facilitatioN &teaching
An overview of various community and youth projects that focus on participation in theatre and arts programmes.
Shout & Loudmouth Youth Theatre
I was the Director of 2 Youth Theatre groups during my time at Lincoln Performing Arts Centre; Shout (ages 11-13) and Loudmouth (ages 14-18).
Each year, both groups would devise an original story to be performed in the main auditorium. Through workshops exploring various techniques such as script-writing, stage combat, performance skills and song-writing, the young participants would lead the developments of the narrative, supported by the professional staff.
The group was encouraged to step outside of their comfort zones, whilst also being a relaxed and safe space for all that wanted to attend and have some creative fun!
college & university lecturer
EASTERN SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS (ESPA)
Between 2018-2023, I was a college tutor (levels 3-5) on the Musical Theatre course at ESPA, primarily focusing on the acting aspects of the course and theory based learning.
During my time at the college, I was part of the creative team for the full-scale productions and showcases, whilst also offering private acting classes to prepare students for drama school auditions.
BISHOP GROSSETESTE UNIVERSITY
I spent three years as a guest Lecturer on the BA (Hons) Applied Drama in the Community and BA (Hons) Drama courses as well as being module leader for the following;
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Script and Performance Writing
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Directing & Devising
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Studio Practice
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Documentary & Verbatim Theatre
radio plays
A 'Taylor Made Arts' project.
I have worked in multiple settings to generate original radio plays, including within a women's refuge and a children's care home.
The groups work in a relaxed and creative setting in order to generate soft skills and build confidence through imaginative storytelling. Each week, we would run a varied programme of activities including;
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Generating art collages that represented our personalities
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Script writing techniques
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Drama and story-telling games
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Making story boards and character profiles
At the end of the process, the group auditioned professional actors to take on the roles they had created, with some members taking on roles themselves. Each group has had real ownership of the material and it was a real highlight seeing the creative ideas go from initial inspiration to the finished product.
borough bash
A collaboration between 'Made With Many' and 'Warts and All Theatre'
Borough Bash was a post-covid festival, planned and hosted by a group of young producers, with the aim of bringing the local community and families together again, to enjoy theatre, music, art and food!
The weeks leading to the festival I was managing all creative and logistical elements as well as meeting with the young producers to support them with the overall planning and scheduling of the festival.
Young audiences producer
Lincoln Performing Arts Centre
During my time at the venue, I was programming arts festivals and theatre work for unconventional spaces, as well as working with community groups to generate co-created, pop-up festivals for families. This role really allowed me to understand key elements to working with young and family audiences and marketing work to this demographic. Aside from my producing duties, I was also managing and directing all participation projects including our National Theatre Connections programme as well as in house youth theatre groups. In addition to performance based groups, we also had the 'LPAC Producers' who were a group of young people (aged 16-25) that wanted to gain professional experience in producing, event management, marketing and technical theatre. The group were responsible for producing a new work festival and booking artists for a section of the professional programme.
A highlight from this role would have to be the '10 residencies' project to celebrate the venue's 10th birthday. I worked with community groups across the city to generate site-based arts activities which included;
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A music gig in a multi-storey car park
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An arts festival in a local park
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Pop-up performances and workshops in the central market
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Story-telling at Lincoln Central Library
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A seaside themed event under a flyover bridge
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A fully programmed theatre space within an empty shop unit
emerge festival
Emerge was an arts festival model, commissioned and delivered by young people across multiple sites on the same day.
The project was managed by The Mighty Creatives and funded by Spirit of 2012, allowing 24 festivals to be delivered over 3 years.
In 2017/18, I worked with Egg Box Theatre to direct and produce the festival in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, working closely with the team at The Lion Theatre and school pupils at Banovallum school.
The aim of the project was to involve young people in producing these festivals, to coincide with Shakespeare’s birth and death.
