Glyndebourne pledges financial support for freelancers

The Glyndebourne Freelancer Fund will support freelance artists and creatives.

Sarah Hopwood, managing director of Glyndebourne, said: “The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have been catastrophic for the performing arts, with the negative effects falling disproportionately on the sector’s freelance workers.

“Over the past 15 months, we have all become much more aware of the imbalance between performing arts companies and the freelancers who make up 70 per cent of the theatre workforce. Glyndebourne will only survive and thrive if we can call on the skills and expertise of those people and we’re determined to play a part in helping to create a new, more equitable support structure for them. Whilst we can’t change the future for freelancers on our own, we can lead the way, so I am really delighted to announce the launch of the Glyndebourne Freelancer Fund."

The Glyndebourne Freelancer Fund will be developed during 2021 but the company has made a formal commitment to ring-fence funds equivalent to ten per cent of the value of its annual freelancer costs, to support its contracted freelancers in times of need.

“Glyndebourne suffered substantial financial losses when it was forced to cancel its 2020 festival due to the Covid-19 pandemic and is forecast to lose millions more this summer by putting on a socially distanced season with only 50 per cent of its usual audience permitted. It intends to release additional tickets when the current restrictions on theatre capacity are lifted by the government. The company survived the crisis thanks to its relatively strong financial position going into the pandemic and is now focused on ensuring it thrives long into the future.”