Expanding Horizons
I am a passionate advocate of the Immersive Entertainment sector, and regularly consult with organisations in both a creative and organisational capacity, sit on and chair industry focused panels and provide mentorship for emerging companies who focus on Immersive and Interactive performance. Below are highlights ranging from public speaking, sector support and mentorship provision.
IEN: Knowledge Bank January 2024 - January 2025
ROLE: Content Producer
LOCATION: Nationwide
TYPE: Third Sector, funded by ACE
IN BRIEF: In 2023 IEN received a grant from ACE to develop a Knowledge Bank, comprised of Podcasts and Articles from industry leaders to enable new and established creatives and production folx in the Immersive industries to gain a deeper understanding of the sector as well as practical tools to help develop and grow their practice.
My role as producer involves researching and engaging content creators, editing and shaping written and recorded content whilst ensuring that goals, output and timeline of the project are met effectively.
IN BRIEF: The Immersive Experience Network is being set up as a catalyst to support creators making new work, developing new audiences and growing financially sustainable creative companies.
KEY NOTES: #professionaldevelopment #growingpractice #research #sectorsupport
ACCESS PROVIDER: Client Basis 2013 - Present
ROLE: Producer, Fundraiser and Facilitator
LOCATION: Nationwide
TYPE: Third Sector, funded by Arts Council England, Access to Work
IN BRIEF: Since 2013 I have supported artists, creatives and makers in the immersive sector and beyond to apply for Arts Council and ATW funding, manage Project Grants, produce new work and help realise creative ambitions.
I work with neurodivergent (specifically those with ADHD or Autism), Sight Impaired or Severely Sight Impaired artists. In addition to providing access support for funding, I offer both project management services and advocacy for creatives who are working towards scaling up their work in institutions which may have little to no knowledge of facilitating disabled led work.
To protect the confidentiality of my clients, they are not listed on my website however I have supported them to apply for ACE DYCP and Project Grants, ATW funding, Jerwood grants and residencies and develop pitches for commercial clients.
KEY NOTES: #access #advocacy #fundraising #projectmanagement #inclusion
DYCP: Arts Council England 2022 - Present
ROLE: Grant Recipient
LOCATION: Nationwide
TYPE: Third Sector, funded by ACE
IN BRIEF: Funding to support individuals who are cultural and creative practitioners and want to take time to focus on their creative development.
in 2022 I was the recipient of a Developing Your Creative Practice Grant from Arts Council England. My project will focus on understanding of the needs of backstage workers and creatives in the immersive sector and the model of sector support that might best suit this rapidly evolving part of the UK creative industry.
I will be exploring other models of making work both in Europe and further afield to learn more about international practice from organisations such as the World Experience Organisation and Stone Soup, as well as speaking directly to industry professionals in the UK to gauge the needs of both emerging and established artists.
KEY NOTES: #professionaldevelopment #growingpractice #research #sectorsupport
FORUM: Immersive Experience Network 2022
ROLE: Panel Chair
LOCATION: IEN Sypmosium,Vaults
TYPE: Commercial
IN BRIEF:The Immersive Experience Network is being set up as a catalyst to support creators making new work, developing new audiences and growing financially sustainable creative companies. Their strategy is built around:
Building Community, Facilitating Knowledge Sharing & Education for creators and Commercial Data Collection, Analysis and Publication.
In May 2022 I chaired a panel discussion as part of IEN’s inaugural symposium around the use of meanwhile and commercial space and venue development for immersive performance to generate dialogue and offer insight for both emerging and established makers on the logistics and operations involved in making work in alternative sites. Panellists included Charlotte Potter, Neil Connolly, Bertie Watkins Brian Hook and Andy Barnes.
KEY NOTES #publicspeaking #sectorsupport #symposium #community
RELOADED: The Lab Collective 2020
ROLE: Fundraiser, Producer, Facilitator
LOCATION: Online
TYPE: Third Sector, funded by ACE
LINK: Reloaded Symposium
IN BRIEF: Over three days The Lab Collective hosted Reloaded, a free online symposium to engage in a collaborative dialogue that explores the challenges our industry faces in the wake of Covid - 19 and beyond. The generous funding from Arts Council England enabled us to offer bursaries to participants who would otherwise be unable to join the conversation. Each day covered forum based topics that reflected a difficult aspect about emerging back into physical spaces, connecting with audiences and addressing the lack of diversity in our sector.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY: “I've continued having these conversations with people that are outside my circle. It's shown me how valuable it is to gather multiple views and opinions beyond my usual network.” Reloaded symposium participant
KEY NOTES: #Covidfunds #inclusion #newvoices #leadership #futurethought #sectorsupport
Pii Network: CCSD, 2019 - 2022
ROLE: Participant, facilitator, panel Member
LOCATION: CCSD
TYPE: Third Sector, funded by AHRC
LINK: Pii Network
IN BRIEF: The Playing with Intimacy and Intensity Network is a project, led by Gareth White and Bruce Barton with an international group of practitioners, academics and practitioner-academics, strengthens connections between these disciplines, to enhance shared understanding in the sub-disciplines of participatory performance, and to stimulate new directions of enquiry in practice and theory.
The project began in May 2019 with a performance Lab, attended by network members from across the world, at Jackson’s Lane in London. A second Lab took place in November 2021, along with a one-day open symposium, during which participants shared the experiences of the network and inviting other experts (producers, critics, audiences, as well as practitioners and scholars) to share their perspectives.
KEY NOTES: #sharingpractice #network #connecting #workshops
TINMENDO: The Lab Collective 2018
ROLE: Consultant Dramaturg on Fast Forward
LOCATION: Trinity Laban
TYPE: Third Sector, funded by ACE
LINK: Tin Men and the Telephone
IN BRIEF: Tin Men and the Telephone are an Amsterdam based jazz band, who create unique interactive shows through improvisation and app based audience interaction; we were fortunate to spend time developing and dramaturging their new performance through the generous support of Arts Council England.
Tin Men& The Telephone combines improvised music with live electronics, disruptive visuals and audience participation. Each show promises a full experience with an unmissable message that you actively participate in using your smartphone. We spent as part of Trinity Laban’s Fast Forward Programme, working towards developing narrative structure and developing audience interaction for their new performance which will debut in Amsterdam in 2019 with an international tour in the works
KEY NOTES: #music #immersive #technology #dramaturg #residency
THE FLY PIT: Nomad Creative Studio and The Lab Collective
ROLE: Programmer and Co Host
PROJECT: The Lighthouse
LOCATION: The Fly Pit
TYPE: Third Sector
LINK: n/a
IN BRIEF: The Lighthouse was a quarterly event at our former venue The Fly Pit at Stanley Halls; designed to galvanise the artistic and local community the regular events offered an opportunity to explore new ideas in a nurturing and relaxed environment. Each event was themed around our 8 o'clock slot and showcased new work from performers, film makers, spoken word and mixed form artists. The Lighthouse was a joyful and inclusive way for creatives from any art form or stage in their career to test ideas and connect. Featured artists included PINS, Carlos Salvador, Daniel Cunningham, Mariam Fakir, Elena Stevanovska, Exit Productions and Jake Hassam
KEY NOTES: #curation #newwork #inclusion
#community #networking
MENTORSHIP: The Lab Collective and Theatre Delicatessen
ROLE: Mentor
PROJECT: Professional Development
LOCATION: London and Sheffield
TYPE: Third Sector
LINK: Resident Artists
IN BRIEF: The Resident Artist Program at The Lab Collectives former venue, The Fly Pit, was designed to give artists the space to create a new material, and feel creatively free in a safe and nurturing environment. As part of a ten week program we asked them to pitch and create a new piece, whilst attending shared work days so we are able to offer mentoring sessions both artistically and for artists looking to develop their company.
For Theatre Delicatessen I mentored young creatives as part of their artist development programme at the old Woolworth’s building in Sheffield.
KEY NOTES: #support #emergingartists #residency #curation #programming