On 14 May 2025, we held Class Assembly Northwest in partnership with 20 Stories High and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse.

Class Assembly Northwest was a gathering to understand the deep-rooted socio-economic inequity in the arts and come away with tangible action points to make change.

We invited artists and organisations to come together for the day. Change starts with knowledge and action, which is why the day was split into two parts:

Part One: Understanding the landscape. We will share key facts and data alongside experience to build a collective understanding of the barriers in place.

Part Two: An open and honest conversation over some scran. Leaders in the North West’s arts sector will meet artists from lower socio-economic backgrounds to listen, learn, and discover what action can be taken.

Together, we explored how arts organisations and industry leaders can take tangible steps to dismantle barriers and create a more equitable cultural sector—one where working class artists can thrive as both creatives and leaders.

We also invited two artists from lower socio-economic backgrounds to create and perform an artistic provocation offering insight into class equity in the arts; whether it was an exploration of barriers, lived experiences, moments of change, or future possibilities for a more inclusive and equitable creative industry.

You can listen to recorded versions of Gobshite by Daneka Etchells and Scrounger by Felix Mufti in our audio series, Class Assembly Legacy.

Class Assembly Northwest is part of RYTDS’ Fair Play and is presented by 20 Stories High’s Power UP! and Everyman & Playhouse’s Everyman Connects programmes.

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. Class Assembly is part of advocacy strand of work. For more information about what we do, go to: www.rtyds.co.uk.

20 Stories High’s Power UP! Programme is a pillar of 20 Stories High, which explores how we can all do better together and how we can be more inclusive practitioners in the arts. It is an integral part of our external Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Activism work.

Everyman Connects is a series of work from the Everyman and Playhouse to further our commitment to equity and diversity within our buildings and the theatre sector. Through discussion, performance and action, Everyman Connects invites in our community to develop best practice and an inclusive, welcoming theatre.

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.