Our Aims & Ojectives

Co-ordinate & Lobby – to act as the co-ordinating body for the development of independent amateur theatres, and to lobby on their behalf on matters of national interest, such as taxation, charity status, licensing, sponsorship, insurance and royalties.

Young People – to promote and develop the involvement and interest of young people in all aspects of theatre.

Co-operation
To promote close co-operation between members in all areas of Theatre

Gatherings
To organise National and Regional Conferences, workshops and seminars.

Relationships
To help and improve relationships with Local Authorities and regional arts boards.

Advice
To advise those seeking to establish new independent amateur theatres.

Ideas Exchange
To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas regionally, nationally and internationally.

International Liaison
To encourage exchanges between member Theatres and those in the international arena.

A Voice
To ensure that the voice of the LTG is heard strongly with national and international bodies, including the Central Council of the Amateur Theatre International Theatre Association.

Our Support

Promoting the establishment of youth theatre groups
Facilitating communication between members through a quarterly newsletter
Encouraging and supporting new writing.
Helping to facilitate exchange visits through the International Theatre Exchange.
Helping in the establishment of new theatre groups.
Maintaining a bank of information and resources which is available to members.
Publishing an annual Year Book of member theatre achievements.
Monitoring and advising on the maintenance of standards.
Maintaining personal contact with members at local, regional and national level.
Advising on the opportunities for access to funds.
Maintaining a website on the Internet.
Promoting the Little Theatres Movement and individual theatres’ achievements.

LTG Rules

1. Name

The name of the Guild shall be “The Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain – LTG”. The Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain is a Charity registered in England, Registration Number 291330. The Trustees of the Charity are the members of the National Committee.

2. Definitions

a. For the purpose of the LTG the term ‘Little Theatre’ shall be deemed to apply only to an independent, self-governing, play-producing organisation, non-commercial in character, which controls (or which has controlled and is likely again to control, viz. a Member which has lost its theatre, but which intends to re-establish itself as soon as possible) an established theatre or theatres, for the presentation of a regular programme of stage plays.

b. The term ‘Great Britain’ shall include Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands

c. The term ‘Member’ shall mean a theatre in membership of the Guild in accordance with Rule 7.

3. Objects

a. The objects of the LTG shall be in Great Britain and elsewhere:

b. The promotion, advancement, education in and serious study of drama and the development of public taste therein;

c. For those purposes to promote closer co-operation between the Little Theatres constituting its membership;

d. To act as a coordinating and representative body on behalf of the Little Theatres;

e. Generally to maintain and further the highest standards in the art of the theatre as practised by existing Little Theatres; and to advise and support Little Theatres in the areas of management and administration;

f. To assist in and encourage the establishment of other Little Theatres. The Guild is strictly non-political, non-sectarian and non-discriminatory.

4. Limitation of Control

a. The LTG shall not in any way interfere with or control the policy or management of any of its Members otherwise than by the tendering of advice or suggestions.

5. Funds

a. The funds of the LTG shall be applied solely to the above objects and no payments shall be made to any person or body for its services other than legitimate expenses incurred on behalf of the Guild or by way of reasonable honorarium to any elected officer of the Guild.

6. Banking Account (s)

a. All monies received by the LTG shall be paid by the Treasurer into a Bank Account in the name of the LTG. All payments from this account shall be set up by the Treasurer and approved electronically by the Secretary or Chairman.

7. Members

a. Membership shall be confined to bona fide Little Theatres as herein defined which shall have applied. Election to membership shall be by a majority of the members of the Standing Committee. (see para 13)

b. Little Theatres applying for membership shall supply such information as to their policy, standing and work, as may be required to enable their application to be considered.

c. If a Member of the LTG introduces policies which are incompatible with the LTG’s principles, the Standing Committee may terminate Membership, provided that the Member shall have been given the opportunity to make representations either in person or electronically to the Standing Committee before such a decision is made. The Member shall also have an opportunity to appeal to a panel comprising Members from theatres not represented on the Standing Committee.

d. A Member desiring to resign shall give not less than three months’ notice in writing signed by the Chairman and Secretary (to expire on the 31st August in any year) to the Secretary.

e. Each Member is required to provide to the Treasurer such information from their Annual Accounts as is requested by the Standing Committee.

8. Associate Membership

a. In addition to full membership as defined and provided by the above Rules there shall be a class of membership known as Associate Membership.

b. Associate Membership shall be confined to an independent self-governing organisation non-commercial in character which controls an established theatre or theatres for the presentation of a regular programme of stage plays by or principally by amateur groups or societies otherwise without premises of their own in which to perform.

c. These Rules shall apply to Associate Members except that

i) The Annual Subscription for Associate Members shall be such sum as shall be determined by the Standing Committee;

ii) An Associate Member shall not be entitled to vote in a postal ballot nor shall a representative thereof vote at any General Meeting.

9. Honorary Associates

a. In addition to the classes of membership as defined by the above Rules the LTG may by the unanimous vote of those present and voting at a meeting of the LTG elect to be Honorary Associate any person who in the opinion of the members has rendered outstanding services to the LTG.

b. An Honorary Associate shall be entitled to attend any LTG Meeting but shall have no vote in that capacity.

10. Subscription

a. The annual subscription for each Member shall be such sum as the LTG at its Annual General Meeting shall determine due on the 1st of September each year or upon admission.

b. A Member joining after the 1st March in any year shall pay half the annual subscription in respect of that year.

c. No Member of any class shall be entitled to a refund of the whole or any part of any subscription upon its ceasing for any reason to be a Member save at the discretion of the Standing Committee.

11. LTG Representatives

a. The Chairman or Secretary of each Member shall notify to the National Secretary a person to be its representative for the purpose of receiving communications from the LTG and promoting the LTG within its theatre. Such Representative shall represent the Member at meetings of the LTG and, if attending in person, shall be the voting representative at such meetings.

b. Representatives shall continue as such during the pleasure of the Little Theatre that has nominated them and on ceasing to be such a Representative, shall cease to participate.

12. Meetings of the LTG

a. The Annual General Meeting of the LTG shall be held once every calendar year. It shall transact such business as shall be specified in the notice convening the same which shall include:

i to receive and if approved, to adopt the annual report and an audited account of the LTG’s finances to the end of the preceding financial year;

ii. to appoint the Chairman in accordance with Rule 13c and to elect the officers and other members of the Standing Committee as provided in Rules 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d;

iii. To elect an Auditor or Auditors.

b. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the LTG may be called at any time by the Standing Committee and shall be called within 21 days of receipt by the Secretary of a written requisition signed by the Secretaries of not fewer than ten LTG Members stating the purpose for which the meeting is desired and setting out any resolution which it is desired to propose thereat. No business shall be transacted at such meeting other than that specified in the Notice.

c. A Notice convening any General Meeting shall with copies of the accounts (in the case of the Annual General Meeting) be sent to all Members not less than fourteen days before the meeting and shall specify the business thereof. Votes at a General Meeting may be cast by the LTG Representatives of each Member whose subscription is not in arrear for more than six months. The Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote in the case of equality of votes.

d. Any resolution at any General Meeting (other than a resolution under Rule 12 b.) shall be received by the Secretary not less than twenty-eight days before the date appointed for the meeting.

e. The quorum for any General Meeting shall be Representatives for not fewer than ten Members of the LTG except that for any resolution for winding up under Rule 18 the quorum shall be Representatives for not less than one fourth of the total membership of the LTG.

f. Votes at any General Meeting may be given either personally by a Representative or by a proxy nominated in writing signed by such Representative or by the Secretary of the Little Theatre which such Representative represents.

g. With the exceptions specified below, a ballot may be held upon any matter deemed to be urgent by Chairman and Secretary which could be determined at a General Meeting and any resolution so passed shall be effective as if passed at such a meeting. No matter, however, which constitutes obligatory business for the Annual General Meeting under Rule. 12a, no resolution or motion for the alteration of the Rules of the LTG or for winding up of the LTG and no business in respect of which an Extraordinary General Meeting has been requisitioned under Rule 12d shall be determined by a ballot.

h. For the purpose of conducting a ballot, the Secretary shall notify each Member of the terms of the motion proposed to be adopted and shall require the vote to be returned within twenty-one days of the dispatch of such notice. No vote received after that period shall be counted. All such votes duly received shall be counted by the Secretary and shall be retained by the Secretary at least until the next Annual General Meeting for examination by any interested representatives. A record of the votes received and the Members casting them shall be entered in the appropriate Minute Book with a note of the sense in which each was cast and of the result of the ballot.

13. Officers and Committee

a. The Standing Committee shall consist of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity and Marketing Officer, and National Liaison Officer of the LTG and the Regional Secretaries of the Northern, Central and Southern Regions together with three other Representative Committee Members each nominated by a member theatre within the LTG of three years standing at least.

b. The Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity and Marketing Officer, National Liaison Officer and the three Representative Committee Members shall be elected at the AGM and hold office for three years and shall be eligible for re-election for a further two three-year terms subject to meeting the requirement of 13d.

c. The Vice-Chairman shall be elected at the AGM and shall hold office for three years and shall thereafter be appointed Chairman and shall hold that office for three years at the expiration of which period they shall retire from office but shall be entitled to serve ex-officio on the Standing Committee for one further year.

d. All members of the Standing Committee shall cease to be eligible for re-election at the following AGM after completion of nine consecutive years of membership. The Standing Committee may agree to allow the member to be eligible for re-election if they provide written evidence to the AGM that the member has provided outstanding service to the LTG. This evidence shall be received by the Secretary not less than twenty-eight days before the date appointed for the meeting.

e. The Regional Secretaries of the Northern, Central and Southern regions shall be elected at the respective regional AGM’s and hold office for three years and shall be eligible for re-election for a further two three-year terms subject to meeting the requirement of 13d.

f. Four members of the Standing Committee are a quorum. Save for the post of Vice-Chairman which shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of Rule 15 the Committee may fill any casual vacancy, but the person appointed shall retire at the next Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for election.

g. The Standing Committee shall have power at any time to co-opt any person to be a member of the Standing Committee as an additional member. Any member of the committee so co-opted shall hold office only until the next Annual General Meeting.

h. The Standing Committee may appoint sub-committees and refer to them such matters as it may think fit. It may by standing orders or otherwise, regulate its own proceedings and those of any sub-committee as it thinks fit but not inconsistently with any provision of these Rules. The Chairman of the LTG shall be Chairman of any meeting of the Standing Committee or of any sub-committee at which they are present.

i. Officers and members of the Standing Committee shall attend Conferences ex-office.

j. The Standing Committee may authorise additional activities of the LTG including Regional Meetings of Members of the LTG on such terms and conditions including financial terms and conditions as the Standing Committee shall from time to time determine.

14. Disqualification and removal of a member of the Standing Committee

a. A member of the Standing Committee shall cease to hold office if they:

i. are disqualified from acting as trustee by virtue of sections 178 and 179 of the Charities Act 2011 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that provision);

ii. ceases to be a member of a theatre that belongs to the LTG;

iii. in the written opinion, given to the LTG, of a registered medical practitioner treating that person, has become physically or medically incapable of acting as a trustee and may remain so for more than three months;

iv. resigns as a member of the Standing Committee

15. Emergency Rule

a. If an emergency causes a vacancy in the position of Vice-Chairman during the three-year period of office, the Standing Committee shall call for postal nominations from the membership and take a postal vote. If the result of such a vote is a tied vote the Standing Committee, ONLY shall then take a ballot on the tied names and thereafter declare the nominee with the highest number of votes to be Vice-Chairman.

b. If less than one year of the term of the office of Vice-Chairman remains unexpired the Committee shall ask the existing Chairman to remain in office for a further year before the newly elected Vice-Chairman takes over.

16. Accounts

a. The Accounts of the LTG shall be made up to 31 August each year.

b. Auditors shall be appointed by the LTG annually at the Annual General Meeting.

17. Alteration to Rules

a) These rules may be altered at a general meeting by a simple majority of members.

18. Winding up

a) The LTG may be wound up by a resolution a simple majority of Members voting by attendance at or by proxy at a General Meeting convened for the purpose. In the event of winding up any funds remaining in hand after the realisation of assets and the liquidation of all liabilities shall be given to some other body with objects similar to those of the LTG being a body established solely for charitable purposes.

Rules amended

9 April 2026

Other revisions:

21 Apr 2018 | 4th May 2014 | 19th May 2012 | 7th May 2005 | 29th March 2003