Actors Touring Company and LAMDA Join Forces To Create The Role Of Associate Director

Acclaimed UK touring theatre company Actors Touring Company (ATC) has joined forces with world leading drama school LAMDA to create the role of Associate Director as part of the Weston Creative Bursaries programme, an initiative which aims to promote socio-economic diversity in the arts.

With a recruitment drive launching today, the two organisations will support and nurture an emerging director from an under-represented socio-economic background.

Working with Artistic Director Matthew Xia and LAMDA Director Sarah Frankcom in the development and realisation of new projects, the Associate Director will engage with both organisations in the development of their artistic practice and their long-term career in the arts.

Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries is part of a programme to empower more people from low socio-economic backgrounds into cultural careers, especially in providing a pathway to leadership roles.. Across the UK there are 50 exciting opportunities to develop a career in the arts, with each post playing an important part in the host organisation.

ATC Artistic Director, Matthew Xia says -

"I profoundly understand the barriers coming from a lower social-economic background can present to achieving a career in the arts. I'm thrilled that ATC and LAMDA are able to offer this joint employment opportunity as part of Weston Jerwood's Creative Bursary Scheme."

LAMDA Director, Sarah Frankcom says -

"LAMDA is committed to equality and diversity at the very core of our work and having the opportunity to work in partnership with ATC to host a Weston Jerwood Fellow is an honour. We look forward to collaborating with a passionate and dedicated artist as part of this very special initiative."

Director of Jerwood Arts, Lilli Geissendorfer says -

"I'm delighted that ATC and LAMDA have been selected to host a Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries Fellow. Together the two organisations applied to be part of the programme before COVID-19 had been identified, so it is heartening that making their organisation more diverse and inclusive is still high on their agenda despite the additional challenges they are facing. I have been inspired by the commitment from all corners of the arts and cultural sector to creating a stronger sector that everyone will benefit from."

Even before the pandemic wreaked havoc on career prospects in the arts, those from middle-class backgrounds were 2.5 times more likely to end up in creative occupations than their working-class peers. This is a situation which has not improved since records began in 2014. Social mobility is a greater issue in the cultural sector and wider creative industries than across the economy as a whole. The wider creative industries have created over 300,000 jobs over the past five years, yet the number of creative workers from working-class backgrounds has increased by just 33,000. Just as with the impact of the 2008 financial crisis, it is expected that those who are already finding it difficult to make their way in the arts will be the worst hit by the impact of covid-19.

The Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries aim to redress the balance by funding 50 paid, year-long artistic and creative Fellowships as well as an organisational development programme run by people make it work to embed inclusive practices for the host organisation, with three members of the host team taking part, including a board member and a senior executive.

This is the fourth edition of the programme, which has been running for over 10 years and has 125 alumni to date, many of whom have forged successful careers. This edition of WJCB is the largest yet, with support from Arts Council England's Transforming Leadership Programme, Garfield Weston Foundation, Art Fund, Arts Council of Wales, Creative Scotland, and PRS Foundation.

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