This is excellent news, because the class ceiling is still very much in place in British theatre. Even to contemplate a career in the industry often requires exposure to it, and at a time when arts education and school trips to the theatre are disappearing, that means coming from a family that can afford theatre tickets.
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This article discusses one main topic that needs to be heard and spread across all theatre education institutions. At Carnegie Mellon tuition is ridiculously high. There are also no academic or merit based scholarships. These two aspects combined make attending this school difficult for those who could pay for it all but would create a financial burden on family. The school of drama has recently been more conscious with efforts to make resources available for all students at a lower cost. With some of the projects that us students are given requires materials to be purchased. This then means that our grades are based on whether or not we can afford to pay for all these materials. Things are progressing in terms of the use of the shit cabinet in 33, but there is still work to do. This article makes a very valid point as it mentions that many people in the industry leave to go find better paying jobs because it is unsustainable to live on a theatre salary. This is a problem that systemically we need to change.
Economic status is definitely a factor in regards to exposure to the arts. I have been fortunate enough to come from a household in which buying tickets to see theatre was a common practice. This exposure was crucial in developing my love and appreciation for the arts. Not to mention, I have the financial support to continue into the study and soon practice of the arts. A very important point this writer brings up is how the artform ultimately suffers when socio-economic classes are excluded from theatre. This causes the public to miss out on hearing the voices and seeing the stories of those individuals. We always say representation is an issue, but perputating an economic barrier will not aid in the solution of this issue. I hope that we can continue to develop programs, such as free or discounted student matinees, that give back to the entire community and not just those who can afford it.
This is a topic I am so incredibly passionate about because I truly believe theatre and the arts are for everyone and by everyone. And yet, the majority of people who participate are those who come from more financially stable socio-economic groups. I grew up surrounded by high schools that cut arts programs in order to save money. I watched their student drug rates increase. Teen pregnancy increased. The towns lost their vibrancy. I am a very strong believer in the connecting power of theatre and the necessity of worldwide accessibility to all art forms. We all know how the arts have affected us, have brought us out of our shells, and have helped us grow. Why not make that world accessible to everyone who needs it? Often times the people who need the arts the most are the first ones to lose access to it when funds are tight. Art helps humans process emotions in a healthy way. It helps children learn and gain confidence that helps them succeed in all careers. Socio-economic equality is not talked about enough in our industry and I hope this article is not the last to mention its importance.
This article really speaks to me and the issues I have brought up since being in the D&I committee. The ridiculous tuition amount that goes up 1% every year (and we don’t have tuition freeze WTF?) and the amount I am STILL expected to spend on my drama materials/projects made me question my place in this program almost every day. Asking myself, “are they just trying to weed out the poor students?” every time I had to purchase more materials made me want to use my voice to make sure no other low-income students felt like they couldn’t make it in CMU Drama because of how little their family can contribute. I think this article is right in saying it starts at the training level in the industry. If you teach people from their prime learning time the ways to make theatre inclusive on all levels, it changes the future industry forever.
Inclusivity in the arts is something that seems to be very of the moment - and for good reason. Unfortunately, most of the time these campaigns that are arguing for diversity and inclusion in the arts almost always fail to address socioeconomic diversity and the lack of exposure that people of lower socioeconomic classes have to the arts. In being able to experience art - be it theatre, fine art, music, etc. - poor people are less likely to view or participate in programmes. Even if an economically disadvantaged person is able to access and/or cumulate a passion for the arts and are encouraged to pursue this passion, the ability to pay for an education or follow this passion outside of an education may not be an option. At Carnegie Mellon, we are fortunate enough to be fairly well-endowed, which allows many low-income students - who may otherwise not be able to - to pursue careers in the arts (amongst other areas). Unfortunately, there are still other operational costs (such as materials for projects, etc.) that could serve as a barrier to low-income students.
Exposure to the arts tends to be a perk of higher socio-economic standing as areas with more money to spend have the ability to expose kids to things besides the required curriculum. I didn't begin to take notice of these things until I joined UIL One Act Play in high school and saw that not all the schools even in our division had access to equal opportunities, equipment, and knowledge. Theatre in highschool was also one of the more expensive activities you could be part of. For potential technicians, in particular, this could be detrimental because the world of technical theatre is so niche most parents don't immediately understand what their money is going towards. Socio-economic factors can also affect a person's ability to progress in the field because training, as well as general exposure to theatre through watching shows, can be so costly. Like many before me said, for DPs, in particular, there are also a lot of material costs that can be hard to manage when they're required for class.
While the theatre industry is becoming passionate about achieving equality in gender and ethnicity, it can be easily forgotten that those discussions are only possible for people with sufficient funding for living. However, the discussion would not be realistic enough unless people from diverse backgrounds are involved to provide their perspectives. Therefore, as the article suggests, it is crucial for the industry to hold the doors open and provide continuous support for the people from difficult socioeconomic position to be involved in the industry. On the other side, I believe without arts education and school trips to the theatre, which children are enforced to be exposed to art, there would be no chance for the youth without financial leeway to even find the door. They would not realize the existence of such doors even if it’s open to them. In order to shift the class ceiling of the theatre, we should approach from different angles simultaneously.
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