Equity

Equity has launched a campaign to resist cuts to the UK arts budgets. Cultural spending represents less than 1% of the NHS budget however the Government is proposing cuts of between 25% and 30% as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. Members have told us that we must protest long and loud about cuts that will make hardly a blip on Government finances but will seriously damage the arts and also, we believe, the future strength of our economy.

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The 10 August edition of BBC Radion 4's You and Yours was a debate on Government arts funding versus philanthopy. Equity Council member Sam West eloquently and forcefully put forward the case for Government funidng.

You can listen to the programme via the BBC iPlayer.

• You and Yours arts funding debate

At its first meeting after the Equity elections, the new Council wrote an open letter to David Cameron setting out the reasons why it makes no sense to cut Government funding of the arts.

“We have read why you believe you have to do this but fail to understand why public investment in our industries is to be cut when the creative industries are one of this country’s greatest success stories, punching way above our weight,” the Council letter says. “Our industry is one of the few bright lights on the horizon and it seems to us that you are at risk of damaging the one industry which is thriving and will make a vital contribution to our recovery.”

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Equity is giving every member a chance to influence the future of its communications. An all-member web survey is now online, which asks for your views on the Equity magazine, website and much more.

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We need your help in getting Zarganar, the Burmese comedian imprisoned for 35 years, nominated for the European Parliament’s 2010 Sakharov Prize.

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We are looking for a Membership Relations Assistant. The successful candidate will assist the Head of Communications & Membership support in promoting the benefits of the union to potential and existing members and other relevant bodies.

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Campaigning web site 38 Degrees has launched a campaign against Government plans to cut the BBC licence fee. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that the licence fee was under threat in an interview this weekend with the Daily Telegraph, in which he attacked the BBC's "extraordinary and outrageous" waste.

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Equity is shocked to learn of the Government's decision to abolish the UK Film Council. Since 2000 UKFC has championed film production in the UK and has actively engaged with all stakeholders, including trade unions representing performers and other workers in the sector.

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Go to the following who have all won awards recently: Lisa Faulkner, Caroline Horton, Michael Marra, Mercy Ojelade, Julia Ormond, Archie Panjabi, Arthur Smith, Sarah-Louise Young and cast members of award-winning shows at the Edinburgh festivals.

The Equity Council has nominated Christine Payne to stand in the election for Equity General Secretary, which is due later this year. Christine was chosen as the Council’s candidate in a secret ballot with 41 votes in favour and none against.

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Following a brief break in the service due to external funding issues, Equity is delighted to announce that our specially trained careers advisors are now available for one-to-one advice sessions on a freelance basis. These members are working practitioners, who have been trained by Skillset to the national Matrix standard for delivering advice and are fully accredited. They can now be contacted individually .

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Due to extensive building work on the ground floor and basement of Guild House over the summer, normal reception facilities to members and visitors will not be available. Only a limited 'emergency mode' facility will be possible until the beginning of September.

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More than eight thousand people, including some of the UK’s best known performers, have signed a petition calling on TV companies to address the imbalance of male and female roles on UK television. Recent research reveals that for every two male roles in a drama there is just one female.. Make sure you join in the protest and sign the online petition here! Click here to go to the petition.

The petition is open to the viewing public to sign. Equity is calling on members to sign the petition and to forward it to your friends and family. If we get even bigger numbers, we can have a real effect.

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