CRAFT is collaborating with Arts Council England (ACE) to host a comedy-specific live-streamed advice session on May 28, 2026. To make sure this session actually works for you, we’ve launched an independent survey to gather your real-world questions and insights.

📣 LANDMARK INQUIRY on Misogyny in Comedy. The comedy industry—performers, promoters, and professionals of all genders—are invited to provide evidence for the UK Government's Women & Equalities Committee’s Inquiry into Misogyny in Comedy, a campaign brought by CRAFT.

On March 17, 2026, the DCMS Committee ‘Oral evidence: Review of Arts Council England’ commenced. We thank Committee Chair and CRAFT patron, Dame Caroline Dinenage, for asking Baroness Hodge a series of questions on comedy, including:

1. “the Arts Council review did not mention comedy”,
2. “to what extent do you think that comedy is a neglected artform?”, and
3. “should the Arts Council be considering comedy as an artform in its own right?”.

The CRAFT Newsroom offers you a timeline from June to March 2026, showing our communications regarding recognition comedy as an artform. We will formally reply to the DCMS Committee in respect to the comedy questions and answers provided at the Oral Evidence session on March 17. We would like to work with the Committee, DCMS, ACE and Baroness Hodge, to give comedy the recognition it deserves. If not now, when?

Parliament recognises comedy as an artform — and supports CRAFT: In the House of Commons, Samantha Niblett MP of South Derbyshire raised the importance of comedy as a core part of British society, directing her Buisness Question to the Leader of the House of Commons, The Rt Hon. Sir Alan Campbell MP.

Following Dr Simon Opher MP's query to the Treasury, comedy venues may be eligible for the 15% business rates relief, but eligibility is determined by individual Local Authorities. Check your rateable value and don't assume you're automatically included.