An educational arts charity said it regrets the offence caused by its chief executive job listing which seeks a candidate from the “criminal class and/or underclass”.
Camden People’s Theatre teaches and promotes the arts with a focus on drama.
The charity, which is looking for a new artistic director and joint chief executive, was criticised on social media for the job listing, which invited applications from people from various minority groups and people from backgrounds including “working class, benefit class, criminal class and/or underclass”.
The charity said in response that it was reviewing its terminology to make sure it could be “as inclusive and as respectful as possible”.
Anne-Marie Canning, chief executive of The Brilliant Club, a charity which supports PhD students from less advantaged backgrounds to study at the most competitive universities, described the listing as “insulting on so many levels” on X, formerly known as Twitter.
She said: “I have never seen this expression about socio-economic diversity before.
“It’s in an advert for a job.
“It seems insulting on many levels to many people.”
The charity acknowledged there had been “some concern” raised around the wording of its advert.
“As the name suggests, Camden People’s Theatre takes access and inclusion really seriously,” the charity said.
“We constantly consult on and modify what we do and how we communicate to make sure we’re welcoming and accessible to as many people as possible – especially those who are excluded from the arts, more so now than ever.
“That’s the spirit in which this terminology was used – and we are not the only organisation to use it.
“We regret that it has caused offence in some quarters and we are currently reviewing its use, to make sure we continue to be as inclusive and as respectful as possible.”
The charity said all candidates who identified as disabled and met essential criteria would be invited for an interview.
“We also warmly welcome the interest in arts and social inclusion that the reporting around this issue implies – and we hope to see it sustained,” the charity said.
“The conversation around access to and representation in the arts, and indeed in the media, is a vital one, and we’re committed to continue learning from and contributing to it.”
The charity recorded income of £501,954 in its latest accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2023.
The successful candidate will secure a salary of between £45,000 and £50,000 a year, depending on experience.