Parents In Performing Arts Best Practice Research Project (2016-2017)

Parents In Performing Arts (PIPA) was launched at the Young Vic in 2015 at an event attended by over 400 people. It is now a consortium of leading UK theatres and arts organisations, led by actor Cassie Raine and director Anna Ehnold-Danailov.

The consortium campaigns for equal opportunities and access for parents and carers working in the performing arts with the aim of achieving sustainable change in attitudes and practices in order to attract, support and retain a more diverse and flexible workforce. PIPA and The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama have devised a Best Practice Research Project in partnership with 15 leading UK theatres and funded by Arts Council England and Creative Scotland.

The Best Practice Research Project has the following aims:

• to identify common barriers to work and challenges within the workplace experienced by people with caring responsibilities;
• to develop and trial potential solutions to these barriers and challenges;
• to promote best practice in the employment of people with caring responsibilities in the performing arts.

Dr Tom Cornford is the project’s Lead Researcher. He says: ‘I am delighted to be working on this Best Practice Research Project with PIPA and leading UK theatres. It is a key aim of Research at Central to combine intellectual enquiry with the needs and aspirations of contemporary professional practice, and it is a privilege to work on a project that responds to this challenge and promises to achieve tangible change in a crucial aspect of working life’.

Photo: Brian Martin