A look into my Research Molly Jennings
The Young Producers programme was formed in 2023 and was facilitated by Croydon Music and Arts, CMA, aimed at young people that live, work or have been educated in Croydon. These organisations vary across different sectors in the creative industry such as theatre, fashion, dance, writers, historians and visual arts. Each young producer was assigned to one of the collaborating organisations, with its primary objective to teach participants how to professionally produce a show or event, under the guidance of an experienced producer from one of these organisations. This hands-on method of learning was aided through financial support as all the young producers were paid for their time.
The work entailed research, development, scheduling, working with young people, budgeting, creating props and sets, workshops about how much carbon footprint the industry is accountable for as well as making a film to document the process. Here is an insight into Arcadia Festival, which is the project I worked on last year.
What makes this project different, is that it made clear pathways for their careers to further develop after the festival. Not only were the young producers paid for their time, they worked alongside multiple theatre companies, engaged with lots of young people and worked with industry professionals. Typically, a theatre producing project is either under the umbrella of shadowing or free drop-in work experience and theatre producing courses can cost hundreds of pounds for a week intensive, but this was working as an assistant producer from the early stages to the performance.
This project has been continued for an additional year, where 4 new producers will work with organisations to produce an event which shows the longevity and demand for a niche programme such as this, but unfortunately this will not continue as the funding will come to an end.
Finances play a huge factor in the participants that apply for programmes like these and if this specific programme continued without the funding, it wouldn’t reach the same types of young creatives. The industry needs to demystify all the roles in the arts and diversify who gets the roles, and programmes set up like this is a great way to change the industry and its standards.
In any-case, as a young producer I have carved my own path in the industry and have formed my own theatre company called InStitches and I am the creative producer and performer and we specialise in comedy improv. We have performed all over London, such as VAULT, New Wimbledon Theatre and Camden Fringe twice. Since November, we have a residency at The Pen Theatre in Peckham wherein we hold creative sessions on a weekly basis. At the Pen we have hosted auditions, open workshops and performances and we are soon to be seen at Brighton Fringe in May later this year. Being part of the young producers programme has given me a skillset that can continue my passion of being a theatre maker, being more conscious of the outside world and having the confidence to make decisions that affect the company's business model and values.
Poster for INSTITCHES ON TOUR for Brighton Fringe.
You can see my work on social media @institchestheatrecompany@gmail.com