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ArtsProfessional reveals the career paths of the sectors senior managers.

Paul Kaynes

Chief Executive, Audiences Central (since 1997)
During almost nine years this has felt like three different jobs: leading the arts marketing consortium, Birmingham Arts Marketing; co-founding and directing ArtsFest, the West Midlands audience development taster festival; and creating the new regional audience development agency, Audiences Central. I also get a bit of time to be Chair of Motionhouse Dance Theatre, and from 1998 worked for three years for arts organisations in Portugal developing arts marketing practice.

Head of Marketing, Royal Shakespeare Company (19961997)
This was the place I learnt most in the least time. The RSC was changing its operation radically: its Stratford season shifted its season cycle, London became a six-month residency instead of a year-round operation and Plymouth launched its first season as the RSCs fourth home. This was my big opportunity to learn about the management of change.

Marketing Director, Warwick Arts Centre (19921996)
The inspirational team led by Jodi Myers made the job of Marketing Director a dream, not least because most of the programmers were so audience-focused. During my time we celebrated our 20th birthday, overhauled the concert subscription programme and undertook some useful research into contemporary arts. I also started a ten-year stint as a tutor on the Theatrical Management Associations Druidstone course.

Marketing and Sales Manager, Alexandra Theatre (19901992)
Selling 1,300 seats a night for musicals, plays, and one night stands in this semi-commercial theatre was challenging. During my time there we implemented a new ticketing system which enabled us to do relatively sophisticated direct marketing (a novelty at the time) and I took part in establishing a new marketing consortium Birmingham Arts Marketing.

Head of Marketing, Cambridge Theatre Company (19891990)
CTC was a middle-scale drama company that decided to tour a large-scale musical written by and starring Petula Clark. It had deservedly terrible reviews, and failed hideously in the West End. I didnt enjoy a minute of it but learnt about handling international artists.

Head of Marketing, mac (19871989)
A busy two years planning, writing copy and producing print, running press campaigns and creating new brands for strands of work, including a mime festival and a literature festival. We certainly raised the profile of the centre, but it functioned in silos, which made collaboration and change tough.

Arts Council of Great Britain Touring Marketing Bursary (19861987)
This was a great scheme for someone starting out: it created an opportunity to spend a year with one or two touring organisations to learn from gurus, try out new knowledge on a few projects and benefit from some excellent training. I was based at West Midlands Arts and mac: my attached adviser was the wonderful Anne Millman.

Various (19851986)
My first year after graduation was spent in Newcastle doing a variety of temporary and voluntary marketing contracts with TyneWear Theatre Company, Tyneside Cinema, and festivals in Newcastle and Sunderland. Pam Jarvis, who ran the arts marketing agency in the North East, gave me invaluable help in the early months.