→THEATRE & ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESIDENCY 2024

We partnered with HighRise Entertainment and Urban MBA to create a paid Performing Leadership Differently residency scheme that supports a new way to engage with the theatre world; its creativity and shortcomings. Supported by Queen Mary University London’s Impact Fund.

We created this residency to provide knowledge of the current state of the industry so that the participants can bring new eyes and new ideas to innovate for the future. We aspire to improve the participants ability to engage with the industry, focussing on longevity and sustainability but also understanding the value of community knowledge they bring to the arts. A participant can be someone with no previous experience or those looking to learn more about creative producing for communities.

Participants spent time learning in Urban MBA’s studio about wider UK entrepreneurship, theatre producing and community engagement. The programme finished with the participants creating and delivering a presentation to a panel of industry members about where they think the performing arts are going and how communities can be a part of that.

Presentations focussed on where change and entrepreneurship could improve the world of theatre for audiences, theatre creatives or communities in general. Participants’ creativity ranged broadly, from modern marketing, future uses of AI, pitfalls of current engagement methods, theatre production, or novel funding methods.

The 2024 Resident Cohort

Estelle Homerstone

Ra’eesah

Sam Purkis

Michelle Strutt

Lydia-Renee Darling