Over 30 prominent performing arts leaders in the UK, including representatives from the National Theatre, Opera North, and the Royal Albert Hall, have joined a growing number of creatives expressing concerns over the government’s proposal that would allow artificial intelligence companies to utilize artists’ work without permission. In a collective statement, they emphasized the fragility of the ecosystem that performing arts organizations and freelancers depend on for their livelihoods, which heavily relies on copyright protections. The signatories, including top executives from renowned institutions such as Sadler’s Wells dance theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the Leeds Playhouse, called for the government to uphold the moral and economic rights of the creative community across various disciplines, including music, dance, drama, and opera. They argue that their highly skilled creative workers’ livelihoods are threatened by the government’s plans to diminish creative copyright by providing an exemption to AI companies. The statement also called for the government to ensure transparency from AI companies regarding the copyrighted materials they use to train their systems and how they acquire them. The leaders underscored the importance of creative endeavor to human joy and urged the government to support and protect this endeavor. The proposals by the government have faced significant backlash from key figures in the UK’s creative industries, including Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, and Richard Osman, reflecting widespread concern about the implications of these changes for copyright law and the creative sectors’ future.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/mar/18/performing-arts-leaders-issue-copyright-warning-over-uk-governments-ai-plans