Michelle Carwardine-Palmer reveals the route she took to her current role
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Salisbury Playhouse (2007– present)
After completing a Clore Leadership residential course, I applied for this post. This was a tremendous opportunity and a great move in terms of continuing my arts management learning within a producing theatre rather than a receiving house. I embarked on a steep learning curve and I continue to learn a great deal every day.
GENERAL MANAGER Newbury Corn Exchange and New Greenham Arts (2004–2007)
This post was a clear step up for me, involving line management of the Corn Exchange as well as the arts centre. In my opinion it is twice as hard to be interviewed as an internal candidate than as an outsider, but I must have done something right as I was awarded the post. The added challenge was to manage staff expectations as I jumped from being a colleague to a line manager for many in the organisation. The job also gave me my first real insight to strategic planning and the board room.
ARTS CENTRE MANAGER New Greenham Arts (2001–2004)
This job taught me to work with disparate individuals who used the centre or worked within it, as well as working on my own, managing and driving my workload.
ADMINISTRATOR Barbican Theatre, Plymouth (2000–2001)
There aren’t many jobs which start with a commute via water taxi. The Barbican is a brilliant small-scale theatre venue and theatre-in-education touring company. Despite the foot and mouth crisis and petrol strike at the time, I loved it there. My time was woefully short due to rather liking the chap I left behind 250 miles away at the Swan Theatre. So I went back and married him!
ASSISTANT (and then) DEPUTY HOUSE MANAGER Wycombe Swan Theatre (1997–2000)
Aaah - fond memories of throwing out a drunk during ‘Patsy Cline: The Musical’, twice. The Swan gave me the taste for venue management and a crucial first-hand understanding an audience. However, it did take almost 15 months to secure my first job in the arts. It was a soul destroying period. So if anyone reading this is wondering “When will I get my first job?”, then keep plugging away as the door will open eventually.
OUTDOOR PURSUITS INSTRUCTOR Lakeside, Windermere
After graduating from a Theatre Studies and English degree in South Wales and doing the whole ‘travel around the world and save turtles’ thing, I eventually settled on becoming an outdoor pursuits instructor. Unfortunately a car accident put a stop to this becoming a career, so I decided to follow my degree in theatre instead.