Human resources

Freelancers in England's creative and cultural sectors are being invited to participate in research carried out on behalf of Arts Council England (ACE).

Academics from University of Essex Business School and East 15 Acting School are conducting the research that will help ACE “build a picture of the freelance workforce in all the disciplines it supports”.

The first stage of the research is a survey asking current freelancers, or those who have freelanced in the past, to share their experiences of working in combined arts, dance, literature, libraries, museums, music, theatre and the visual arts.

The survey is open for responses until 31 October.

Project leader, Professor Melissa Tyler, said researchers “want to use this project to give freelancers a voice”.

“We are delighted to be leading this survey and research project which will help shape Arts Council England’s policy and planning for the next three years, making sure that support is targeted where it is most needed.”

Michelle Dickson, ACE Director, Strategy, said that, by taking part in the survey, freelancers “will be helping us to understand the opportunities and challenges that they are facing”.

“[This] will help us at the Arts Council develop better policies and advocate for a fairer and more sustainable future for workers across the cultural sector.”

Arts Marketing Association (AMA) is trialling a four-day working week.

The trial, which began yesterday (2 October) and will run until the end of March 2024, will see the remote working organisation adopt a standardised Monday to Thursday, while retaining flexibility for staff to adjust their working pattern and days accordingly.

Full time AMA staff members will reduce their hours from 40 to 32 per week during the trail, with no reduction in salary.

The announcement sees the organisation become the latest in the cultural sector to adopt the working pattern, following in the footsteps of organisations such as Flatpack Festival and 64 Million Artists.

AMA Head of Operations and Events, Danielle Patrick, said equity was a big factor in the move.

“Typically, women take on more unpaid work outside of their paid working hours. At the AMA, we have a majority female team, so this helps to redress that balance," Patrick said.

"It gives staff more free time for leisure, supports those with children or other caring responsibilities, and benefits those with long-term health conditions.

“We’d like to thank Flatpack Festival for being so generous in sharing their experiences with us, and 64 Million Artists for being a source of inspiration.”

Arts Council England (ACE) has confirmed that it has reached a settlement with a former member of staff whose claim of being harassed in the workplace over her gender critical views was upheld by an employment tribunal.

Denise Fahmy raised claims of harassment and victimisation against ACE after questioning during an internal meeting held in April 2022 why a grant to the LGB Alliance had been withdrawn.

In June an employment tribunal upheld her claim of harassment while dismissing the claim of victimisation.

ACE has said that an agreement has now been reached which resolves the case.

An ACE spokesperson said: "We respect the findings of the judgment and are sorry that despite the actions we took at the time, a member of our team experienced harassment at work. 

"We are committed to making sure that similar instances do not happen again, and that we are an organisation where every staff member, no matter who they are, or what beliefs they hold, is treated with dignity and respect, and ultimately feel they belong." 

In a statement posted on her Crowd Justice web page, which she used to raise funds towards the legal costs of the claim, Fahmy said: "Many people working in the arts are deeply affected by the intolerance within the sector. 

"I hope my case has helped shine a light on that. I will continue to fight for freedom of expression in the arts."

Shetland Arts has announced it is offering 15 staff voluntary redundancy in an attempt “to avoid the need for compulsory redundancies”.

The redundancies will be offered to staff at office and manager level. 

The organisation's trust said the measures were necessary due to its current financial situation, after commercial income failed to return to pre-Covid levels and emergency funding had ended, with costs “continuing to escalate”.

“This reduction in commercial income and increasing costs means the organisation needs to make savings,” a spokesperson for the trust said.

According to local press, total savings of around £318,000 need to be made, with around half of those savings found already.

Theatre directors will receive pay rises in each of the next four years as part of a deal struck by performers' union Equity.

The union said that following negotiations with SOLT/UK Theatre, it has achieved an immediate 10% increase to minimum rates for directors in the West End and 6% in the commercial and subsidised sector.

In the West End, minimum rates will rise by 5% in Year 2 of the four-year agreement, and the CPI measure of inflation plus 2% in Years 3 and 4.

For commercial and subsidised theatre, minimum rates will rise by 5% in Year 2 and CPI plus 1% in Years 3 and 4.

Paul W Fleming, Equity General Secretary, said: "Through the incredible efforts of our members and staff we have made substantial progress in ensuring that the minimum rates can begin to match the going rates, and eliminate producers who undercut their peers to the detriment of our members. 

"There is work still to do, but Equity’s unique place at the table, along with growing theatre director membership and activism means we are in a better position than ever to advance our agenda of a fair deal for directors."

A scheduled six-day strike by staff at the British Museum has been called off after a new pay offer was made.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union said it had suspended the strike, due to begin today, after the museum presented it with an offer that "addresses the most pressing concerns of its members".

It said that although the offer falls short of meeting the union's entire claim, it includes significant concessions including a a cost-of-living payment exceeding £1,500 for most members.

The museum has also said that all staff will receive at least the London Living Wage (LLW), and has offered a percentage increase for all other staff beyond the civil service pay remit guidance.

PCS said the overall award, including both consolidated and non-consolidated elements, amounts to approximately 14% for the lowest-paid members of PCS. 

The offer is yet to be accepted and negotiations with the British Museum are set to continue.

Mary Doolin, PCS Full-time Officer, said: “Strike action is always considered a last resort. 

"The decision to suspend the strike demonstrates PCS' willingness to engage in dialogue when reasonable offers are made by employers."