UK Theatre releases 'advocacy document' ahead of election

Industry body UK Theatre has created a new "advocacy document" for the theatre sector ahead of the general election in May.

Entitled Theatre Matters, the document provides information about the "impact of theatre on public life in the UK", including the fact that in 2013 West End ticket sales contributed almost £100 million in VAT.

It also makes four recommendations for the next government.

These are:

– Extend Gift Aid to tickets for charitable performing arts events – currently arts charities could claim Gift Aid on tickets for a film of a Shakespeare play but not a live performance.

– Add the Arts to the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) that enjoy additional government investment.

– Create a Challenge Fund to encourage Local Government investment and leadership in the arts and culture.

– Introduce a mechanism to ensure the arts don't lose out if National Lottery sales fall.

"These are challenging times for theatre around the UK, but we have an incredibly positive story to tell about an industry that is universally acknowledged as the world leader," said Rachel Tackley, president of UK Theatre.

"UK Theatre is talking to politicians with a national brief for the arts and culture but we also need more theatres and theatre companies up and down the country to be briefing their local candidates and getting their support. I hope the Theatre Matters document will be a useful tool to support those conversations."

Read Theatre Matters here