European theatres warn generation of talent could be lost by Covid

Forty-four major theatres from across Europe are warning that the pandemic could create a "lost generation" of young creative artists, as the development of new work is put under strain.

The European Theatre Convention said a "production jam" is likely to occur on the back of theatres being forced to postpone or cancel entire seasons of performances due to lockdown orders, which could "all but eradicate" the possibilities for young talent to develop, direct and perform new work.

This could continue for the next three to five years, the convention’s board is warning, disadvantaging large swathes of emerging talent trying to create new work or make the move from studying into the profession.

A statement from the ETC said: "This Covid-19 crisis has shone a spotlight on just how precarious our theatre structures are. Some theatres have been forced to close permanently and many actors have been without income and are considering leaving the industry.

"When theatres can reopen, in a context of reduced audiences and stretched finances, they will have to restage entire seasons of performances that have already been cancelled or postponed."

This risks creating "a lost generation of young artists who are unable to develop and grow as normal", the ETC added.

The concerns come as British theatremakers and creative professionals warn of the increasingly serious situation facing UK artists and crews working across Europe.

Yesterday, leading figures told MPs the lack of an agreement between the UK and the EU for creative workers will have a particular impact on young and emerging talent who are less likely to be able to afford, or be approved for, work permits.

The additional challenges posed by the pandemic will therefore cause a "double whammy" effect for new UK talent working in Europe, it has been argued.

The ETC’s statement added: "As publicly funded theatres, we have a responsibility to nourish the next generation of artists and ensure a diverse cultural expression for local audiences and communities. We are now faced with new challenges and we need to pool our resources — and completely change the way we think about supporting emerging artists — to make the little that is left available for us all to create something bigger and richer for the years to come.”

The statement was published by the ETC’s board on behalf of its 44 members, which include Belarus Free Theatre, Théâtre de Liège in Belgium, Volkstheater Wien in Vienna, the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb and De Toneelmakerij in Amsterdam.