Lesson Element
Unit 1: Prepare to work in the performing arts
sector
Sorting venues and arts organisations
Instructions and answers for tutors
These instructions cover the learner activity section which can be found on page 5. This
Lesson Element supports Cambridge Technicals Level 3 in Performing Arts.
When distributing the activity section to the learners either as a printed copy or as a
Word file you will need to remove the tutor instructions section.
The activity
In this lesson element learners are asked to compile a series of tables that annotate the
range and types of performing arts organisations. These tables can be added to or amended
as further knowledge and understanding of the sector is developed. They have been divided
into three sections that are outlined in the three activities below. Although the tables are the
initial purpose of the activities, there are numerous opportunities to fill in the gaps and to
flesh out further details through teaching and learning processes.
Learners should also see the tables as work in progress and in relation to their own specific
niche role or art-form. It is also accepted that they will look very different depending on the
geographical location of the centre.
The definitive guide to all venues and arts organisations is The Performing Arts Yearbook.
This can be obtained from www.rhinegold.co.uk
Suggested timings
Activity 1: 30 minutes
Activity 2: 45 minutes
Activity 3: 2 hours
ABC – This activity offers an
opportunity for English skills
development.
123 – This activity offers an
opportunity for maths skills
development.
WORK – This activity offers
an opportunity for work
experience.
Activity 1
As a preliminary task to this activity learners could be asked to list all the venues and
performance spaces within their locality. This could be done as part of a leaflet/flyer
collecting exercise or just from their own local knowledge. The intention is to get a definitive
list of all the places within the local area that host any form of performance activity.
You should ask them to make a table that identifies whether each of the venues is local,
regional or national in its outlook and policy. Other factors that you may choose to use to
define these three categories could be; the mix of the audience, how and where they
advertise and actively seek new audiences, and what they are funded for.
A completed table is included below, this is intended as an example and relates to Leicester
and the East Midlands, so should be adapted to the centre’s needs.
One way of approaching this activity is to have a list of companies and venues written on the
white board or on cards, learners could then allocate each company to one of the three
categories.
Local
Little Theatre – Amateur
Phoenix - Film mostly but with
some digital performance
Regional
National
Derby Theatres – includes Derby
Playhouse, Guildhall and
Assembly Rooms
Nottingham Playhouse
Peepal Centre – Arts Centre
addressing a diverse cultural mix
Upstairs at the Western – Pub
theatre
Leicester College – mostly
student productions
De Montfort University – student
productions but with some touring
companies
Leicester Curve Theatre
Djanogly Arts Centre, Nottingham
– large arts centre that has a
regional profile, mainly because it
is in Nottingham, the ‘capital’ of
the East Midlands region
Curve and Nottingham Playhouse
will market some productions
nationally as they will go on to
perform in London or in
conjunction with other regional
theatres (ie Chichester), this
doesn’t make them ‘national’ in
the same way the following are:
National Theatre
Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Ballet/Opera House
Northampton Theatres
Ballet Rambert
New Perspectives
The Musician – Pub/Music venue
Some companies are funded to
tour nationally:
De Montfort Hall – Local authority
concert hall/multi-use space
Kneehigh
English Touring Company
Y Theatre – small scale
touring/comedy venue
Embrace Arts – inclusive and
accessible arts centre
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Activity 2
As part of previous activities learners have been asked to brainstorm the venues that they
know exist in their local area. (If learners say Vue or Showcase it should be pointed out that
these do not count as we are sorting live performing spaces or venues).
Venues mentioned could be sorted into:

Local Arts Centres – spaces where touring companies/comedians or musicians
perform (Receiving).

Regional Theatres – generally doing plays, musical theatre or dance performances
(Receiving/Producing).

Music venues – which could be pubs or larger multi-use spaces (Arenas).

Other – in schools and colleges, community centres, village halls (small scale touring
venues).
Learners could then be asked to fill in the table below. This can also include any other
theatres or performing companies that they know about, have come into contact with or are
given out as part of the session.
Some examples are given.
Good source books for this kind of sorting are Contacts (www.spotlight.com) and The
Performing Arts Yearbook (www.rhinegold.co.uk)
Receiving
Arts Centre
Producing
Multiuse/Arena
Touring
company
Music
venue
Buxton
Opera House
Warwick Arts
centre
RSC
NEC
Forced
Entertainment
Digwalls
Activity 3
You could lead learners in a discussion on funding and the different ways in which arts
organisations receive this. The ‘bottom line’ is probably the place to start this discussion:

What do performing companies/venues need to survive?
Money – audiences – good shows – more audiences.
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Alternatively it could be a starting point to indicate that the public is the ultimate source for all
funding, either directly through box office receipts or taxes. The form of income can be
categorised in various ways and the table below asks learners to consider these categories
and give examples of companies and venues that will fit some of these categories. If the
companies fit more than one, then it will become clear that they need a mixture of funding
sources – most funding organisations will insist on this anyway.
A good place to start with funding is to see what logos are placed on the bottom of posters
and flyers.
Learners should also be told the difference between revenue funding and project funding.
Type of
funding
Box office
(Commercial)
Public sector
Private sector
Third sector
Examples of
funders
Audience
Arts Council
Private
Benefactors
Charities
Advertising in
programmes
Local Authorities
Trusts
Sponsors
Associated products
(mugs, t-shirts etc)
Examples of
receiving
organisation
West End theatres
RSC
Start-up touring
companies
Royal Opera House
Some shows in
subsidised theatres –
Pantos, commercial
tours
(These are revenue
funded)
Some festival
venues have
private
sponsorship:
Dave Leicester
Comedy Festival
Some schools
touring companies
will work with
charities to pass
on specific
issues/messages
English Touring
Company
Small scale touring
companies
(These are usually
project funded)
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Lesson Element
Unit 1: Prepare to work in the performing arts
sector
Learner Activity
Sorting venues and arts organisations
As part of your research on performing arts organisations you will be asked to compile a
series of tables that place performing arts organisations in categories according to: Bullets

Their geographical profile and community served.

Type of venue and/or company.

Method of funding.
You can make notes on each entry into the tables especially where you feel that the venue
or company can fit into two or more categories or where it is difficult to exactly categorise.
Activity 1
Starting with those you know already in our own locality you should make a list of as many
different performance companies and types of venue as you can think of. Remember to
include music venues as well as school theatres, amateur theatres and any companies you
have seen as part of touring programmes.
Don’t worry about who is funding these companies or whether they get any funding at all, just
consider where they find their audiences and whether they have a strong link to the area or
whether they just use it as a base.
These companies will then be categorised by you as local, regional or national and placed in
the columns in the table.
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Local
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Regional
6
National
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Activity 2
For this activity you will be asked to sort venues and performing companies into types:

Receiving theatres.

Arts Centres.

Producing theatres.

Multi use space/arena.

Touring company.

Music only venues.
We will look at various sources for this information but we will also talk about what we can
understand from the type of performances venues put on in our own locality. Often we will be
able to work out from posters and marketing flyers whether a theatre or venue has produced
their own work or are receiving a touring production. Some venues such as Arts Centres and
multi-use spaces will clearly advertise a wider range of arts and music events.
Receiving
Arts Centre
Producing
Multiuse/Arena
Touring
company
Music
venue
Activity 3
During this lesson we will talk about funding and the ways in which funders determine who
gets what!
There are very specific rules and conditions for companies and artists to receive any kind of
funding and this usually has to do with the building of new audiences, who the funding will
ultimately benefit and the legacy of the project. These rules can change from year to year as
priorities in society change generally.
There are four types of funding to consider:

Commercial (Box Office, commercial activities).

Public sector.

Private sector.

Third sector.
We will consider what defines these different kinds of funding as well as looking at
differences in types of funding (revenue and project).
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As a start you should begin to look at the table below.
All companies that receive any kind of external funding (other than commercial) will have to
place the funder’s logo on publicity. You could start by looking for these logos on flyers and
websites.
Type of
funding
Box office
(Commercial)
Public sector
Private sector
Third sector
Examples of
funders
Examples of
receiving
organisation
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