 51% have a privileged background. Another stat says 42% of British Bafta winners attended a fee-paying school. |
| De Piero said it was “time we brought the curtain down on white middle-class dominance in the performing arts”. She added: “It’s not just about the Benedicts and Edwards on screen but the Hugos and Crispins behind the scenes too.” | De Piero said it was “time we brought the curtain down on white middle-class dominance in the performing arts”. She added: “It’s not just about the Benedicts and Edwards on screen but the Hugos and Crispins behind the scenes too.” |
| Culture | |
| Class issues | |
| Inequality | |
| Labour | |
| Gloria De Piero | |
| Cush Jumbo | |
| news | |
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