Sir Sam Mendes has set up the Theatre Artists Fund in partnership with The Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, established with a £500k donation from Netflix, providing ‘small grants for theatre practitioners who find themselves with nowhere else to turn’ following theatre closures due to Covid-19.

The Lehman Trilogy director said ‘It is specifically designed for theatre workers who find themselves at breaking point, for those unable to put food on the table or to pay bills, or for those considering leaving the profession altogether.

The Theatre Artists Fund is not for buildings, or regular staff, but for freelance artists who actually make the shows that the public pay to see’.