72% of early-career directors considered quitting theatre, survey finds
Almost three-quarters of emerging directors polled as part of a survey into the impact of Covid-19 on their careers said they had considered leaving the arts altogether.
The survey’s creators said its findings represent a "cry for help" from early-career directors working in theatre, who need more support in order to stay in the profession and be prevented from falling through the cracks of existing financial aid.
Between July and September, 106 early-career directors were asked about their experiences during the coronavirus crisis, with 65% saying they had not been eligible for either Arts Council England or government grant support.
Just 17% said they had received an ACE grant, with 7.5% receiving money from central government, and 4.7% applying unsuccessfully.
More than eight out of 10 (86.8%) have had directing work cancelled or postponed as a result of the pandemic, while 34.9% said they had been forced to unexpectedly relocate during the crisis.
In total, 72.6% admitted the period had made them question whether they want to leave the arts completely.
The survey was carried out by the Early Career Directors’ Network, set up by directors Alice Wordsworth, Lizzie Manwaring, Emily Oulton and Anna Marshall, who said they felt directors in their position had been neglected by support and from conversations about the industry’s future, and are concerned they fall between the gaps in financial help schemes.
Across two months, they polled 106 emerging directors, nearly all of whom had directed seven professional productions or fewer and are mostly under 30 and out of education.
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They told The Stage: "In July, as the industry continued in its state of paralysis, we felt that early-career artists were excluded from conversations surrounding the future of theatre and are concerned we will fall through the cracks. We recognise the harrowing time everyone in the industry is facing, but it’s also a really difficult time to be starting out and we wanted to get those voices heard as well."
They said they were "terrified" by the number of directors considering leaving the industry and the amount who have missed out on much-needed funding, pleading for help in seeking financial support that would enable emerging artists to have a future in theatre.
A report into the research’s findings also shines a light on the precarious nature of directing careers, with respondents reporting that the pandemic had caused additional stress on their ability to generate income from other forms of work.
Among those surveyed, 65.1% said they had lost other regular employment during the pandemic, while half had taken jobs outside the arts to survive during lockdown.
Less than 10% said they had been included in conversations about the industry and plans for its recovery, with the majority (47.2%) admitting they had not been included at all, and 43.4% saying ’partly’.
When asked what would be most helpful over the next six months, participants said they needed funding to make work, mentoring and opportunities to network with other professionals working in theatre.
In a foreword to the report, the directors that lead the Early Career Directors’ Network called to be "included in conversations with leading industry members and institutions on how to provide mentoring and networking opportunities for early-career directors".
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