UK arts need ‘rescue package’ to avoid lost generation, says Royal Court boss

David Byrne said he welcomed Labour pledges on the performing arts, but added that the cost of not following through would be detrimental for British culture. Photograph: Tom Jamieson for The New York Times

David Byrne, the artistic director of the Royal Court theatre in London, has called for the next government to create a “rescue package” to keep young people in the arts or risk losing a generation of playwrights who cannot afford to stay in the sector.

In his first major interview since taking over in January, Byrne called for an urgent intervention to support younger artists, particularly those from black, disabled, working-class or LGBTQ+ backgrounds.