The UK creative industries are a success and writers are central to that. As the UK faces a General Election on 4 July, WGGB has today (6 June 2024) launched a manifesto which calls on whoever forms the next Government to implement our recommendations around four key areas, which we believe will protect, nurture and support UK writers.
Writers create the stories which form the bedrock of our world-leading creative industries, currently worth over £124 billion to the UK economy. Yet they are often underpaid, unprotected and their vital contributions overlooked.
Currently, whole sections of our industry are struggling to survive – theatres are closing or ceasing to develop new work, the number of UK independent films has been steadily reducing and our public service broadcasters are commissioning fewer original works.
This is reflected in what WGGB members have been telling us. A poll of WGGB theatre members post-pandemic found that 74% of playwrights had lost income due to the Covid shutdowns and 50% believed they would not be working in two years’ time. And a WGGB survey on writers and AI published in 2023 found that 65% of respondents believed that increased use of AI would reduce their income from writing, while 61% were worried that AI could replace jobs in their craft area. Continue reading
Due to incredible demand, Chris Stapleton adds final European show to his colossal ‘All American Road Show’ World tour. The newly announced date will take place 
Martha Watson Allpress’ Lady Dealer made its debut last year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and to critical acclaim. A year on, the hit show returns to the Bush Theatre for a month long run, again to critical acclaim. The show’s lead Charly, a drug dealer dealing with the after affects of heartbreak. Performer Alexa Davies, who reprises the role tells us more about the role, what she’s learned from taking part in the production and what audiences can expect!
A packed line-up featuring nearly every musical playing in the West End has been unveiled ahead of this year’s West End LIVE. This free celebration of London’s world-leading theatre scene comes to Trafalgar Square on the weekend of 22 and 
The Manchester Culture Awards are back for 2024 with nominations opening this week for the prestigious awards that recognise the city’s cultural and creative highlights over the last year.
The Southwark Playhouse have announced the FORGE artist development programme, a programme that will support 4 exceptional emerging companies who will become attached to the Playhouse for 9 months, receiving free rehearsal space to R&D ideas, dramaturgical support from the Southwark Playhouse senior artistic team, free office space for producers and a week-long slot to platform a show in ‘The Little’ space to a paying audience. The scheme will also provide industry mentorship from established theatre professionals and bespoke workshops from the Playhouse team on a variety of key learning topics, to guide and empower them in this creative journey.
Norwich Theatre, one of the leading cultural institutions in the UK, has released the findings of a survey that sheds light on theatre attendance patterns across Britain. In the survey of over 2,000 British adults, it was found that almost one in four Brits (24%) have never attended a theatre performance.