'Equity making ambitious but reasonable claims' – union responds to new theatre report

Equity, the performing arts and entertainment trade union, has responded to a report from the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre (SOLT and UKT). UK Theatre is the trade body representing the UK’s theatre producers and owners.

The report shows that London’s West End generated £1.08bn in revenue and an increase in audiences last year. It also recognises that theatre is labour-intensive and place based, dependent on skilled people working together in real time.

In the union’s response, general secretary Paul W Fleming referred to the ongoing negotiations between Equity and the SOLT and UKT, saying that Equity is:

making ambitious but reasonable claims for performers, stage management, and across the creative team this year.

And Fleming highlighted that:

theatre is about its workforce above all else.

Fleming said:

SOLT & UKT are to be congratulated on setting out a constructive and detailed report which shows recent successes, a solid foundation, but an uncertain future.

That future can be secured by the government stepping up the detail, delivery, and funding needed for a serious industrial strategy for the sector – a sector which is a powerhouse for many local economies and the UK creative industries.

Theatre is about its workforce above all else, and it is positive to see bosses preparing for meaningful increases in workforce costs.

With Equity making ambitious but reasonable claims for performers, stage management, and across the creative team this year, it’s important that West End, Commercial and Subsidised producers share the success detailed in the report with our members – without whom the show does not go on.

Equity’s negotiations with the SOLT and UKT began at the end of last year. They cover the agreements that set minimum pay, terms and conditions for performers and stage management working in the UK’s West End, Commercial (larger scale, for profit) and Subsidised (regularly funded with public money) sectors.

Equity’s demands across the theatre industry

Equity’s key demands are for improvements in:

Pay: the union is seeking significant and meaningful pay increases so the theatre workforce can keep up with the cost of living.
Hours: rehearsal and performance schedules can be gruelling, with six days a week and eight or more shows a week. The union is calling for shorter working weeks in the rehearsal period and improved holiday provision.
Digs: poor quality and unaffordable accommodation for those on tour or relocating for work remains a major concern. Expensive and often sub-standard accommodation contributes to poor health and wellbeing. Equity is calling for it to be improved.

The report from SOLT and UKT shows that:

More than 37 million people attended SOLT and UKT member theatres in 2025.
In 2025, the West End alone drew a record 17.64 million people (up 3.16%), generating £1.08 billion in revenue (up 4.1%).
The West End attracts more than two million more people each year than the entire Premier League, and nearly three million more than Broadway.
Theatre is labour-intensive and place based, dependent on skilled people working together in real time. These are jobs that cannot be automated, outsourced, or replaced by AI.
From actors to writers, directors to designers, theatre develops the talent that powers Britain’s global screen success.
Real-terms ticket prices have fallen since 2019.
More than a third of organisations forecast operating deficits this year. This rises to over half among subsidised theatres where pricing flexibility is most limited and public funding has not kept pace with inflation.

Featured image via the Canary