VOLUNTEERING FOR THEATRE PROFEESIONALS
WHY VOLUNTEER?
Our mission is to reverse the current terminal decline in people from lower-income backgrounds experiencing theatre.
OUR GOALS
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To ensure everyone has the opportunity to develop a theatre-going habit in a society where there’s currently very little awareness of, and therefore interest in, what theatre can offer.
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To attract and maintain the interest of a new generation of diverse audiences in our increasingly marginalised and obscure artform, cultivating dynamic, empowered, and impassioned theatre makers and audiences today who’ll ensure a flourishing future for the sector tomorrow.
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To demonstrate to private and public funders, donors and sponsors, politicians, and the film and TV industry that this life-enhancing, invaluable work, and the educational and social benefits it brings to society, deserve their attention and investment, so we can pay everyone a living wage.
But these are eye-watering levels of investment. To achieve this, we need to convince you to donate your passion, talent, and spare time to this cause, at a time when there are precious few other opportunities to earn a living in this field.
And we get it—it sucks not to be paid to be part of the profession you’ve dedicated so much to. It’s why we’re working very hard to fundraise fair pay for everyone who's part of what we do.
WHY NOW?
The decline in awareness and interest in theatre needs addressing right now, before it’s too late.
So, in the interests of securing a sustainable future for our industry, please consider volunteering your free time to be part of something beautiful, creative, and life-affirming.
BE PART OF OUR REP COMPANY
HOW IT WORKS
We’re all about giving our audience, of all ages and backgrounds, an affordable, accessible, unforgettable encounter with a great play performed by great actors, collaborating with great creatives, stage management, and organisers at any stage in their careers.
That’s why we’re keen to establish a database of theatre makers we love and whose work we know our audiences will love. We seek artists who share our values and purpose and are keen to regularly donate their spare time to keep things up and running and to help create or perform in one production a year, rehearsed and performed over two months of long weekends, on dates to suit.
We will circulate forthcoming opportunities allowing you to apply first if the timing works for you.
There’s no obligation to do anything, but by signing up, we’d like you to aim at being available for one production per year.
The exact rehearsal schedule will be tailor-made for the ease of company members who may need to earn money elsewhere, but on the whole, we are looking to rehearse over a month of long weekends outside of office hours and perform for a further month to a similar schedule.
IS THIS "PROFIT-SHARE?"
No. Paying everyone involved is our goal, but until such time as funding and ticket revenue for individual productions is sufficient to pay everyone involved at least the national minimum wage, you'll be donating your time to a production on an unpaid, voluntary basis to help raise awareness of theatre and generate sufficient future revenue to become a legitimate employer.
WILL ANYONE BE PAID?
Currently, no. But coordinating our many activities and demands is becoming unsustainable for a single individual volunteering their spare time. With our establishment as a registered charity, trustees will be considering the validity of employing up to two full-time employees to coordinate operations to the advantage of everyone and the furtherance of our goals. You’re welcome to inspect our accounts at any time and are encouraged to become a trustee to help shape future policy.
WHO CAN JOIN?
ALREADY ON OUR RADAR?
If you have already been part of a Phil Willmott project, congratulations—you’re already in! Just return the form to "opt in."
NEW TO US?
If we don't know you yet, no worries! We'll be holding auditions throughout the year to meet talented people who share our goals.
Remember, we'll never hold you back if you choose to leave us for better-paid opportunities.
Our arrangement is based on everyone volunteering to collaborate. It's entirely informal and non-legally binding for as long as it's useful to everyone. You can walk away at any time.