Following a major donation from Gatsby Charitable Foundation, Theatre Artists Fund has recently been able to raise over £500,000 for a sixth round of grant applications to support struggling theatre freelancers.
The latest funding round has made it possible to distribute 1,003 individual £500 grants to support struggling theatre freelancers this Autumn.
Since the Theatre Artists Fund was created by director Sam Mendes and the Society of London Theatre in July 2020, it has raised £7.8m and distributed 8,294 grants to individuals around the UK. More than 3,000 people, foundations and business have contributed towards the Fund, helping people from over 38 performing arts professions pay rent and bills and put food on the table, during a hugely challenging time for the theatre industry.
From 3 November, a free exhibition by globally renowned photographer Rankin opens at the Fujifilm House of Photography in Covent Garden, celebrating the many faces of London’s theatre industry through a series of nearly 150 portraits. Visitors to the exhibition will be invited to donate to the Theatre Artists Fund alongside other charities. A limited-edition book of the portraits will be released later in November, with a portion of proceeds also going to the Theatre Artists Fund.
Although theatres around the UK can now open to full audiences, uncertainty and financial instability remain a significant issue for the thousands of freelance theatre workers in the UK, and there is still a high demand for Theatre Artists Fund support. Donations to the fund provide an essential lifeline and go directly to those in need.
Full details of how to apply and how to donate to the Theatre Artists Fund are available at theatreartists.fund.
