APPG for Performing Arts Education and Training

APPG for Performing Arts Education and Training

In January 2021, CDMT was instrumental in establishing the first All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Performing Arts Education and Training at the Westminster Houses of Parliament. This APPG, which meets termly, is of considerable strategic significance to our mission and membership as it directly supports parliamentarians in discussions relating to:

  • Appropriate training, education, assessment and professional practices across drama, dance and musical theatre
  • Practitioners’ continuing professional development within the creative and cultural industries
  • The wider benefits of engagement with the performing arts for students, practitioners and audiences.

We are pleased to announce that further to the new arrangements for All-Party Parliamentary Group’s (APPG) at Westminster from March 2024, and the establishment of a new Parliament in July 2024, the Group’s membership continues to increase with representation confirmed as below:

  • Chair: Jess Brown-Fuller MP
  • Vice Chairs: Vikki Slade MP, Lord Vaizey of Didcot, Baroness Wilcox of Newport
  • Members: Lord Aberdare, Jess Asato MP, Baroness Benjamin, Polly Billington MP, Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury, Lord Cashman, Lord Clancarty, Lord Clement-Jones, Kirith Entwistle MP, Baroness Featherstone, Zoe Franklin MP, Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie, Lord German, Sharon Hodgson MP, Baroness Hooper, Liz Jarvis MP, Baroness Keeley, Lord Kinnock, Ben Lake MP, Rachael Maskell MP, Anna McMorrin MP, Lord McNally, Lord Murphy of Torfaen, Baroness Randerson, Sam Rushworth MP, Alec Shelbrooke MP, Lord Taylor of Warwick, Baroness Wolf of Dulwich and Lord Wood of Anfield.

Chair of the APPG, Jess Brown-Fuller MP has this to say about the work of CDMT and the APPG:

“CDMT does outstanding work, advocating powerfully on behalf of members, increasing their public profile and influence with key industry and political stakeholders – not least in their work as the Secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Performing Arts Education and Training. As the voice of their member organisations, they promote outstanding industry-approved institutions allowing prospective students, candidates and parents to better understand what excellent provision in the performing arts looks like.”

CDMT acts as the APPG’s Secretariat and public enquiry point and facilitates submissions from vocational training schools, conservatoires and awarding organisations on current issues of vital importance to the sector, such as:

  • Government support for the UK’s provision of world-class professional training in dance, drama and musical theatre
  • The needs of private teachers working across all levels of study in the performing arts, and the opportunities for greater connections between statutory and private provision.
  • The implications of Covid-19 and EU withdrawal

Further information about the publications that CDMT produces in support of the APPG and other advocacy initiatives can be found here.

More broadly, young people, and their parents/guardians, require assurances that the creative industries will continue to offer valuable career options when rebuilding the UK economy after Covid-19.

The APPG holds regular meetings, and the minutes of previous gatherings can be found below:

The next meeting is due to be held in late Spring 2024.

This is not an official website of Parliament. It has not been approved by either House. APPGs are informal groups of Parliamentarians with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed are those of the group. The public enquiry point is [email protected], and the Chair of the Group can be contacted here.