We need to build a body of both quantitative and qualitative evidence from case studies, personal stories and statistical data in order to make it difficult for policy-makers and statutory funders to ignore the unique contribution that drama and theatre, within the context of access to a broad spectrum of cultural activity, makes to young people’s lives.

The Drama and Theatre Manifesto recognizes a common sense of purpose and a shared belief in the contribution drama and theatre makes to the quality of children’s lives in school and beyond.

The Manifesto has been endorsed by these organisations and associations:

Action for Children’s’ Arts (ACA), Equity,   National Association of Teachers of Drama (NATD), National Association of Youth Theatres (NAYT), National Council for Drama Training (NCDT), National Drama (ND), National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA), Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Theatre Education Forum (TEF), Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) England

If you are an Organisation, you can send the manifesto on to your members and invite them to incorporate it into their practice and policy and to disseminate it to their students, participants and colleagues.  .

The Manifesto is a call to action to young people, parents, teachers and theatre practitioners to unify their efforts and ensure that young people have access to drama and theatre.

The sense of unity within the sector that the Manifesto represents is only the first step to its usefulness as an effective tool for drawing support and funding to the sector. At a time of cuts, we need to be able to advocate with clarity the successes achieved by the sector as a whole and be able to evidence why our community is of such vital importance to the UK’s cultural, educational and economic life and to the lives of individual children and young people who see or make theatre and drama

Download a copy of the Drama and Theatre Manifesto here

Visit www.dramatheatremanifesto.co.uk for more information

This week the deadline passed for nominations for candidates in the General Election and so too did the deadline for them to withdraw their candidature. The list of people standing for election is now fixed and the NCA took this opportunity to get in touch with all Parliamentary candidates asking them to pledge their support for the arts, the arts manifesto and, crucially for supporting funding for the arts at current levels.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI) held a seminar for arts groups on lobbying in the wonderful surroundings of the newly refurbished Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast on 21 April. 

This is your opportunity to make your concerns and issues heard by Prospective Parliamentary Candidates. The NCA toolkit provides some useful information on how to contact your PPCs and outlines some key messages about the arts.

With the General Election on the horizon – presenting a potential change of Government and with the economic situation posing a very real threat to arts and dance funding – Dance UK has launched DanceVote 2010, the national advocacy campaign to put dance on the agenda of local political candidates.

A number of national organisations, including the NCA, met this week to launch Cultural Capital: A Manifesto for the Future. Affirming that “culture is the catalyst for change”, the manifesto argues that a reduction of public investment would make poor economic sense given the multiplier effect of investment in the arts. Furthermore, the cultural sector can make a real contribution to social and economic recovery through offering work, learning, training and social engagement.

The General Election must take place before Thursday 3rd June, 2010. Candidates’ policy priorities will be based on the concerns and opinions expressed by their local constituents. The NCA urges members to use the Arts Manifesto as an advocacy tool to promote the importance of art in your constituency. Contacting local politicians can make a real difference, especially during election time, so please put pen to paper for the sake of the arts.

Liberal Democrat shadow Culture Secretary, Don Foster, has published new proposals for the arts and creative industries in a manifesto entitled The Power of Creativity. The document calls for creativity and culture to be celebrated, and to be seen as important in their own right, as powerful drivers of our national identity, global standing and affluence. The Liberal Democrats believe the status of the arts and creativity should be raised across society and government. The policy proposals set out Foster’s vision of how to support the arts and culture and celebrate creativity in this country.

George Osborne, Shadow Chancellor, made a speech this week at Tate Modern, promising a brighter future for the arts under a Tory government, in which more funding will be received, and the largest cultural institutions will be liberated from the shackles of Labour’s “Treasury micromanagement.” Osborne stated that the party is “deeply committed to the British arts sector” and wishes to “see it flourish and thrive in the years ahead.” He linked the arts back to the Conservative interest in social responsibility, continuing to identify the sector as an example of the “great things can happen when governments, charities, businesses and social enterprises work together.”

General Election 2010 candidates replies to email requesting support for the arts. Table of responses by constituency, candidate and party.