My gurus: Navigating crises together

My mum, aged 90, has always been passionate about the arts and made sure I was involved from an early age. One of my first memories is seeing East by Steven Berkoff at the Donmar Warehouse aged about eight. I was transfixed by the actors hurtling into the audience with their extreme physicality. It’s never left me.

My older siblings took me to loads of gigs and introduced me to a wide spectrum of music and performance, including contemporary dance – Michael Clark with The Fall at Sadler’s Wells – wild anarchic, dazzling dance which gave me a lifelong love of the form.

Dartington College of Arts

This incredible place meant everything to me – though it sadly no longer exists. I was living on the road variously in trailers, caravans and buses when I asked them if there was a site where we could have our horse and cart. Without blinking, I was directed me to the nearest traveller site where other traveller students were.

My application centred on the busking and festival work I was doing. They seemed genuinely interested in my knowledge which turned out to be invaluable for later touring as I knew pretty much every region and how to get around. I learned so much from my time on the road about generosity, kindness and resilience.

The Cholmondeleys and The Featherstonehaughs

The first dance company I worked for was this gorgeous lot. I started out as administrator later becoming their first Education Officer, where I learned everything about the mechanics and joys of touring.

Taking the first contemporary dance piece to Glastonbury was thrilling. Seeing the audience get so into the work was amazing. Traveller friends helped me work out the logistics including warm-up tents and to keep the dancers comfortable and injury free.

Seeing the impact on people’s well-being was mind blowing. For example, a ‘boys in dance’ project in Yorkshire included a group comprising a pupil referral unit with massive rates of absenteeism for pupils and staff. Working with The Featherstonehaughs changed everything.

Ruth Mackenzie – Director of arts at the British Council

Ruth was my mentor at a really challenging time in my life when I was working out where I wanted to go and who I wanted to be. I was in transition from being a freelance producer to the world of venues.

Ruth is an inspiring creative – artistically ambitious, she taught me the values of aiming high and that pretty much anything was possible.

Mary Dawson – Theatre director

Mary showed me how to run a venue. I had been in a very unhappy company with an old school theatre leadership model – heavy drinking, bullying and shouting was the norm, leaving me battered and anxious.

After freelancing for a while, I found myself as dance programmer for Mary at The Point Theatre and she showed me a different way – that a venue could be a warm and supportive place to work. She knew and was interested in everybody and created a nurturing atmosphere where people felt valued.

She also gave me the opportunity to create the spec for a new dance creation centre, inspired by French choreographic centres. Talking to choreographers and dancers about what they would want in their dream scenario was so exciting.

It resulted in features such as on-site accommodation and keeping the creation studio open when the venue was closed where were included in the final scheme. It still runs today – though no longer confined to dance.

It was with great sadness I heard the news of Mary’s death this summer.

Continues…

Norden Farm’s lantern parade. Photo: Luminous Photography

People Show

Being a producer for the longest running experimental theatre company has given me friends for life. Working on exciting projects like a Liverpool City of Culture commission in a glasshouse in the botanic gardens was amazing. The sense of community at People Show created by the collective felt like coming home. I still collaborate with them on creative projects here at Norden Farm.

Geoff Blacker, Norden Farm Centre for the Arts

I am so grateful to our chair at The Farm, Geoff Blacker, for taking a chance on me to run this magnificent venue – complete with art gallery, barns, studio theatre, main house, café and meeting rooms – about to reach 25 years of existence.

We have navigated crises together, none more difficult than losing our NPO status – which was disastrous at the time as it accounted for more than half of our income. He taught me how to keep calm and cheerful, especially when things are bleak.

David Jubb – formerly artistic director at Battersea Arts Centre

During the pandemic, like most people I worked from home, fundraising and putting together virtual programmes for schools and the community. With a tiny team, things were tough until the Theatres Trust awarded me a few sessions with a mentor – David Jubb.

David gave me the strength to carry on. I’m very proud of the work we were able to deliver online and later in person during that time – live streaming when live audiences weren’t permitted, outdoor events when allowed with all the socially-distanced scenarios we all went through. I’m not sure we would have got through Covid without him.