Mr Alistair Smith

Editor

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Biography

Alistair Smith is editor of The Stage. Having joined the publication on staff in 2004, he has also held the roles of reporter, news editor, opinion editor, deputy editor and print editor at The Stage and has written for publications ranging from The Guardian to Hello! Magazine. He is also the author of two major industry reports (the London Theatre Report and the Theatre Workforce Review) and was a founder of the My Theatre Matters! campaign.

Recent Articles

Government recovery fund aims to retain status quo, not freelance workforce

Opinion | 04 Aug 20

While the emergency arts funding is clearly designed to protect prestigious institutions until March next year, how can the theatre industry ensure its freelance workers survive? asks The Stage editor Alistair Smith

Christmas is off. Is this the final nail in the coffin?

Opinion | 29 Jul 20

The culture secretary’s announcement that the government will give no indication of when theatres can fully reopen until November is a disaster for the sector, says The Stage’s editor

Andrew Lloyd Webber is leading from the front in the fight to save theatre

Opinion | 29 Jul 20

Andrew Lloyd Webber is increasingly leading the way in getting theatres back open, says The Stage editor Alistair Smith – praise should be given where it is due

What was it like to attend the pilot event at the London Palladium?

Opinion | 24 Jul 20

Staggered entry, temperature checks and social distancing – The Stage editor Alistair Smith describes how it felt to watch the first live performance at a West End theatre for more than four months

Theatre urgently needs clarity on full reopening or panto will be cancelled

Opinion | 21 Jul 20

Festive productions support theatres throughout the rest of the year, provide employment to tens of thousands and develop the audiences and workforce of the future, says The Stage editor Alistair Smith

Rescue funding is a delicate balance – people and institutions need each other

Opinion | 15 Jul 20

Distributing the government’s £1.57 billion funding will be a difficult balancing act, which must recognise the interdependence of institutions and individuals, says The Stage editor Alistair Smith

Emergency investment is hugely welcome, but clarity on reopening is crucial

Opinion | 06 Jul 20

The culture secretary has responded to the arts sector’s concerns with a much-needed cash injection, says The Stage editor Alistair Smith – now we must make sure this money is spent wisely and reaches those who really need it

We need a ‘New Deal’ for the arts – with concrete proposals

Opinion | 01 Jul 20

If the prime minister wishes to emulate Franklin D Roosevelt’s New Deal programme, he would do well to address the threat of widespread unemployment in the arts sector, says The Stage’s editor