BRINGING THE CURTAIN DOWN
ON CLASS INEQUALITY IN THEATRE

Ardent was inspired by the first-hand experiences of its founders Mark Sands and Andrew Muir of growing up in working-class families in the provinces and combating practical socio-economic and geographic barriers to forge a career in an industry that seemed only accessible to the privileged few.

CORE PURPOSE

To end class inequality in theatre.

CORE VALUES

No one feels like an outsider
Everyone has the right to a voice
Artists are paid fairly
Theatre is for everyone

KEY GOAL

At least 50% of creatives working in theatre and 50% of audiences attending theatre identify as, or were raised, working class.

KEY AIMS

  1. Create opportunities for working class creatives to connect with potential employers.

  2. Bridge the gap between university actor training and drama school.

  3. Increase paid opportunities for working-class actors.

  4. Influence the sector to increase employability for working-class creatives.

  5. Remove barriers that stop working-class audiences from going to the theatre.

OUR WORK

PRODUCTIONS: Plays by writers who identify as, or were raised, working class.
ARDENT8: Career progression programme for graduate acting students who identify as, or were raised, working class.
ARDENT VOICES: A platform for sharing lived experiences from within the industry.
ARDENT RESOURCES: Free online learning tools for early career artists.
ADVOCACY: Using our voice to push for class equality in theatre.

READ OUR 10 YEAR MANIFESTO

  • Thanks to the following previous trustees:

    Rebecca Hunt
    Saleem Fazal MBE
    Jacky Hilary
    Andrea Ortiz
    Erin Gavaghan
    Wayne Tassie

SUPPORTERS

GRANTS AND SPONSORS

CURRENT FUNDERS

Arts Council England
The Bagheera Trust
Bleu Blanc Rouge Foundation
The Boris Karloff Charitable Foundation
Chapman Charitable Trust
Cockayne - Grants for the Arts
Dan's Force Fund
The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust
Enterprise Arts Trust
The Foyle Foundation
Hays Travel Foundation
Katie Bradford Arts Trust
Noël Coward Foundation
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
The Speedomick Foundation
The Vandervell Foundation
The Victoria Wood Foundation

PREVIOUS FUNDERS

The Ernest Cook Trust
Fenton Arts Trust
The Garrick Charitable Trust
GFTU Education Trust
The Golsoncott Foundation
The Grocers Charity
The Leathersellers' Company Charitable Fund
The Leche Trust
The Lipman-Miliband Trust
The London Community Foundation
The Mercers' Company
National Lottery Heritage Fund
Royal Victoria Hall Foundation
Society for the Study of Labour History
Teale Charitable Trust
Unison North West Region
Unity Theatre Trust

DONATIONS

Richard O’Brien and Ian McKellen.

Alan Bennett, Alison Steadman, Anne-Marie Duff, Brian Cox, Chris O’Dowd, Ciarán Hinds, David Hare, Derek Jacobi, Emma Thompson, Gabriel Byrne, Ian Hart, Imelda Staunton, Jo Brand, Joanna Lumley, Jonathan Pryce, Judi Dench, Julie Walters, Liam Neeson, Lorraine Kelly, Martin McDonagh, Matt Lucas, Mike Leigh, Philip Davis, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Sophie Ward, Sylvester McCoy, Tim Roth, Tom Stoppard.

Adam Clifford, Adrian Wright, Aimee Kember, Alan Atkins, Alan Haughton, Alan Jones, Alison Ness, Alison Utting, Alistair Dodds, Amanda Mckenzie, Amelia Goulder-Perks, Amirah Alabere, Amy Cradick, Amy Steel, Andrea Ortiz, Andrew Murphy, Andrew Wheaton, Angela Crispim, Angela Sutherland, Annie Firbank, Anthony Field Associates, Anthony Prior, Avis Johns, Bairbre McKendrick, Barry Kitcherside, Beatriz Segura Folch, Ben De Wynter, Ben Federicks, Ben Fox, Beth Steel, Bethan Dean, Bethan Tomlinson, Beverley Costa, Bob Cryer, Bob Newland, Breda Burke, C Finnerty, Carl Christopher, Catherine Kanter, Catherine Whittaker, Cecelia Morgan, Charles Glanville, Charlie Kinsella, Charlie Kiss, Charlotte Beaton, Charlotte Sands, Chloe Brown, Christopher Rogers, Ciara Phelan, Claire Lichie, Clare Hawkins, Colm O'Brien, Corrie Hanton-Dean, Curtis Holder, Dan Sellick, Daniel Johnson, Danielle Laurence, Darryl Clark, David George, David Gibney, David Godfrey, David Harris, David and Brenda Rogers, David and Jenny Hendon, David Ogden, David Teale, Deborah Hassan, Debra Field, Deepa Shastri, Des Fleming, Dina Lucas, Edward Sweatman, Eleanor Davies, Eleanor Kaufman, Eleonora Rossotto, Elizabeth Hill, Eluned Hawkins, Emma Chilinski-Reed, Emma Davis, Emma Davies, Enzo Viola, Erin Gavaghan, Fiona Harrington, Frances Anderson-lamb, Francis Matthews, Freya Purdy, Gabriel Vick, Gary Donaldson, Gary Merry, Gem Morgan, Gerald Lydon, Germaine Morgan, Grace Collender, Grant Hawkins, Helen Ryan, Howard Teale, Ide Corley, Ioannis Valsamakis, Jacky Hilary, James McCarthy, James Muncaster, James Trayler, Jane Bridgeford, Jane Cunningham, Jane Donovan, Jane Gollogly, Jennie Cooke, Jessica Higgs, Jeremy Todd, Jimmy Lee, Joan Francis-Odutola, Johanna Pfaelzer, John Causebrook, John Collins, John Riches, Josh O'Connor, Joyce Mahon, Juan Carlos Vieira De Gouveia, Julian Ward, Kamilah Hassan, Karen Moloney, Karen West-Whylie, Karrim Jalali, Kate Roberts, Katie Purslow, Katie Weston, Katy Smyth, Kay Cousins, Kelley Dolan, Kelly Fagan Robinson, Kerena Fussell, Kirsty Collins, Lela Kogbara, Lesley Hutber, Lesley Paine, Lily Wallis, Linda Marslin, Liza Vallance, Liza Ward, Louise Creber, Louise E Stern, Louise Nicholls, Louise Shum, Louise Stern, Marcus Hammond, Maria Stylianou-O'Neill, Margaret Ling, Margaret Ward, Mark Hopkinson, Mark Skimins, Matt Ginsberg, Matthew Davies, Matthew Rice, Maureen Steel, Melanie Hurst, Michael Flesch, Michael Gaines, Michael Matus, Michael McEvoy, Michael Sanders, Michael Spitzer, Michele Winstanley, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, Naomi Alexander, Nick Smith, Nicola Richardson, Olivia Darnley, Olivia Israel, Paul Burgess, Paul Murphy, Paul O'Connor, Penny Horner, Peter Abraham, Peter Power-Hynes, Philip Wilson, Poppy Spillane, Rachel Sims, Rachel Welch, Rebecca Hunt, Richard Batt, Richard Laxton, Richard Manuel, Richard Muir, Richard and Billy Heath, Richard Pearce, Rita and Ralph Sands, Robert Drummer, Robert Gordon Clark, Robert Lugg, Robert Wolstenholme, Rosemary Jones, Ross Myddelton, Rowan Wilson, Russell Beaton, Sabrina O’Brien, Saleem Fazal, Sally Grey, Sam Weston, Sarah Atherton, Sarah Davies, Sarah Mead, Sarah Reilly, Sarah-Jane Ash, Scott Mckenzie, Sean Green, Sheila Moylette, Sheilah Muir, Simon Croft, Simon Jay, Simon Sapper, Sinead Howlin, Siobhan McMahon, Sonia Sudhakar, Sophie Coulter, Spencer Simmons, Stephen Johnson, Stephen Ridal, Stephen Rowlatt, Stephanie Soh, Susan Clarke, Suzanne Summers, Tanya Pearce, Theresa Tully, Thomas Lawrie, Thomas Mason, Tim Davies, Tim Kitching, Tim Sessions, Tony Manning, Tracie Tull-Peirce, Tracy Ryan, Triona Desmond, Tudor Toma, Valerie Edmond, Wayne Tassie, Yvonne Warham, Zoe Lally.