We catch up with Kate, one of our Young Producers alumni, to see what she has been up to since RECLAIMED Fest and how taking part in the training programme has supported her journey.
Since participating in China Plate’s Young Producers earlier this year, I’ve been lucky enough to help produce a few other projects. I was assistant producer on Culture Central’s ‘Democratising Creativity and Culture’ online weekender in September. I then started studying at Warwick University and jumped straight in to assistant producing an online, interactive mystery called #WhereIsRed. Due to my experience with Young Producers I was able to take on some responsibility with the show; running check-ins, scheduling rehearsals and supporting the producer with other jobs. I am now co-producer on another Warwick show, a radio-play, that will take place next term. As you can see, I’ve jumped from project to project since finishing Young Producers, none of which would have happened if I hadn’t taken part in the programme.
I stumbled across an advert for Young Producers accidentally. I had no idea what a producer even did before starting the programme, but I decided to sign up anyway. And I’m so glad I did! By the end of our introductory session, I was hooked. Unfortunately, COVID skewed our plans slightly. Quite quickly, it became apparent that our youth takeover at Warwick Arts Centre wouldn’t be able to happen. Luckily, the team at China Plate and Warwick Arts Centre were working frantically behind the scenes to move the programme online so we were still able to create a weekend of events by, with and for young people. We were able to take the rough plans we’d made prior to lockdown and mould them into a real, digital festival with the support of China Plate’s team.
Throughout the programme, I developed a number of skills that any producer needs. Perhaps most importantly, I developed my organisation and time management skills. Producers have a lot of different roles – budgeting, scheduling, liaising with artists, marketing, considering accessibility – so there can be a lot to keep an eye on. Luckily, I was working with a fabulous group of 16-21 year olds and we were put into different groups in order to complete all the tasks.
I’m also particularly interested in making the arts more accessible to a wider and more diverse audience. Being part of the Front of House team allowed me to meet some interesting people making theatre, dance and other arts more accessible. There is much more for me to learn but Young Producers gave me some grounding knowledge about accessibility that I’ve been able to carry forward to my other projects.
Without Young Producers, I would never have had the confidence to apply for the producing roles I’ve completed since. Producing, and seeking out producing opportunities, has become a big part of my life and future. And it’s all thanks to the Young Producers programme.
To find out more about Young Producers, please visit the programme page on our website, or if you have any questions please contact our Engagement and Participation Producer Andrea Pieri Gonzalez.