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The responses to this are alarming but not surprising. Read the article.

Forget local authority, government or agency funding. These are either unavailable or not sustainable and can kill creativity when working within their specific guidelines. Instead, research what the local demographic want or need and provide it. Think of ways that you can entice an audience or participation within different localities and cultures. Be brave, do it alone or with like minded colleagues. Involve yourself in local festivals, fetes, fairs or the like. Hire local halls or theatres. Involve youth clubs and/or schools. Show people what you offer and educate about the impact of the arts on wellbeing and social inclusion.

All areas of the creative industry provide means for economic growth, regeneration, they are the future of our city centres landscape, culture, tourism, business growth, communication and should be supported. Theatre / Dance / Music / Festivals / Live Events - Dates beyond the Shakesphere era provides fantastic insight into our history, culture and drives creativity, growth and spend within city centres. Vera Lynn’s music empowered soliders during WW2. Radio, Press and TV - Plays an integral role in our democracy reporting on major news stories holding those in power to account, weather which influences consumer spend and support’s communities on travel issues, ads on air which boost businesses and provide strong ROI. Social & Online - Keeps people connected and drives conversation, communication and enables SME’s to have a voice with small budgets. Provides vital services, access to food, meds, clothing via online e-commerce sites now. Out of Home / Sponsorships - provides jobs in technology, supports and enhances city centres, provides local authorities with incremental investment and income through land acquisition and partnerships to use for other public services. Art - supports with creativity in individuals, mental health, well-being, reigniting and embracing public spaces bringing together minority communities. Art helps those most vulnerable impacted by war and conflict get through the darkest of days. The creative industries are an essential part of our communities and should be recognised as such, the creative industries were almost destroyed by the impact of government policy and regulation during Covid-19. It’s no longer a matter of “nice to have” it’s a must, it’s an essential service and we must continue to embrace and support the ever changing landscape that is our incredible creative industries community. 👇🫶

With a frightening lack of focus on the importance of an arts education the consequences will hit us for decades. Government policy needs to move swiftly and distinctly to support creative education in schools, colleges and Universities as a matter of urgency. This is not just about having ‘stories’ to tell. It is about nurturing and recognising the importance of these creative skills in business and corporate environments too. We need smart people in positions of authority and power - in all organisations. Time for change.

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Mr. Greene asserts "As possible solutions, Part IV explores two potential statutory modifications that would allow the theater industry to engage in race-conscious hiring. This proposed qualified exemption would create a burden-shifting test that would enable a challenger to recover against a production or theater company in instances of legitimately invidious racial discrimination in casting. Part V briefly concludes. Ultimately, while color-conscious casting is the theater industry's preferred casting method, a comprehensive color-conscious casting program that encompasses casting from the moment a casting breakdown is published is not feasible under the law. The current form of breakdowns precludes color-conscious casting from being an affirmative action plan because it necessarily excludes people of other races, and the First Amendment does not protect breakdowns because they are an illegal form of commercial speech. However, the part of color-conscious casting focusing on typing has been accepted as a form of protected expressive conduct. The theater industry's best way forward is through a statutory exemption that codifies existing casting practices and allows the industry to advertise racially preferential breakdowns."

I hate talking about our government, but this proves to be an issue I can’t stay silent on. The reason this show is facilitating a Black-only performance of Slave Play is to create a safe space for Black folk to reconcile with what will obviously be an impactful but partly traumatic watch. I can’t help but think about the times I’d come out of the cinema after screenings of films like BlacKkKlansman and 12 Years a Slave, to be inundated with responses, concerns and appraisals from white people while I’m still processing the deep emotions that were unearthed when watching these films. Not to mention the questions… so many questions. It’s strange to me that BlackOut’s intent could be so drastically misconstrued, and this really shines a light on how out of touch our government is with the arts and historically marginalised communities. This isn’t particularly radical at all, but rather necessary for some to allow for space to watch the play without having to mask our emotions in order for us to make any white audience members uncomfortable. They’ve chosen to allocate a small number of performances to centre the comfort of Black people whilst engaging in an artistic expression of a dark part of proven history. A history which claims and contorts the wellbeing of Black people in the present. Can we stop vilifying safe spaces for BIPOC folk? Especially as the wider world appears to become even more hostile towards historically marginalised people.