Often hidden at the back-of-house, toiling to keep things orderly, and more than a little rushed, independent producers might be the Cinderellas of independent theatre. 

So, the start of Panto season seems the right time to shine a light on three years of ITC’s collective agreement for this important group. 

Three years of the ITC-Bectu collective agreement 

Back in 2021, the trade union Bectu approached ITC to negotiate an agreement to improve rates and conditions for independent producers.  

You might think it’s unusual for a union to represent self-employed people like independent producers. But as so often, the small-scale theatre sector upsets expectations. Bectu (along with Equity and WGGB) have long stood up for the many self-employed people working in our sector. We encourage everyone working in the industry to join a union. 

Producers are essential but often undervalued 

ITC members know the value of a good producer. But they also told us experienced producers are hard to recruit because of low rates and difficult working conditions. Low progression and instability reduce the scale and diversity of the producer workforce, according to research by CSSD and Tara. 

Our mission can be summed up as “good art thrives on good management”. Skilled producers are a crucial part of good management in a production. They interact with everyone from performers and agents to directors and administrators, handling logistics, managing budgets and resolving disagreements. 

Yet our experience on the ITC advice line is that producers aren’t always given the training and support to deal with this wide-ranging role. This is doubly so for self-employed producers who are brought on for short-term projects. This can result in stress and conflict. 

Collective agreements are the path to fair conditions 

Importantly, our collective agreement creates a legally enforceable minimum standard for independent producers. That is better than a charter, code or other voluntary standard that doesn’t bind the parties. Standards agreed by representatives of both sides of the bargain are stronger. 

We know that improving conditions for independent producers is an essential part of better management on productions and tours. It’s also a vital role to get early-career workers into – but research from Tonic spells out how poor conditions hold back our future workforce. Developing a collective agreement with Bectu underlined ITC’s commitment to recognise the professionalism and value of producers to our companies.  

That’s why our agreement with Bectu set two rates. The first, £173 per day, sets the agreed minimum that any independent producer should get. The second, £289 per day, sets a figure ITC and Bectu agree should be used in applications to funders. 

Why the difference? While we know that companies might struggle to pay £289 now, we are committed to driving up rates. But this will only happen if companies across the sector ask funders for higher budgets.  

Three years on, is the collective agreement finally allowing “Cinderella” producers to go to the ball? We know there is further to go to support a sustainable and professional producer workforce. To back up our collective agreement, ITC offers: 

• Training on people management, contracts, touring and finance – vital skills for producers 

• Independent producer membership at an affordable rate, giving producers access to on-the-job advice 

• Regular forums and seminars discussing timely topics 

Working with Bectu, we are confident that our collective agreement will continue to provide a foundation for improvements.