The Interdependence of Public and Private Finance in British Theatre

Abstract

Introduction. The Research Question. Theatre in Britain operates in a market economy with finance from both private and public sectors. Since 1945, and the founding of the Arts Council of Great Britain, increasing amounts of state support have been provided for activities judged to provide universal public benefits. Yet these were, for many centuries, considered beyond the remit and purpose of government. Accordingly, theatre was reliant almost entirely on private finance. As Britain’s economic foundations remain firmly liberal, that public finance has been integrated into long-standing market mechanisms such that public and private finance have become symbiotically interconnected across the activities that define the industry. This research examines these interconnections while defining the passage of finance between the sectors and noting some of the intentions, motivations and implicit values that lie behind the decisions of those operating in each. This is not a question of comparative artistic value or any judgement of quality, although many will be tempted to read both into the research outcomes; rather it is a description of how public and private finance are now collaboratively intertwined in the creation and presentation of theatre in Britain. Five primary questions are addressed: 1. In what ways, for what reasons, and in what circumstances are private and public finance jointly employed in the creation, production and presentation of theatre in Britain? 2. What are the comparative proportions of public and private finance employed? 3. Have the rationales for public and private finance become interdependent, with each reliant on the other for achieving their separate aims? 4. In what ways are decisions in the creation-to-presentation-to-distribution chain of theatre productions affected by sources of finance? 5. How might the advantages of different funding sources be more widely exploited while attenuating any disadvantages? It is important to be aware of what the research seeks to address and, thereby, what aspects of the theatre world are not of principle concern. In the briefest of summaries, it would be fair to say that the main objectives are to describe the flow of money, its sources, and the rationales of decisions taken for its use. Given the limitless variation of individual intentions, the research focuses on principles and aggregated data rather than the details of specific transactions or fine variations of standard operational models. 6 • The interdependence of public and private finance in British theatre The approach throughout this research has been to observe and listen; to see how things are, how the theatre world actually operates. Unavoidably, the report will contain occasional bias; the interview process itself as well as the selection of arguments for inclusion makes this inevitable, but it is hoped they are only in favour of past research omissions and a desire not to dwell on well-argued positions. The subject matter is far greater than can be covered in one report and it makes no claim to be exhaustive or definitive. Thanks is given to all the interviewees and the many companies, public bodies and individuals who have contributed generously to this report with information, opinion, and explanation. [...]