It was presented as a “roadmap” with a “clear pathway” for the reopening of the UK’s performing arts venues, which face devastation as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the strategy unveiled on Thursday by culture secretary Oliver Dowden has been dismissed as “meaningless” and “woeful” by theatre unions, with creatives across the industry adding to the chorus of disapproval. What Dowden’s five-step roadmap crucially lacks, they argue, is investment in the arts, detailed timeframes and a reimagining of business models in light of how theatres can operate in the near future. Christine Payne, general secretary of Equity, said the union had given comprehensive feedback to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on its draft guidance for how live performance can begin again. “We have made it crystal clear,” she said, “that without an investment plan to protect jobs and workplaces, these efforts to develop return-to-work guidance will be meaningless.” Payne added: “Much of the industry cannot viably operate without targeted investment in infrastructure and ongoing support for organisations and the workers associated with them – whether they are permanent employees, freelance or self-employed.” The first two phases of DCMS’s roadmap are already allowed: physically distanced rehearsal and training without an audience, and physically distanced performances for broadcast and recording purposes. The next stages are to allow outdoor and (initially in pilot form) indoor performances, with a limited-distance audience, and finally to allow all performances, admitting a fuller audience indoors. Jon Morgan, director of the Theatres Trust, a national advisory public body for theatres, said the plan was “a move in the right direction” but that without offering a timescale for when audiences will be admitted to performances “theatres will still be unable to plan effectively for their reopening”. The impact of this uncertainty, he said, is “devastating” for the industry. Without guidance on dates and a financial rescue package, Morgan predicts a “cultural catastrophe” for the UK. Philippa Childs, head of the broadcasting union Bectu, criticised the lack of detail in the plan and said: “It demonstrates how little understanding there is in government of what is happening in the industry and what is needed to help. Theatre workers are being made redundant now and theatres are going into administration now.” A roadmap, she said, “is fine – as long as you have enough fuel in the tank to get there. Many theatres don’t and this much awaited announcement falls woefully short of what is needed.” Dowden’s announcement came towards the end of a week that has seen further news of redundancy processes commencing for arts organisations across the UK, including the Theatre Royal Plymouth, Newcastle Theatre Royal and Horsecross Arts, the creative organisation and charity behind Perth Concert Hall and Perth theatre. Staff are also at risk of redundancy at Birmingham Hippodrome and Wales Millennium Centre. Individuals working in the arts industry also criticised the roadmap, with the performer and writer Scottee addressing a series of tweets to Dowden, concluding: “This isn’t good enough. Your peers in Germany, Ireland, France, New Zealand and Australia have already all dedicated specific financial support to the art sector – its time you lobbied your government to do the same.” Actor Kok-Hwa Lie said the plan was meaningless without a timeline and support: “The points made in this ‘roadmap’ are so obvious, any theatre professional could have written this weeks ago.” The playwright Morgan Lloyd Malcolm tweeted: “You can’t fool creatives @OliverDowden we know you’re procrastinating. We know cos we’re pros at it. I make lists like this when I should be writing instead of writing. Then I have a cup of tea and consider it a good morning of work. Even I know this isn’t good practice.” Announcing the plan, Dowden said: “I know the public wants its theatres open, our brilliant performers want to go back to work, and we will do all we can to get them fully back up and running.” A government spokesperson said that all decisions on timing will be taken in light of expert medical advice and the latest social distancing guidelines, and stated: “We are doing all we can to support these industries through government grants, loans, the furlough scheme and the Arts Council’s £160 million emergency response package. We are also considering ways in which we may be able to support it further on top of the unprecedented financial assistance we have already provided.”