Subsidised UK theatres producing almost a third fewer shows than a decade ago, BBC study finds

A new BBC study has highlighted the change in programming output from subsidised venues in the UK.

In 2024, the 40 most heavily funded theatre companies that create their own work — including organisations such as the National Theatre and the Colchester Mercury — staged 229 original productions. That compares with 332 in 2014, representing a decrease of 31 per cent.

Industry figures have pointed to reductions in public funding and increasing operating costs as key factors behind the decline – and have highlighted the increased rise in co-produced shows.

Some theatres reported that although they are staging fewer productions, the individual shows are often larger in scale than those mounted ten years ago, with an emphasis on longer touring runs or potential transfers to the West End.

The news comes against a backdrop of major cuts to local funding, forcing venues to curtail budgets and revise the number of staged shows produced every year.

A selection of venues have actually increased their number of programmed shows – including Curve in Leicester, which regularly hosts UK premieres and transfers productions to the West End and beyond.