New Pathways – Career Development and Training for Early Career Arts Workers in West Yorkshire

A snapshot of the first stages of research exploring how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected young people embarking on a career in the performing arts in West Yorkshire

In 2024, Tonic partnered with the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama for an exciting piece of research. Recognising the unique and complex challenges facing all young adults today (shaped by Covid-19, the cost-of-living crisis, and wider societal shifts) we decided to explore what this meant for young people in arts administration, an under-researched yet essential pillar of the arts ecology.  

The research shed light on the evolving needs, attitudes, and aspirations of this cohort, and offered practical recommendations to support workplace inclusion for younger colleagues—key to building a diverse, adaptable, and resilient workforce. The report was launched at a successful event held in London in May 2024.  

A year later in 2025, we are delighted to be working with the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama again, this time in collaboration with Leeds Playhouse. Having previously limited our study to young people based in London, we have now expanded this work to explore the experiences of young colleagues in the North of England, using a sample of participants based in West Yorkshire. 

The initial research and recommendations have now been released in a snapshot report for employers and policy makers to accompany an event taking place in Leeds in June 2025.