Photos

Panto dames gather in London to protest government treatment of the arts

A special day for the arts community saw one of the most colourful protests to date!

An assortment of panto dames
An assortment of panto dames
(© © Philippa Childs / Twitter)
An assortment of panto dames from across the UK came to London to highlight the lack of support for the arts during the ongoing pandemic.

Labelled the #PantoParade, arts workers and more travelled across London, posing for photos and astounding the capital's citizens.

The parade had support from the likes of Will Gompertz from the BBC and MP Caroline Lucas.

An assortment of panto dames
An assortment of panto dames
© Philippa Childs

A large number of the UK's pantomimes have already been cancelled over uncertainty around social distancing, while little of the government's much-trumpeted £1.57bn arts support package has been distributed to date, with payments expected from later next month.

New job support schemes were also labelled "an insult" by producer Sonia Friedman.

— Steve Gregson LBIPP (@stevegregson_) September 30, 2020

— Wolverhampton Grand (@WolvesGrand) September 30, 2020

— Simon Lamrock (@SimonLamrock) September 30, 2020

— Urban Pictures UK (@Urban_Pictures) September 30, 2020

— Oliver Byng (@OliverByng) September 30, 2020

— Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (@BellRibeiroAddy) September 30, 2020

— Bectu (@bectu) September 30, 2020

— Freelancers Make Theatre Work (@FreelancersMake) September 30, 2020

— Alison Thewliss (@alisonthewliss) September 30, 2020

— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) September 30, 2020