Another step on the path for official recognition

Comedians and other industry representatives are to meet the Creatives Industries Minister next month to lobby for greater recognition of the artform by government.

The round table with Ian Murray, pictured, on March 9 will discuss why live comedy remains overlooked while other performance sectors receive formal support.

It follows lobbying by the Live Comedy Association, which represents more than 1,500 people working in the industry, and Craic Comedy, which is also calling for greater recognition and for comedy to be available as a ‘social prescription’ on the NHS.

The meeting in early March comes after MPs held their first parliamentary discussion on live comedy last April, with Dame Caroline Dinenage chair of the Culture Media and Sport select committee calling for it.

Jessica Toomey, co-chair of the Live Comedy Association said the lack of recognition was a source of frustration. 'It's enormously frustrating to people working in live comedy, together with our friends and supporters, that we aren't formally recognised alongside theatre, music, dance, poetry and other parts of the live creative industries,' she said.

Lu Jackson of Craic Comedy has previously hosted a number of meetings with policymakers and helped secure the round table with Murray. She said: ‘This meeting also builds upon decades of work by people in comedy: an industry of individuals often working in isolation, who ultimately want to make the world a happier place. I look forward to collaborating with comedy colleagues and the government, to help transform the comedy sector through better policies and systems.’

The round table is also expected to features producers, agents, technicians, streaming platforms and academics. Arts Council England are also attending

The Live Comedy Association, a not-for-profit organisation set up in 2020, has been pushing for comedy venues to receive the same treatment as music venues and pubs. Earlier thus year, it secured business rates relief for grassroots comedy clubs.

In October, the group wrote to ministers with a five-point plan including calls for government to assess the size of the comedy sector and to include it in policy discussions around VAT on tickets and working conditions for freelancers.

The association has produced two national surveys showing the economic impact of the sector and has also launched Live Comedy Day, a celebration of grassroots venues taking place on April 1.

Toomey said progress was being made. 'We are making good progress; of the five areas we identified in October, several items are being developed particularly the agreement of government to include live comedy venues in the business rates support package,' she said.

The association's Stand Up And Give Fund has raised £15,000 to support grassroots venues across the country.

Live Comedy Associations’s five-point plan:

1. Follow up on the items raised in the letter from Culture, Media and Sport Committee following its first State of Play evidence session in April 2025.  These included:

• A round table discussion between government and live comedy sector
•Identify resources to produce an independent, accurate assessment of the size and distribution of the live comedy sector
• Explore the potential to extend the live music arena levy to include live comedy

2. Include live comedy as a crucial part of UK’s creative and cultural industries in policy and strategy documents.

3. Include live comedy in policy interventions such as discussions around VAT on tickets, business rates for venues and working conditions for freelancers

4. Business rate relief for grassroots venues

5. Invite representation from Live Comedy Association on relevant working groups and policy advisory committees

Published: 16 Feb 2026