We are very excited to be one of three organisations who are partnering with RTYDS to host a Fair Play Associate Creative Director Residency, alongside Bristol Old Vic and Leeds Playhouse.
RTYDS is committed to the development of directors and theatre makers as cultural leaders, and their Fair Play Associate Creative Director Residency sees regional building-based theatre companies partnering with them to host a mid-career working class or low socio-economic background director or theatre maker for 18 months.
There continues to be a significant lack of diversity in those who lead organisations. If only 13% of workers in the arts sector come from working class or low socio-economic backgrounds, the percentage of those in leadership positions is even lower.
The structures, practices, and models that dominate our industry continue to exclude, undervalue, and limit opportunities for artists from these backgrounds. There is a pressing need to provide progression routes for people from working class and low socio-economic backgrounds that continue to be under-represented in the arts.
This is why we’re partnering with RTYDS, along with two other regional theatres, to lead this industry change and support mid-career artists from working class and low socio-economic background to thrive as artistic leaders.
At each theatre the successful candidate will join the senior management team, contribute to the strategic planning and delivery of the theatre’s artistic programme, and direct a mid-scale production. They will develop their craft as a director while learning about the role of an artistic or creative director in cultural leadership.
They will also join RTYDS for (20%) of their residency to deepen their understanding of the sector on a national level, as well as build relationships with other regional theatres and contribute to class equity advocacy work.
Find out more and apply with the job pack below.
Expression of interest
If you would like to express an interest in one of the Fair Play Associate Artistic Director Residencies, you can either send us a written application, or a video or an audio file via WeTransfer.
If you would like to complete a written application, please go to this online form. To apply via video or audio, please send an mp3 or mp4 file (no more than four minutes) via WeTransfer to application@rtyds.co.uk
answering the following questions:
• Name
• Email
• Where you are based
• Short expression of interest, telling us:
– What do you hope to gain from the residency?
– Tell us more about why you are interested in leadership.
– If you could launch a campaign or commission a piece about class inequity, what would it be and why?
– How would you like theatre in the North West to develop over the coming years?
For both written and video applications, we ask that you also email us your:
• CV
• Access Rider (as appropriate)
Please send these to application@rtyds.co.uk (preferably in Word or PDF format).