The Stage

Support child performers

Published Monday 30 June 2008 at 18:20

Equity councillor and choreographer Teri Scoble has been a friend and colleague since we first met at Marc Bolan’s shows. It has been encouraging to see Teri’s enthusiastic commitment, and that of Tarquin Shaw-Young of Stagecoach, campaigning to achieve recognition and equal opportunities for young performers in our profession.

Teri’s stage school Go For It has experienced many instances which demonstrate the postcode bureaucratic lottery that exists when it comes to obtaining licenses for youngsters to perform. Is it a sign of the times that Ed Vaizey, the Conservative shadow minister for arts, and the Lib Dem’s Vince Cable supported the recent presentation of the petition of over 10,000 signatures at No. 10 Downing Street?

With youngsters helping to hold the campaign banner slogan ‘Child performers need safety, not bureaucracy’, one couldn’t help but feel disappointed and somewhat angry with the lack of response from government.

Young performers are our future and opportunities for them to take part in stage shows, films and broadcasting should be encouraged, not thwarted by unfair bureaucracy and red tape. Obviously safety comes first and everyone involved appreciates this, but in failing to look after their needs fairly, the government is forgetting the saying, ‘look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves’. Our youngsters are the Arts’ pennies, but I suppose given the recent fiasco with the 10p tax rate, looking after pennies is not something uppermost in Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s mind. I hope the campaign helps change it.

Dave Eager

Former Equity vice president

Green Drive

Thorton-Cleveleys

Lancashire