Common: Ground – Supporting Working and Under-Class Producers in UK Theatre

Following 18 months of extensive research into socio-economic inequality across the UK theatre industry, COMMON used this research as a foundation to move into the next stage of our work as a sector-support organisation.

As part of our growth we looked to design and delivered the pilot versions of career development programmes for creatives from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In the first year, we were particularly interested in focusing this support toward playwrights and producers.

As a producer-led organisation with learning and representation as two of its core values, Fuel is committed to supporting producers at all ages and stages, currently by offering paid producing internships, full and part-time jobs for producers at different levels (which come with training budget and mentoring support), mentoring and advocacy for independent producers, and initiatives like Producer Farm. We are keen to continue removing any barriers producers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds might face, and to discover new ways we can offer accessible development opportunities.

We, therefore, delivered a COMMON: GROUND event to provide a platform for theatre producers from working and under-class backgrounds to share the barriers to skill and career development they encounter in the industry. COMMON’s Artistic Director, David Loumgair, curated a solutions-focused dialogue with attendees around what support was needed in the sector to enable producers to overcome these barriers.

Our learnings from the discussion enabled COMMON and Fuel to learn how to design new and develop existing career development programmes to provide meaningful support to producers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

This event is delivered with generous support from the Donmar Warehouse.

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