Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the future of English regional theatre following the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Government recognises how severely regional theatres, and the Arts sector in general, have been hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

That is why, in order to support the sustainability of the Arts sector, including regional theatres, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England (ACE) to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, ACE announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector. This package includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations including regional theatres; and £20 million of financial support for individuals, including self-employed theatre practitioners, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months.

On 23 June, the Prime Minister also announced that from 4 July theatres will be able to reopen for rehearsal, pre-production and broadcast, although not yet for live performance with an audience. I believe that this, alongside the work that we are doing with representatives of the entertainment and events industry to develop supporting guidance, represents the first steps in the roadmap to recovery for our nations’ theatres.

The Secretary of State, Minister for Digital and Culture, and officials continue to consult the Arts sector extensively to ensure we fully understand the financial impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the sector. On the basis of that engagement, DCMS and ACE are continuing to work closely to consider the additional measures that are needed to ensure the long-term recovery and growth of the cultural sector, including regional theatres and theatre practitioners.