Five venues have joined forces to set up a national alliance calling for greater recognition of independent regional theatre.

Birmingham Hippodrome, Leeds Heritage Theatres, Norwich Theatre, Newcastle Theatre Royal and Marlowe Canterbury unveiled the Regional Independent Theatre Alliance (RITA) at a Parliamentary reception in Westminster.

RITA comprises “independent, not-for-profit regional theatres that are neither subsidised nor purely commercial”.

The alliance has three clear aims: “formally recognise the independent not-for-profit model within policy and funding frameworks; establish a regular data-sharing relationship with government so the sector’s contribution can be properly counted and understood; and champion a national co-investment strategy for independent theatre.”

Across its five founding members, RITA represents more than 8,000 theatre seats, more than 2.6 million annual attendances, more than £83 million in gross income and a projected five-year economic impact of £781 million.

RITA’s founding members generate £52 million a year in audience spending at restaurants, pubs, taxis and hotels and support more than £10 million of Arts Council England-funded touring work through their venues.

Stephen Crocker, chief executive and creative director of Norwich Theatre, said, “Norwich Theatre is proud to stand alongside fellow regional independent theatres and make the case for a model that’s delivering extraordinary impact for audiences, communities and local economies without reliance on revenue subsidy.

“Through the launch of RITA we’re inviting government to recognise a part of the theatre ecology that’s critical but which goes unseen.

“We need our unseen investment and impact to be recognised and matched with government capital if we’re to sustain this into the future.”

Marianne Locatori, chief executive of Newcastle Theatre Royal, commented, “our theatres are more than performance venues—they are cultural hubs that bring people together and strengthen communities. While RITA isn’t asking for ongoing subsidy, we do need recognition, support and co-investment to future-proof our buildings so they remain fit for purpose for generations to come.”

Deborah Shaw, chief executive of Marlowe Canterbury, said, “there’s a general assumption that outside the West End, theatres need subsidy to exist. But RITA shows that in the right circumstances there’s a viable model whereby the best elements of the commercial and subsidised sectors combine, and where commercial success is reinvested in supporting and creating great art and in making our cities and regions better places to live, work and study.”

Jon Gilchrist, artistic director and chief executive of Birmingham Hippodrome, said, “all the venues in this partnership are more than just theatres: we’re important civic infrastructure. We exist to curate diverse programmes of world-class work on our stages and use our assets to support artists and provide for our communities.

“But our venues are large. Complex annual costs of repairs are increasing. Without a medium- and long-term investment plan for capital renewal we risk reducing the variety in our programme, limiting artistic ambition and increasing the chance of closure periods.”

Vicky Cheetham, chief executive of Leeds Heritage Theatres, added, "independent regional theatres play a hidden but vital infrastructure role within the national cultural ecology. We’re not simply venues—we are the stages, technical platforms, skilled workforces and audience networks that enable subsidised productions to reach communities across the country.

“The success of much publicly funded touring work depends on theatres like ours being able to absorb risk, commit valuable stage time and provide the expertise needed to bring ambitious productions to life.

“While much of the focus is rightly on the work being created, it’s important to recognise the theatres providing the infrastructure that allows it to reach communities. If we value a thriving touring sector, we must also value and invest in the venues that make it possible."

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