Geoff Rowe on an industry roundtable with the creative industries Minister

This time last week, a bunch of people who work in comedy gathered at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in Westminster to meet with the Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts, Ian Murray.

I attended with Frog and Bucket managing director Jessica Toomey on behalf of the Live Comedy Association (LCA), the only organisation in the UK which represents members working across the live comedy sector.  

I thought it might be helpful and interesting to look back at how we got to speaking with the  arts minister about what we need to sustain our work. The meeting last week was certainly a significant moment.

The LCA has 1,500 members and hosts regular members meetings, events, training and development opportunities, as well as conducting the annual live comedy survey, the live comedy AGM, and will shortly be producing Live Comedy Day in partnership with BBC Radio 4 and a host of promoters and comedians.  Live Comedy Day is an opportunity for us to shout about, and celebrate, live comedy across the UK.

I should be clear by saying people have been shouting for recognition for comedy – and live comedy in particular – for many years.  I’ve been involved in some of these ‘shouts’ and so have others.  Some of these have focused on the role of comedy in improving health and wellbeing (The Comedy Trust, The Comedy School and BrightSparks spring to mind) and I think it was in 2006 that there was an event focusing on comedy and health which had a panel of speakers including the then CEO of Arts Council England and the Health Secretary  

More recently there have been projects and events which aimed to bring the comedy sector together.  Does anyone else remember the great International Comedy Conferences which took place across a few years, and gathered people together who worked in comedy?  

The brilliant Dr Sharon Lockyer, director of the Centre for Comedy Studies Research at Brunel University London, has researched a timeline, documenting the work carried out in the UK  since 2020.  The timeline may not be comprehensive; if there are gaps please get in touch.  

What the timeline highlights is a growing interest in the role of comedy, and the impact it has in terms of economics and social impact.  It shows that it’s not only people working in comedy that are shouting, and not only MPs and those involved in politics. 

It also highlights that organisations such as the Night Time Industries Association are also shouting about the essential role comedy has in terms of supporting the night time economy.  Over the last two years the LCAhas brought together an alliance of other organisations who want to support the live comedy sector and these include broadcasters, academics and academic institutions, trade unions, aligned sector agencies (shout out to Music Venues Trust), digital/PR agencies and web based platforms.

What is crucial to me is that we continue to ensure we are careful when we use language.  The live comedy sector is a part of a broader comedy ecology which heavily relies on live comedy for its R&D and pipeline of talent.  

When we talk about ‘comedy’ we are not necessarily talking about live comedy.  Comedy is of course important, but so is live comedy, and especially grassroots live comedy.  This distinction was reinforced in the letter Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the culture committee, wrote to Sir Chris Bryant when he was arts minister in August 2025: ‘At the heart of comedy are the live performances that bring audiences together… It is live comedy itself that ensures that comedians and the industry as a whole can continue to be economically viable.’

It’s no different to talking about music and grassroots live music.  The scale of the live comedy sector – of venues, festival, promoters, producers, agents/managers and performers –  is well documented in the report published recently and available to read via www.livecomedyassociation.co.uk

So, what did we say to Ian Murray?  We emphasised those things that the live comedy sector needs to ensure it remains vibrant and a crucial part of the UK’s creative and cultural industries.  The LCA first raised its five-point plan to MPs in October 2025 and they remain relevant today.  We will continue to work with partners to secure this support for those working in live comedy sector.  If you agree these things are important then get involved in one of these things:

• Support Live Comedy Day;
•  Join the Live Comedy Association; it’s free to anyone working in live comedy
•  Donate to Stand Up And Give Fund to help support those working in the sector

• Geoff Rowe, pictured, is a member of the Live Comedy Association but writes here in a personal capacity

Pictured at the Westminster meeting are: Geoff Rowe, LCA; Keith Palmer, The Comedy School; Jessica Toomey, LCA;  Lu Jackson, Craic Comedy;  Jon Petrie, BBC; comedian  Carly Smallman; Daniel Dearlove, Backyard Comedy Club; Sarah Dodd; Edinburgh Fringe Society; Neil Darlison – of Arts Council England; Ian Murray, Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts; Samantha Niblett MP; comedian  Ro Dodgson; Simon Opher MP; Rupert Majendie, Baby Cow; Georgie Donnelly, AEG; comedian  Tom Walker.

Published: 17 Mar 2026