Laura Elliot and Corey Campbell, the leadership team of the Belgrade Theatre Coventry, reveal a significant recruitment drive for a newly structured producing team, which will help to deliver their new creative vision for the people of Coventry and region; focussing on the next steps to the Belgrade’s long-standing commitment to the process of co-creation, both in the work produced, and in the ethos in the organisation as a whole.
The roles sought are Head of Producing and Co-Creation, Associate Director, Community Producer, Producer, Digital Producer, Assistant Producer and Producers’ Administrator. They will form a 10-person team alongside the restructured Education and Young People Producer, Programme Coordinator and Drama Worker roles.
These roles will work collaboratively and collectively with each other, the Creative Director and CEO to deliver a creative programme together with, for and by the Belgrade’s communities.
In November 2022, it was announced that the Belgrade retained its status as a National Portfolio Organisation, and was awarded a 30% increase in its core annual funding from Arts Council England to £1,229,552 for the period 2023 – 26. This has enabled investment in their new model for co-created in-house work and partly in this staffing structure.
In January 2022, Laura Elliot took over as Chief Executive, responsible for driving strategic planning with SMT, mainstage programming, stakeholder management and advocacy, and overseeing the finance and operations of the organisation. Corey Campbell – whose long association with the theatre included a stint as one of the three Co-Artistic Directors of the Belgrade for Coventry’s year as City of Culture 2021 – was appointed to the new post of Creative Director, focusing on the Theatre’s creative output across its produced shows, B2 and community areas.
For the past 18 months they have been implementing ambitious plans to build on the theatre’s rich history of pioneering theatre, participation, and talent development and realise a lasting place of sanctuary for creatives and communities.
Corey Campbell explains, “These new opportunities that we are opening up represent a shift for the Belgrade – we are now producing and co-creating more in-house work than before, and taking this work to stages around the country. We already have a rich heritage of co-creation in the building – in many ways, standing on the shoulders of giants – and so we aren’t trying to do more of the same, but rather evolving and taking it to the next logical step. We’re privileged to have had Arts Council investment for our new ethos and artistic vision for the theatre, and now we need a wider team of producers to achieve that– using some of the learning from City of Culture.
The other thing about this new team is that our talent development programme is also changing, because we’re producing more home grown stories from the ground up. Who is this talent we’re developing? It ranges from first time theatre goers and audiences to established and emerging creatives who already know they want to be in the game. So we want to build on existing craft, and look at future forms. We wholeheartedly believe that the producing structure and the roles that we’re recruiting for are going to be a key part of that new talent development programme, which feeds in to the way in which we’re creating our overarching co-creation model.
Rather than co-creation being something that happens on the stage or in rehearsals, actually an organisation that co-creates and works inter-departmentally in order to receive from the community and give back to the community. Fully understanding that it’s a two way co-dependent relationship.”
Laura and Corey’s stated artistic vision for the Belgrade is underpinned by three main, interlinking areas of work:
- As a THEATRE OF DIVERSE STORIES: We will produce, present and co-create performance that celebrates our city and region’s people and stories; and share them with the World; building a reputation for diverse, inspirational theatre.
- As a THEATRE OF LEARNING: We will invest in our region’s talent, using our facilities and staff to provide training and opportunity for the next generation of creatives and leaders.
- As a THEATRE OF TRANSFORMATION: In partnership with schools, health providers and charities, we will provide creative opportunities to enrich peoples wellbeing, belonging and education.
Laura and Corey’s vision and work is rooted holistically in a people first approach. As Laura explains, “We are using these next 3 years to set the foundations of a ‘people-first’ organisation. In prioritising co-creation, collaboration and social change; we aim to be a leading example of an inclusive learning theatre that sits at the heart of its community.”
For more information, job packs and to apply, candidates should visit https://www.belgrade.co.uk/about/opportunities/
