Associate artistic director role on offer at Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Playhouse is working with RTYDS (Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme) to offer a Fair Play associate artistic director Residency.
Three theatres – Leeds Playhouse, Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse – were selected as part of a competitive process to host a residency. This exciting 18-month paid role is now open for applications from mid-career directors and theatre makers.

There are three paid residences, one at each of the venues, for creatives who identify as working class or from a low socio-economic background to progress to artistic leadership.

Fair Play is about making impact and driving change for artists from low socio-economic backgrounds. Each theatre partner has shown a commitment to the development of under-represented artists, particularly those who are working class or from a low socio-economic background. The partners hope to shine a light on established working-class artists, their work and their impact on the host organisations.

Tom Wright, artistic director, and Shawab Iqbal, chief executive of Leeds Playhouse, said: "We’re delighted to be working with RYTDS and Fair Play to offer this vital opportunity. The new Fair Play Associate Artistic Director role will empower a talented artist, giving them space to grow, challenge us, and play a key role in shaping the future of the Playhouse in collaboration with our community.”

Cat Shoobridge, director and co-creative Lead of Fair Play, said: “We focus a lot of our energy as an industry on the entry points to creative careers and talent development for emerging artists – but what about mid-career opportunities? Where are the programmes that provide a step change or a route to leadership that recognise the barriers that stop working class artists from getting and keeping these roles? With the AAD residencies, Fair Play wants to change this. It’s us saying: we know you are confident in your artistry, what do you need to be confident in cultural leadership?”

Sue Emmas, artistic director of RTYDS, said: “The ask being made of artistic directors today is huge; they need to be entrepreneurs, fundraisers, politicians, with the ability to inspire a board and a workforce and at the same time make and facilitate exceptional art. An even greater ask if you are from a low socio-economic background and face barriers to progression.

“Opportunities to learn this demanding skillset first-hand are rare, which is why we have created this new opportunity. As a director gets further into their career the chances to train are limited; there are few tailored, structured learning opportunities for artists wishing to learn about leadership and deepen their craft. This scheme covers it all.

“We are thrilled that Bristol Old Vic, Leeds Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse share this urgent need for change and look forward to working together on this across the next 18 months.”

Each successful candidate will join the senior management team at their partner organisation, 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.

The Fair Play associate artistic director Residency reflects RTYDS’ strong commitment to the development of directors and theatre makers as cultural leaders. There continues to be a significant lack of diversity in those who lead organisations and there is a pressing need to provide training and progression routes for talented people from working class and low socio-economic backgrounds that continue to be under-represented in the arts.

Applications for Fair Play associate artistic director Residencies at Bristol Old Vic, Leeds Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse are now open. Deadline: 10am, Thursday 18 September.

The successful candidates 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.

The Fair Play Associate Artistic Director Residencies are supported by public funding from Arts Council England.

Click here for full details.