Supporting the arts and cultural sector to achieve greater equality, diversity and inclusion

About Tonic

Tonic is a national independent organisation and charity that works with the arts and other cultural organisations to achieve greater equality, diversity and inclusion. Initially established in the theatre industry, the success of Tonic’s approach saw demand for our work extend into other areas of the performing arts, particularly dance and opera. Today we continue to work extensively in these fields whilst also increasingly expanding into a range of other areas including music, museums, television drama and the wider cultural sector. 

“Tonic has become increasingly pivotal in helping the entire industry, through organisations and individuals, raise its game.”
Rufus Norris, Director, National Theatre

“What’s great about Tonic is that it’s not superficial. The work it’s doing is subtle, nuanced and in depth and that’s what I really appreciate about Tonic.”
INDHU RUBASINGHAM, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, KILN THEATRE

Who we work with

We work right across the arts and cultural ecosystem, with venues, producers, commissioners, festivals, training and educational institutions, businesses in the arts ‘supply chain’, professional membership bodies, networks, and amateur and community groups. We have developed multi-year relationships with some of the biggest arts organisations in the country (such as the National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Royal Shakespeare Company, Sadler’s Wells), as well as working with micro-companies operating on a hyper-local level and with organisations of all shapes and sizes in between. Through our books, online resources and industry-facing events, freelancers and other individuals can engage in our work too. 

Our Services

Training

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Lucy leading an Unconscious Bias Training

Consultancy

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Support Packages

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Recent Projects

Platform Plays

Empower

All Change Please: A Practical Guide to Achieving Gender Equality in Theatre by Lucy Kerbel. Photo: Gorm Ashurst

Books

Tonic Awards

Advance Network

Theatre Casting Toolkit

Theatre Casting Toolkit

Organisations we have recently worked with include

WE ARE PROUD TO BE AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF CHANGE-MAKING IN THE CULTURAL SECTOR

  • “Platform feels like something that could genuinely change the world. I was desperate for the opportunity to be a part of such a logical, practical and hopeful artistic project that can so clearly and directly impact not solely on gender-equality on stage, but equality worldwide.”
    Playwright Joel Horwood, whose play This Changes Everything is part of the Platform series
  • “I just wanted to say a massive thank you for Tonic’s Platform plays. As a youth theatre of over 300, we constantly come up against the gender issue, and it is really refreshing to have plays that cater for mostly female casts, especially ones that are good. And they really are.”
    Kate Plumb, Youth Theatre Director, York Theatre Royal
  • “essential… impressive scope and sweep… exhilarating. With luck, theatres will take note and playwrights will be inspired.”
    Times Literary Supplement on 100 Great Plays for Women
  • “A gem of a book… Lucy Kerbel has done hard-working directors and artistic directors, of spaces large and small, a great service.”
    Kate Mosse, from her foreword to 100 Great Plays for Women
  • “Deep gratitude. Excellent event, outstanding speakers and masses of practical examples not theory.”
    Attendee, Tonic Advance Network event
  • “It was really insightful and backed up by easy to understand examples. A good amount of personal reflection and group discussion.”
    Participant, Unconscious Bias training session
  • “I can’t tell you how wonderful I thought your awards were. So refreshing and inspiring- I genuinely left feeling more like a member of a community than I’ve ever felt in the theatre before- ever!”
    Guest at the Tonic Awards
  • “That was an extraordinary evening. Everyone I spoke to was trying, as was I, to articulate why and how it felt so beautiful and important and grounded and true.”
    Guest at the Tonic Awards
  • “After the Empower sessions I feel I have gained the tools to navigate my way through difficult situations in the industry. Being able to communicate assertively and stand by my morals is absolutely necessary practice not just for work, but life.”
    Third-year Acting student, after participating in Empower
  • “I think this was really useful for us all to take stock and look at the way we teach and how that can affect the students not only whilst in our lessons but also for the rest of their lives.”
    Drama school tutor, after particpating in Empower

Who We Are

Meet the Team

Gina headshot

Gina Abolins

Delivery Lead

With a background in theatre, Gina has worked within outreach and participation as a practitioner, project manager and facilitator for many years. This includes previously working as Out Of Joint’s Education and Artist Development Officer and within the Creative Learning team at The Ambassador Theatre Group. She also runs her own company Spark, providing workshops on gender equality in schools. Prior to this…

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Website photo

Charlotte de Paeztron

Office Coordinator

Charlotte originally trained in musical theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and performed professionally for several years. Since stepping away from the stage…

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FJ Portrait - B+W

Fay Jennett

Delivery Lead

A classical singer by training, Fay put her musical background to good use in 5 years’ producing opera and young artist programmes for Britten Pears Arts in Suffolk. She learnt the value of creating safe and nurturing spaces which allow young artists to grow as individuals as well as develop skills for successful performing careers…

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Lucy Kerbel

Lucy Kerbel

Director

Lucy founded Tonic with the ambition of creating a sea change in how theatre and the performing arts thought about and acted in regards to equality, diversity and inclusion. She created Tonic’s ground-breaking range of programmes, methodologies and tools, and is the author of several books. Lucy has 20 years’ experience working in theatre and, prior to creating Tonic, was an award-winning director…

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Sita McIntosh

Trustees

Tonic Trustees

Meet Tonic’s Trustees, chaired by Sita McIntosh, including Craig Bennett, Bhavita Bhatt, Moira Buffini, Tigho Feldman, Gabriela Gandolfini, Eleanor Lang, Sacha Milroy and Kirsty Starkey.

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Tonic workshops

Associates

Tonic Associates

Alongside Tonic’s Director and Delivery Lead, some of our training and consultancy programmes, including Unconscious Bias training, are also run by Tonic’s Associates – all experts in their field: Rachel Bagshaw, Gemma Baxter, Georgina Bednar, Suzanne Gorman, Vicky Long and Sarah Paul.

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CONTACT

General Enquiries
info@tonictheatre.co.uk

Lucy Kerbel, Director
lucy@tonictheatre.co.uk

Charlotte de Paeztron, Office Coordinator
charlotte@tonictheatre.co.uk

Gina Abolins, Delivery Lead
gina@tonictheatre.co.uk

Fay Jennett, Delivery Lead
fay@tonictheatre.co.uk

Tonic Theatre
c/o National Theatre,
Upper Ground, South Bank
London, SE1 9PX

+44 (0) 207 452 3892

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