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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · 10d

Big shout out to @bradford2025.co.uk, Common/Wealth, @bdproducinghub.co.uk & Castles in the Sky for helping us make it happen & to all of the incredible artists that supported the day and shared their work.

Fancy hosting a Class Assembly in your region? Get in touch with us on [email protected]!

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · 10d

Earlier this month, we brought together artists and organisations from around the country for Class Assembly Bradford and WOW, what a day it was!

We were so energised by the day and we’re excited to keep the conversation going around class inequity in the arts.

📸 @tomwoollard.bsky.social

Caitriona Shoobridge and Stef O'Driscoll hosting Class Assembly Bradford

Panel discussion chaired by Sue Emmas, with Michelle McGrath (Museum as Muck), David John (Equity Class Network) and Beth Hughes (Working Class British Art Network).

Panel discussion chaired by Stef O'Driscoll, with Ezra Nash (Common/Wealth), Tanya Vital (Vital Culture) and Chris Sonnex (Cardboard Citizens).

Conversations and artist commissions at Common Space.

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Reposted by Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme

Ardent Theatre Company @ardenttheatre.bsky.social · Sep 5

Delighted to share this brilliant opportunity from our friends at @rtyds.bsky.social to support three working class mid-career directors to develop their practice in a mid-scale theatre for 18-months. Applications close on Thursday 18 September at 10am.

www.rtyds.co.uk/associate-ar...

Associate Artistic Director Residency (artists) - Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme - RTYDS

Fair Play Associate Artistic Director 2026-2027 RTYDS is partnering with three building-based theatre companies (outside of London) to each host a mid-career director or theatre maker from a working c...

www.rtyds.co.uk

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Aug 20

Our residencies are back!

We've partnered with Bristol Old Vic, Leeds Playhouse & @liveveryplay.bsky.social for our Fair Play Associate Artistic Director Residency - paid opportunities for 3 mid-career working class directors.

Deadline: 18 Sep, 10am
Online Q&A: 1 Sep, 4pm
More info: bit.ly/45a8P0V

Associate Artistic Director Residency (artists page) - Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme - RTYDS

Fair Play Associate Artistic Director 2026-2027 RTYDS is partnering with three building-based theatre companies (outside of London) to each host a mid-career director or theatre maker from a working c...

bit.ly

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Jul 2

Our next three Actions for Change for Fair Play are: Sustainability, Time & Financial Accessibility.

If the sector adopted all six of these actions, we believe it could be transformational for artists & companies from working class & low socio-economic backgrounds in sustaining their careers.

RTYDS Fair Play - Actions for Change.
Sustainability.
Freelancers are often given the advice; ‘it’s a marathon not a sprint’.
If we recognise that completing a marathon without access to equipment and practice, a coach, and dedicated training is impossible, then we should understand the same is true for creative freelancers.
Ask your freelancers and employees who are from working class/ low socio-economic backgrounds what they need to stay in for the long run.

RTYDS Fair Play - Actions for Change.
Time.
Organisations need to provide sustained support and investment over a consistent period for working class creatives. Support given over one to two years has the most significant impact as it provides a stable base of resources. This should be provided at all levels of experience and not just for early career workers and freelancers.

RTYDS Fair Play - Actions for Change.
Financial Accessibility.
We need organisations and independent producers to understand and address the financial reality for working class/ low socio-economic background people working in theatre. We need an industry that is more benefits literate and knowledgeable about the impact of precarious self-employment on those claiming Universal Credit.

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Jul 2

As part of Fair Play, we've developed six Actions for Change.

We believe that these actions implemented across the sector could make real change for artists, companies & creative workers from working class & low socio-economic backgrounds.

The first three actions are: Ownership, Evidence & Equity.

RTYDS Fair Play Actions for Change. Ownership.
The sector needs to own and address the problems faced by artists who are working class and from low socio-economic backgrounds to recognise how structures isolate and exclude.
We need organisations to take responsibility for leading on conversations around financial, social, and cultural capital in areas including programming, creative processes, workforce, representation and HR including wellbeing.

RTYDS Fair Play - Actions for Change.
Evidence.
We need data that is specific to theatre. Data that can accurately paint the picture of the specificities of socio-economic backgrounds and how it intersects with all the protected characteristics – and data that considers geographic location in relation to class.
We need to be more inclusive around differing lived experiences of socio-economic marginalisation, including experiences such as the care system, benefit system, criminal justice system and immigration system.

RTYDS Fair Play - Actions for Change.
Equity.
We need targeted funding opportunities aimed specifically at freelance artists, workers and companies who are working class or from low
socio-economic backgrounds, and the organisations who want to create opportunities for them.
Without targeted funding, very little systemic change can happen.

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Jun 26

Cat Shoobridge, our Co-Creative Lead for Fair Play, is in @artsprofessional.co.uk talking about Surviving on a Shoestring - our bespoke finance equity programme:

www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/theatre-initiative-aims-to-support-freelancers-using-the-benefits-system

Theatre initiative aims to support freelancers using benefits system - Arts Professional

A programme for people from working-class backgrounds in theatre is exploring new ways to help creative freelancers get paid while navigating the benefits system. ‘Surviving on a Shoestring’ is an ini...

www.artsprofessional.co.uk

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Jun 25

Introducing the Fair Play Associate Artistic Director Residency, where three building-based theatres (outside of London) can partner with us to each host an experienced working class director.

Deadline for theatres to apply: Thu 10 Jul, 12noon

More info: www.rtyds.co.uk/associate-artistic-director

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Reposted by Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme

The Stage @thestage.co.uk · Jun 23

Former Young Vic leader Kwame Kwei-Armah and 2:22 A Ghost Story director Matthew Dunster have backed a slate of new initiatives tackling "class-based exclusion" within British theatre 👇

Matthew Dunster and Kwame Kwei-Armah back scheme focused on working-class talent

Former Young Vic leader Kwame Kwei-Armah and 2:22 A Ghost Story director Matthew Dunster have backed a slate of new initiatives tackling ‘class-based exclusion’ within British theatre

www.thestage.co.uk

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Jun 24

We're very delighted to announce our five Fair Play Advocates, who are: actor, playwright & director Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE; actor & writer Julie Hesmondhalgh; actor & director Matthew Dunster; and theatre directors Nancy Medina & Matthew Xia!

Read more on our website: bit.ly/4lqihns

Image of the five Fair Play Advocates, from left to right: Matthew Xia, Nancy Medina, Matthew Dunster, Kwame Kwei-Armah, and Julie Hesmondhalgh

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Reposted by Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme

burnleyempire.bsky.social @burnleyempire.bsky.social · Jun 13

We recently met Cat & Sue from @rtyds.bsky.social #RTYDS, at #BurnleyEmpire & learned all about their #FairPlay programme to address the barriers experienced by working class artists, and how they help them to sustain a career within the #theatre industry by tackling socio-economic inequality 👏

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Mar 12

✨We’ve had a glow up✨

Introducing our new logo for Fair Play, our nationwide programme of work that addresses the barriers experienced by artists who are working class or from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more: www.rtyds.co.uk/fair-play

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Feb 25

Want to know more? Find us on:

💻 www.rtyds.co.uk
📷 www.instagram.com/rtyds_uk
📧 [email protected]

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Feb 25

Hi 👋

We are RTYDS & we're running Fair Play, a nationwide initiative addressing socio-economic inequity in theatre.

Our vision is an industry where working class leaders can thrive & where our theatre sector is robust, socially just, & able to recognise, develop & nurture working class talent.

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Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme @rtyds.bsky.social · Nov 19

Hello! Fancy seeing you here 🤩

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