At this exciting stage in the programme, we’re also delighted to announce that Jen Sullivan will join the team as Creative Producer.
The Project Funding from Arts Council England will help to continue to deliver a programme of support for independent theatre-makers across the Midlands between Sept 2021 and April 2022.
This grant of £93,000, together with partnership investment, will allow us to directly fund, resource and support artists through its core programme of activity.
Photo: States of Independence from Departure Lounge Festival 2021, photography by Chris Webb
This will include workshops, a rolling artist support fund, commissions, development opportunities and performance platforms (including Departure Lounge and Check-In Festival), alongside 1-2-1 advice meetings for artists and regular communication and networking events. A series of workshops and tailored business support will also be delivered as part of The Big House consortium.
In addition, the programme will allow us to take learning from IGC’s artist consultation in 2020, outcomes from the Freelance Task Force and other industry-wide initiatives, to support artists and include them in the decision-making processes, in a fair and transparent way, to explore ways of delivering the next phase of the organisation with, and for, a wider team of freelancers from across the region.
Photo: Don’t Leave Me This Way from Departure Lounge Festival 2021, photography by Chris Webb
In Good Company welcomes new Creative Producer
At this exciting stage in the programme, In Good Company and Derby Theatre are also delighted to announce that Jen Sullivan will join the team as Creative Producer for IGC.
Jen is very excited to be joining the team at In Good Company, leaving a busy freelance life in Leeds. She brings a wealth of experience to the Midlands, having worked with a range of dancers, theatre-makers plus outdoor and community artists at all stages of their career.
Jen has previously worked with Leeds Playhouse, Red Ladder Theatre Company, Leeds Dance Partnership and Bradford Producing Hub amongst others. She is committed to empowering artists to deliver amazing activity for communities through supporting their development and improving industry practice.
Jen said:
“It’s delightful to be part of the next exciting phase for In Good Company and I can’t wait to return to my roots in the Midlands and see what we can achieve together!”
Photo: Thousand Papers from Departure Lounge Festival 2021, photography by Chris Webb
About In Good Company
In Good Company is committed to supporting artists to make work and recognises the importance of paying and resourcing them to do this. Throughout this 18-month project programme, over £80,000 will be given directly to artists through commissions, performance fees, seed funding, paid scratch nights and consultation fees.
An access and inclusion budget will ensure the process of applying for all opportunities and participating in events is open to everyone and we are proactively encouraging artists who are currently under-represented in our network and on our stages to apply or make contact with the team to find out how we might support them.
New Partners
We are also pleased to welcome new organisations to the IGC partnership which will now stretch further into the Midlands and includes lead venue Derby Theatre, who founded the organisation, with Attenborough Arts Centre in Leicester and Inspire Youth Arts in Mansfield in 2013.
Since then,Lincolnshire One Venues; Burton Brewhouse Arts Centre; Arena Theatrein Wolverhampton; Nonsuch Studios in Nottingham; Curve, Leicester; Nottingham Playhouse joined and worked with us through the pandemic.
Confirmed organisations joining the partnership from September 2021 include Royal & Derngate in Northampton; The Coreat Corby Cube and Mansfield Town Hall with some others expressing interest.
This next phase with IGC is a bold, regional commitment to theatre-makers in the Midlands, as each partner automatically commits to local artists and those further afield who may not engage in opportunities individual organisations offer.
This is a unique proposition to the independent sector and means that someone’s location in the Midlands should not stunt their professional, creative growth. It clearly shows a commitment from each partner to the wider ecology of the theatre-making community.