Our next Class Assembly will be in partnership with Bradford 2025 City of Culture, Bradford Producing Hub and Common/Wealth.

Thursday 4 September 2025, 11am – 5pm

We are inviting 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 will include guest speakers, panel discussions, artist commissions, and a Q&A.

It will take place between Bradford 2025 City of Culture’s Loading Bay and Common/Wealth’s Common Space.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

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.

Practical Information

Access

As you can see from the schedule, the day will be divided into two parts; the welcome and first part of the day will take place at Bradford 2025 City of Culture’s Loading Bay and the afternoon will take place at Common/Wealth’s Common Space.

Addresses below:
– Loading Bay, 1 Duke St, Bradford, BD1 3QR
– Common Space, 1-3 John St, Bradford, BD1 3JT

It is a five-minute walk between the two venues. Please find the route below:

The first venue (Loading Bay) is an 11-minute walk from Bradford Interchange train station / 6-minute walk from Bradford Forster Square train station.

If you’re driving, Kirkgate car park (Godwin Street) is a 4-minute walk from Loading Bay.

Bradford 2025 City of Culture has created a visual story to help you plan your visit to Loading Bay in Bradford City Centre. Click here for the visual story.

For accessibility information for Common Space, go to their website here. Common Space has a quiet room on the ground floor which is open for all to use. It is a multi-faith quiet room open to all, and they have prayer mats available (or you are welcome to bring your own).

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