It’s time to play fair

The crisis of class representation in the arts is well established – but isn’t being tackled.

Fair Play is RTYDS’ programme of work which addresses the barriers experienced by working class artists, helping them to sustain careers so that they can remain in and thrive in the theatre industry.

Our vision is an industry where socio-economic background doesn’t dictate an artists’ artform, destination or career duration. Where working class leaders can thrive and where our theatre sector is robust, socially just, and able to recognise, develop and nurture working class talent.

Our mission is to bring together theatres, theatre companies, trade unions, and third sector experts alongside mid-career artists across England to identify the cultural and systemic barriers that prevent artists from working class backgrounds from sustaining careers and progressing to leadership.

At the heart of Fair Play is lived experience and a driving force behind the ambitions of the initiative are our two Co-Creative Leads, Caitriona Shoobridge and Stef O’Driscoll, who are working alongside Artistic Director Sue Emmas in designing and delivering the programme.

We are currently working with partner organisations such as: 20 Stories High, Bradford City of Culture 2025, Bradford Producing Hub, Cardboard Citizens, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Stephen Joseph Theatre and Turn2us.

Fair Play Programmes

In the summer of 2025, we’re launching our first wave of Fair Play programmes, including:

Associate Artistic Director Residencies: RTYDS is looking to partner with three building-based producing theatre companies in England (outside London) who make work on the mid-scale. Each will host an experienced director who is working class or from a low socio-economic background, in residence for 18 months. The Associate Artistic Director will develop their craft and understanding of creative leadership in a live theatre environment.

Leadership Pathway Bursaries: A pilot programme which aims to address the significant lack of diversity in those who lead organisations. It will provide a progression route for talented people who hope to be artistic or creative directors. Each participant will receive a fee to cover their time and have access to support, training, workshops and mentoring, working alongside the RTYDS’s current cohort of theatre professionals from similar backgrounds who are already on a pathway to leadership.

Surviving on a Shoestring: A 12-month finance equity programme in collaboration with a theatre’s finance, producing and executive teams to trial new ways of paying creative freelancers who are in receipt of benefits. Both theatre buildings and companies can take part and join on a rolling basis.

Class Assembly: An annual event which will bring together theatres, companies and artists to understand the deep-rooted socio-economic inequity in the arts and take away tangible action points to make change. The next ‘Class Assembly’ will take place in Bradford on September 4th in partnership with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, Bradford Producing Hub and Common/Wealth.

Fair Play Advocates

(L-R Matthew Xia, Nancy Medina, Matthew Dunster, Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE, Julie Hesmondhalgh)

We have also announced five Fair Play Advocates – acclaimed theatre directors and creators – who are championing our bold plan to ensure theatres play fair for working class directors and theatre makers.

Our Advocates are: actor, playwright and director Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE (former artistic director of the Young Vic, London); actor and writer Julie Hesmondhalgh (Coronation Street; Mr Bates vs The Post Office); actor and director Matthew Dunster (2:22 A Ghost Story; The Pillowman); and theatre directors Nancy Medina (Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic) and Matthew Xia (Olivier award-winning Artistic Director of the Actors Touring Company).

Together, we can work to ensure the future leadership of British theatre is more reflective of our society.

If you share our passion for this vital change and want to find out about the programmes and events we run, please get in touch.

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