On 4 September 2025, we held Class Assembly Bradford in partnership with Bradford 2025 City of Culture, Bradford Producing Hub and Common/Wealth.

We invited artists and organisations to come together for the day to explore how arts organisations and industry leaders can create a more equitable cultural sector – one where working class artists can thrive as both creatives and leaders.

The day took place between Bradford 2025 City of Culture’s Loading Bay and Common/Wealth’s Common Space, and it included panel conversations, discussions, and artist commissions.

On the Day…

Audio Commission:
In Dialogue by Caitriona Shoobridge and Stef O’Driscoll

Panel: Grassroots Activism: Tackling socio-economic exclusion in the creative industries
Chair: Sue Emmas
Panellists: Beth Hughes (Working Class British Art Network), David John (Equity Class Network), Michelle McGrath (Museum as Muck)

Discussion: What are the barriers preventing working class artists from sustaining creative careers?
Led by: Caitriona Shoobridge, Stef O’Driscoll
Artist facilitators supporting conversations: Kirsty Taylor, Sinead Campbell

Commissioned artists:
Kamal Kaan – Art is a Fart
Nicole Joseph – In and Out the Money
(Listen to recorded versions of this work in our audio series, Class Assembly Legacy)

Panel: Leadership and Class in theatre
Chair: Stef O’Driscoll
Panellists: Chris Sonnex (AD & JCEO, Cardboard Citizens), Ezra Nash (Co-Artistic Director, Common/Wealth), Tanya Vital (Vital Culture)

Artist’s Evening at Common Space
Featuring: Tyty Package, Aisha Akbar, MelaD

About Fair Play

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.

This event welcomes people of all class backgrounds with a particular focus on organisations. Class Assembly is designed for organisations to actively interrogate what the barriers are to career progression for people who are working class / from low socio-economic backgrounds, and to commit to continuing this conversation within their own companies.

What is Class Assembly?

Class Assembly is part of Fair Play‘s Advocacy strand of work. It brings 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.

Our aim is to create a culture shift within the industry when it comes to talking about and recognising class. Change starts with knowledge and action, and the events combine to develop understanding of the landscape by sharing key facts and data alongside experience to build a collective understanding of the barriers in place.

In addition, we facilitate an open and honest conversation where organisations meet artists from lower socio-economic backgrounds to listen, learn, and discover what action can be taken.

In May 2025, we partnered with 20 Stories High and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse to run a day-long event for artists in the north west.