Is financial insecurity the biggest threat to the performing arts?

Walk into any theatre or film set across the UK and you’ll find a space brimming with creativity and talent. The performing arts sector is driven by passion, sustained by the remarkable devotion of its people. And yet many of those who bring our stages and screens to life are navigating a very different reality, one defined by financial uncertainty and increasing personal sacrifice.

At the heart of this challenge is our freelance workforce. Freelance actors, stage managers, designers and technicians have always been the backbone of British performing arts – their talents shape our identity and ensure the arts reach communities in every corner of the country. But many are stretched to the limit.

The financial and emotional toll

The latest Big Freelancer Survey 2025 paints a stark picture, with nearly half of freelance professionals in our sector earning less than the national living wage, and one in three reporting working unpaid hours for over half of their time. These are not early-career artists still building experience, many are highly skilled individuals with years of credits and contributions behind them.

The myth that creative work should be undertaken ‘for love’ or ‘for exposure’ continues to strip talented individuals of the dignity of fair compensation, and when nearly 50% of freelancers are taking on unrelated work to keep their heads above the water, the idea of a sustainable career in the arts becomes increasingly difficult.  

But financial insecurity is only part of the story. The emotional and psychological toll is profound – with low pay, inconsistent opportunities, long hours and isolation all contributing to a landscape in which burnout is rife. Mental health emerged as the second most common reason freelancers are considering leaving the industry – the first being financial strain – and not because they lack commitment, but because sustaining a career in the arts has become unviable.

Threat to the stability of the sector

And we are witnessing the consequences. Talented professionals are being lost to other industries, particularly in areas like stage management, wardrobe and production. These roles are not easily replaced and, as experienced freelancers leave, it places added strain on those who remain, creating a cycle that threatens the very stability of our sector.

We cannot afford to lose these people, not just because they are the engine of our industry, but because the arts – at their best – must reflect the full breadth of our society and that means creating space for all who wish to contribute.

This is not a crisis of talent, nor of commitment. We have a workforce overflowing with creativity, energy and love for their craft, but those alone cannot pay the rent. Passion should never be a reason to accept poor working conditions or instability.

The challenge of AI

As we look to the future, new challenges come into view. The rise of artificial intelligence is already transforming the creative landscape and risking further financial insecurity particularly in areas like voiceover, dubbing and editorial work – spaces that once offered vital income and early-career experience.

Often, AI models are trained on the work of actors and creatives, without credit, consent or compensation. This raises serious ethical questions and threatens to accelerate the erosion of already fragile career pathways.

We must ensure ethical, enforceable frameworks are in place to protect artists’ rights in this emerging digital economy. Innovation should never come at the cost of fairness or respect for human creativity.

Standing alongside freelancers

Freelancers are often called resilient – and they are. But resilience should not be a requirement for survival. If we continue on this path we risk losing not just individuals, but entire layers of experience and diversity that have defined the richness of British performing arts. Our freelance workforce deserve more than praise, they deserve security and a fair chance to thrive.

With all this in mind, Actors’ Trust has expanded its range of support services. Alongside new digital resources – an online benefits calculator and budgeting tools – we have extended our grants offering financial support to actors and stage management professionals when they are unable to work

But expanding services is not enough. In a recent survey of almost 5,000 industry professionals, three quarters said they were unaware of the services we offered. This finding has reinforced the importance of our Acting for Impact strategy to help us reach more actors and stage managers who may need support.

We’re managing this with the help of our ambassadors and members via workshops, events and partnerships. But there is more we want to do, so we need the industry to spread the word.

We want more professionals to know we are here as a safety net when insecurity hits. This is a pivotal moment, the conditions for freelancers must change. Until they do, we will continue to advocate and to act for impact.

For more information on Actors’ Trust, to apply for a grant or to make a donation, visit www.actorstrust.org.uk 

About Actors’ Trust

Actors’ Trust (known previously as The Actors’ Benevolent Fund) has been supporting actors and stage management professionals since 1882. Every year, we spend over £1m helping industry professionals working across sound, stage and screen. When times are tough, we offer a lifeline for actors and stage management professionals who are experiencing difficulties.

The charity was founded by theatrical luminary Sir Henry Irving who deplored the shocking treatment of actors and stage management professionals at a time when there was no welfare state. He passionately believed the industry needed to do more to help its most vulnerable members and Sir Henry became the first actor to receive a knighthood.