Theatres accused of racism

A huge effort is needed to stamp out institutional racism in the theatre where only one in 25 workers is from the ethnic minorities, a report warns today.

The study by the Arts Council, which was inspired by a series of seminars last year, calls for measures to encourage more ethnic diversity.

Peter Hewitt, the Arts Council's chief executive, said: "There is a distinct lack of representation of black and Asian communities at board level, on the staff, in the programming and in the audiences of regional theatres."

The report calls for more research into recruitment of ethnic minorities in the theatre before future targets are set.

According to the most recent figures, of the 2,009 permanently employed staff in regional theatres only 83 are from ethnic minorities.

And of the 463 board members of Britain's theatres, all but 440 are white. Not one is from an Asian background.