Introducing our Freelance Charter

News Story

We want the Royal Court to be a place where everyone can do their best work, and share in our mission – championing and cultivating new plays and playwrights, and empowering new voices to drive forward our national culture, inspire audiences and shape public conversation.

For our workforce, that means freelancers as much as core staff. We know that freelancers often occupy a precarious position, without the same automatic protections and information as salaried colleagues.

That's why, today, alongside a wider package of changes to reset our work with freelance artists, we're launching our first Freelance Charter.

The Charter aims to help redress that balance, outlining our commitments and the principles that underpin our engagement with freelancers.

We want to ensure that our organisation takes responsibility for securing and improving conditions for cultural freelancers. While the Charter can’t confer employment rights or contractual entitlements, we want to share as many as possible of the benefits, resources and expectations available to salaried staff. Introduced today, the Charter will form part of a new Freelancer Hub on our website, launching in July 2026.

Finally, if you’re a freelancer working with us: we hope you have the best time, and we’re grateful for your contribution to our work. We hope this Charter is a useful starting-point for your experience. If you think we could be doing better, we hope you’ll feel free and comfortable enough to let us know.

Our commitments

1. A pro-active approach to fair pay & terms.

  • Freelancer pay: regularly and proactively review our set rates in line with internal processes; and commit to annual uplifts at least in line with inflation.
  • Payment schedules: Ensure agreements clearly outline payment schedules, cancelation terms and systems for expenses, aiming to pay freelance invoices within 14 days from receipt.
  • Contracts & letters of agreement: Apply consistent templates using simple, clear language; and regularly review terms against industry best practice.
  • Transparency: Be transparent when asking freelancers to quote for work and actively volunteer higher rates if available or in parity for similar work.

2. Positive induction & communications.

  • Code of Conduct: Provide all freelancers with our Code of Conduct, clearly outlining professional expectations and the standards expected of our organisation and staff.
  • Induction: Ensure induction meetings, staff introductions and building orientations take place at the earliest possible opportunity, and actively work to make the Royal Court feel like home for freelancers while they are with us.
  • Welcome packs: Provide consistent welcome packs, proportionate to roles, including venue information, benefits, discounts, HR support and key contacts – with a positive attitude to sharing the building’s resources and knowledge.
  • Organisational updates: Open invitations for freelancers working with us to periodically join senior leadership for organisational updates and Q&As, mirroring the information and engagement available to our salaried staff.

3. Meaningful support for inclusion & wellbeing.

  • Our commitment: to make the Royal Court the best possible place to work, where everyone is welcome, standing against any form of discrimination and ensuring freelancers feel respected and supported.
  • Anti-racism & EDI: Maintain active Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policies and plans, ensuring these address barriers for a diverse range of freelancers.
  • Wellbeing: Offer freelancers access to wellbeing support otherwise available to salaried staff, proportionate to the length and regularity of engagement, including our Employee Assistance Programme.
  • Access & support: Provide a standardised Health & Access Form, as an opportunity for freelancers to discuss access needs, physical and mental health, menstruation/menopause, caring responsibilities and religious or cultural needs. 

4. Transparent access to reporting & policies.

  • Organisational policies: Provide open access to organisational policies via a dedicated section of our website, including an online reporting form and information on Safeguarding, Bullying & Harassment, Complaints & Grievances and more.
  • Reporting: Ensure freelancers know who to approach with concerns and complaints, including a named point of contact, with easy access to formal reporting structures outside of their direct supervisors, including anonymously and with direct routes to Executive and Board.
  • Meaningful engagement: Treat all concerns seriously and confidentially, supporting anyone to raise complaints and challenge behaviours without fear of future consequence – and caring as much about freelance experiences as those of our salaried staff.