The new Executive Director of The Dukes in Lancaster, Ivan Wadeson, looks back on his career.
Head of Marketing, Sadler’s Wells (1993 – 1999)
Sadler’s Wells, a 1,500 seat theatre for dance and opera at the edge of central London, was a much-loved institution in the early ‘90s, but the 1930s building was showing its age. In 1994, a group of Sadler’s Wells neighbours and supporters delivered our bid for National Lottery funding on the very first day applications opened. I’d been at Sadler’s Wells just over a year, moving from second in department to Head of Marketing in that time. But the scale and speed of change to come was much more dramatic and far-reaching: lottery award in 1995; demolition in 1996 (and relocation to the Peacock Theatre); opening the sixth Sadler’s Wells building in late autumn 1998. It was a rollercoaster ride of highs, lows and shifting deadlines in which we were driven – and kept sane – by a shared, evangelistic passion to re-imagine Lilian Baylis’s vision for a democratic theatre. This experience taught me that brand, teamwork and vision are not meaningless jargon but potent drivers, especially when the deadlines are impossible. These six years also reinforced the importance of detail and commercialism – I cannot tell you how many senior management hours were spent on ice cream prices alone.
Marketing Director, Royal Exchange Theatre (1999 – 2003)
The seven-side, glass-and-steel theatre module within the old Cotton Exchange in central Manchester was an inspiring place to visit as a theatre-loving teenager. A decade or so later, I joined the Royal Exchange five months after it re-opened following a two-year redevelopment in the wake of the IRA bombing of Manchester. A producing theatre is a fantastically creative environment – this one given an extra twist by having, not one, but four Artistic Directors to work with – Braham Murray, Greg Hersov, Matthew Lloyd and Marianne Elliott. But that was not to say this was all plain sailing. There was the need to grow the audience back to pre-1996 levels and to grow a fresh audience for the new Studio space, one that would keep coming back long beyond the fanfare of the re-opening. Ice cream prices didn’t dominate as much, but the pressure on income generation in all areas was still strong. It was a much better resourced organisation, but not without its own timetable challenges. I remembering writing the successful bid for the (then) TMA Theatre of The Year award on the day it was due.
Chief Executive, Arts About Manchester (2003 – 2011)
This was my first taste of leadership, with a team of seven but without the responsibilities of a building to manage. There was no burning bridge or huge capital project to deal with, so change here was more gradual and planned – at first. Building on the expertise and good relationships the team had with the sector, we provided research, consultancy, audience development projects and marketing services to a membership of about 50 Greater Manchester organisations, and slowly grew the agency. In three years we doubled the turnover. And then we grew the geographical footprint. In 2010 we swapped the older co-operative membership model to a charity structure and changed the name to ‘All About Audiences’, working across the North West. We delivered a series of notable projects that I am fiercely proud to have been a part of: Family Friendly Film Festival, Go See This, Open City and In Touch – aimed at those less engaged or even excluded from arts and culture. This was also the period of exceptionally good Christmas parties.
Executive Director, The Audience Agency (2011-2014)
Not gaining admittance to Arts Council England’s new National Portfolio led to a strange and difficult time for all eight of the English audience development agencies. Eight organisations, some with over 20 years of trading under their belts, looked to shape different models of individual or collegiate futures in a policy vacuum and with no certainty of funding. Anne Torreggiani and I, together with staff teams who placed an enormous amount of trust in us, charted a path for All About Audiences, Audiences London and Audiences South West to merge and create a new national organisation. Although founded on the same principles as the old agencies, we had to create a new beast – a consultancy with charitable objectives that could operate flexibly and responsively locally, but deliver national impact. In three brief but intense years, the new agency grew to fifty-strong in multiple locations across England. This wasn’t a bricks-and-mortar redevelopment but at times it had the complexities, pain and ultimately the rewards of demolishing and then re-building something special.
Executive Director, The Dukes (2014 to present)
I was not expecting to move jobs at the outset of 2014, but having seen the success of the re-opening of the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool close up (I am a Trustee), an itch to return to a producing theatre took hold. The Dukes, with its commitment to both original theatre across indoor and outdoor settings, and to high calibre creative projects with young people and marginalised communities, exerted a magnetic draw.
I’ve been blessed that all my jobs have felt like ‘home’ and even after three months The Dukes feels the same. The six years prior to my arrival saw The Dukes double the proportion of its earned income, grow attenders and participants by 74% and put imaginative creative learning and engagement programmes for marginalised groups – adults with learning difficulties, older people living with dementia, people affected by homelessness, to name a few – on its main stages. My role is to work alongside Artistic Director Joe Sumsion to continue that arc of growth and change, and to bring those marginalised communities and audiences even further into the heart of the organisation. And then there’s the small matter of a capital building project: to refurbish and extend the 18th century Grade II listed church The Dukes is based within, as well as creating a fit-for-purpose Centre for Creative Learning. As well as a fresh challenge, there’s an echo of earlier challenges here too.
No part of my job ladder is planned more than one rung at a time. But looking back now I see strong themes which have become cemented in my current role at The Dukes: the excitement of bringing high-quality art and experiences together with diverse audiences; the importance of community engagement; making change a virtue; and striving for self-determination and independence. Summing up (gulp) 20 years is 800 words will always be highly selective. I haven’t space to credit the people I’ve worked for and with who have been integral to this journey. Which I regret, as this is their ladder as much as mine.
Ivan Wadeson is Executive Director of The Dukes.
www.dukes-lancaster.org
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