Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Olivia Colman have launched the Theatre Community Fund in the U.K. in order to support artists affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Divided into two priority strands, the fund will help freelancers survive in the present with grants — and help the industry in the future by providing innovation and creation grants. It’s received a pledge of £1 million from founder donations and has already amassed £500 thousand. The money will be dispersed and monitored by the Royal Theatrical Fund and the Fleabag Support Fund.
Donors — which includes Fleabag‘s Andrew Scott — will contribute through initial lump sums and fixed, confidential percentages of their incomes over the next two years. Other founding donors include Gillian Anderson, Daniel Radcliffe, Emilia Clarke, James Cordon, Emma Thompson, James McAvoy, Rachel Weisz, Daisy Ridley, Tom Hiddleston, Rebecca Hall and more.
Last April, Waller-Bridge brought the stage version of Fleabag to steaming for two weeks in order to donate to several U.K. charities in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “All money raised will support the people throughout our society who are fighting for us on the frontlines and those financially devastated by the crisis, including those in the theatre community,” she said. “Now go get into bed with Fleabag! It’s for charity!”
From Rolling Stone US
