Creative Industry Fair at Rose Bruford
The Creative Industries Fair opened with a day of professional development for new graduates with visiting industry professionals providing new graduates with their insights into building and sustaining a career in the Creative Industries.
FORUMS
In response to calls from the theatre Industry, prop makers and independent theatre companies came to the College to discuss two separate topics.
Stage Management Forum
The College in association with Clean Break Theatre addressed the issue of a crisis in recruiting stage management to the independent theatre sector. Over fifty delegates attended the Stage Management Forum during which three questions were posed:
• Companies are struggling to employ experienced stage managers, why is this?
• Are the drama schools exposing their students to this type of work enough?
• Is there more that independent companies can do to support their stage managers?
The Prop Makers Forum
This forum was in response to the aspirations of prop makers and prop making companies and their relationship with training providers. An outcome of the forum was that through improved links with prop making sector of the industry training providers could be in a position to help contribute to the building of capacity at local, regional, national, European and international levels. The prop makers were clear that the entertainment industry is now being seen as an important contributor to the UK’s gross domestic product. Therefore initiatives such as the Prop Makers Forum are vital if training providers are to deliver a sustainable base on which to develop and support this specialist sector of the Industry. Thirty industry profession and representative for from training schools debated and discussed further topics of mutual interest.
The outcomes of both forums will be published in September 2010
COMPETITION
IN IT TO WIN IT 2010
As part of the Creative Industries Fair the College runs a Creative Industries Enterprise Awards Competition, this year entitled IN IT TO WIN IT 2010. The aim of the competition is to provide final year students with the opportunity to make and develop links with professional theatre and its related fields. Through a competition designed to stimulate creativity, innovation and enhance entrepreneurship skills, the entrants were judged by a panel of specialists. Whether students/s entering were an ensemble company or a freelance artist/specialist with a new idea or performance event, the competition provided the opportunity to present their idea through a demonstration or performance after which they made their “pitch”. This year 10 teams “pitched” their ideas to a team of eight Judges from the Industry. The Judges awarded development funds to five of the teams presenting. This year feedback from the Judges to the individual teams was particularly comprehensive providing all those entering the competition, winners or loosers with a positive assessment of the their project idea and how to develop it.
The Winners IN IT TO WIN IT 2010
Primal Theatre – Award £1,000 leader Nick Ofield
Judges comments: This project ticks all the boxes that funding bodies such as Arts Council and the Cultural Olympiad are looking at without appearing to force you to compromise any of the ideals so passionately expressed in your presentation.
REEL DREAM – Award £1,000 leaderJoshua Alward
Judges comments: This is an exciting and original idea that has identified a potential gap in the market. We felt that you have established a very strong foothold at Rose Bruford and our recommendation would be that Rose Bruford matches this funding award by offering you an exclusive contract for .......years to get this innovative business idea off the ground both in terms of finance and establishing a reputation for your work with a high profile existing institution.
SENSABUNDANCE – Award : £ 1 000 leader David Crawford
Judges comments: We were impressed by the commitment and ability demonstrated to us in your presentation and the contacts you have already developed within the field of new writing. The clash between the words ‘creative’ and ‘industry’ were never more obvious than in this particular case.
FAKE ID : Award £ 500 leader by Jasmin Please
Judges comments: Your written application was a clear combination of creativity and practicality. To take the risk of coming into a presentation with a live performance and to try and make us laugh took guts and paid off.
DHAD PRODUCTIONS ( Desmond Tucker) : Award : £ 500
Judges comments: We were extremely impressed by the passion and sincerity with which you approach your work. You have a very wide range of talents and interests that you could take in a variety of directions. Among the things that impressed us most was your desire to reach out to minority indigenous communities and your passionate promotion of the opportunities available at Rose Bruford.
This year’s panel of Judges were:
Ben Thomas, Chair of Judges
Ben has over thirty years experience as an actor and director and presented “Play Days” the highly successful children’s programme on BBC Television. Ben runs a highly successful training film company. Ben is also a Governor of the College.
Diane Willmott
Diane is a Production Manager for the National Theatre and has extensive experience of financial and creative management in the theatre industry and is keen to help and support new graduates.
Richard Wilson
Director of the lighting hire company White Light. Richards extensive management skills and has an eye for new creative and technological ideas that support live performance. White Light is now a Market leader in the development and supply of equipment and services to the theatre industry.
Fiona Watt
Fiona Watt is a freelance scenographer and artist educator. She is Creative Producer for Creativite sans Frontieres (UK), an intergenerational community company working in partnership with Maison D'Quartier Soubise, Dunkerque.
Paul Evans
Head of Construction, National Theatre. Paul is a highly experienced manger, maker and construction entrepreneur with over 30 years experience in the entertainment industry.
Saskia Delman
Arts Manager for London Borough of Bexley. Saskia is responsible for the development and management of the Arts in Bexley. Saskia has been responsible for encouraging, nurturing and developing new graduate companies from the College, such as the Fiasco Division, Bohemian Events and Sheer Lunacy, all of whom were winners or runners up of The Creative Entrepreneurship Competition in previous years.
Francis Alexander
Artistic Director of Chelsea Theatre, A consultant to the British Council, Francis’s strategic international work in London commenced at the world’s largest advertising agency, Saatchi and Saatchi, and since his move into theatre he has been made a Fellow of the RSA, an Assessor for Arts Council England, and director of the New Work Network.
Exhibition
This graduating students from the College’s costume, scenic arts and design programmes exhibited their work. With over eighty industry professionals and friends of the College attending the opening of the exhibition, new graduates presenting their work had plenty of opportunities to present and attract visitors to their particular stand. On day two local schools and community groups visited the exhibition providing new graduates exhibiting with further opportunities to sell and develop their ideas.
30/06/2010