Union welcomes rise in theatre funding

Plans for an extra £25m of theatre grants have won BECTU's approval.

However, the union is concerned that two theatres, in York and Chester, were given no increase when the Arts Council announced grants to 194 organisations yesterday (March 8).

York's Theatre Royal and the Gateway in Chester will continue to receive their current level of funding, but do not benefit from increases which in some cases have quadrupled public subsidies paid to local theatres. The new money is due to be spent over the next three years.

BECTU has campaigned against low pay in the sector, and last year condemned the hidden subsidy represented by poor wages. The union has welcomed the emphasis placed on new production by the Arts Council when it detailed the new grants, but will be looking for proper pay rates once new shows begin to appear.

Despite the significant increases announced yesterday, the union is not planning to abandon its campaign for better public funding of theatres. A promise in Labour's 1992 manifesto for local authorities to be obliged to subsidise arts organisations has not yet been honoured by the government, and BECTU intends to keep up pressure on Ministers.