Surviving on a Shoestring
Surviving on a Shoestring, a financial accessibility programme originated by Classroom, continues to be supported by RTYDS and produced by Manli Siu (RTYDS Programme Producer).
“Carving out a career in theatre is no easy task for those who experience class inequalities. There are many obstacles to overcome, from competing with a privileged education system, lack of professional networks, caring responsibilities and exhausting time constraints – but perhaps none greater than the financial opacity and instability of creative freelancing”
Surviving on a Shoestring is a pilot programme partnering with organisations across the country to trial alternative methods of paying artists from low socio-economic backgrounds, artists who are in receipt of long-term benefits, and artists who are experiencing long-term financial insecurity.
We believe that no person should have the onus placed upon them to declare poverty trauma or financial hardship to receive payment for their craft in a way that enables them to keep engaging with the industry.
Instead, we would love to see organisations proactively offering alternative payment structures at the point of contracting, allowing artists to focus on what they do best: telling great stories.
If you are an organisation who would like to host a pilot, please get in touch with Manli on manlisiu@rtyds.co.uk.
We’re keen to give as many freelance creatives and artists as possible the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences around this subject.
We want to know how your experience of financial inequity is shaping your access to work. This might include things like the need for fees to be broken into smaller amounts, fees to be paid on a specific date in the calendar month, or anything other than the ‘three instalment’ agreement found in standard creative (by this we mean directors, designers, freelance producers, workshop facilitators) contracts.
You can share your thoughts anonymously by completing our SUPER SHORT SURVEY or by leaving us a 90 second VOICE NOTE.
The theatre partners taking part in the Surviving on a Shoestring pilot are:
