Coronavirus: £600k for theatre workers raised through Acting for Others

More than £600,000 has been raised for theatre charity Acting for Others to support industry professionals affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Recent initiatives such as All the Web’s a Stage – a day of online performances and fundraising to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday – and the online releases of Fleabag and the Les Misérables concert, the proceeds of which went to charity, are among 120 initiatives and organisations that have helped raise funds for theatre workers during the pandemic.

A distribution of £290,000 will take place later this week, followed by a second larger amount, the charity said.

Chair Stephen Waley-Cohen said: "This is a wonderful amount to be able to pass on to our member charities, and through them to those of our fellow theatre workers in need.

"We have been overwhelmed by the ingenuity of our fundraisers and the generosity of their donations during this unprecedented time of need. The way the community has come together to support each other has been outstanding."

Waley-Cohen acknowledged that the future remained "very uncertain for the industry", but said the money raised would help individuals both emotionally and financially as the UK emerges from lockdown.

Acting for Others’ member charities include the Actor’s Children’s Trust, actors’ care home Denville Hall, the Equity Charitable Trust and the Theatrical Guild.

Other initiatives that have helped raise money to help those affected by the coronavirus crisis include The Show Must Go On, a range of t-shirts and merchandise created to support the theatre industry that has so far raised £125,000. Acting for Others has also received £50,000 each from the Noel Coward Foundation and Spotlight.