Artistic Director Recruitment

Recruitment support for the theatre industry

Our approach is to embed creative, intensive and inclusive recruitment processes that encourage a diverse range of applicants, providing optimum conditions to ensure high calibre and exciting candidates.

This includes creating an invitation to apply that is inclusive and welcoming; amplifying the opportunity and encouraging a range of artists to see leadership as a possibility; and creating a process that is rigorous, generous and hopefully developmental for those applying.

We tailor our approach and the role we would take depends on your needs and the vacancy on offer. We can offer the following:

  • Advise on a realistic timeline for recruitment
  • Speak to relevant stakeholders such as ACE, Trustees and staff to inform the process
  • Review the recruitment pack and communications to encourage strong applications, with a focus on appealing to candidates from a range of disciplines and backgrounds who have a collaborative vision and commitment to leading with others
  • Discuss with you potential candidates’ and research and identify appropriate candidates
  • Have informal conversations with candidates’ considering making an application, act as the first point of contact regarding the vacancy and provide impartial guidance
  • Provide administration support throughout the process, including all communication with candidates
  • Review and comment on applications, and contribute to the development of the shortlist as required
  • Advice on the interview process including the makeup of the recruitment panel, approaches to shortlisting, levels of briefing to candidates for each interview and areas of questioning
  • Participate in all stages of interviews as an observer and provide advice and ensure best practice and innovation through the process
  • Provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates as appropriate
A simple illustration of multi-cultural people entering doors

Who We Are

Sue Emmas leads on this area of our work. We can also expand the team to include associates who are artists who have specialist knowledge, networks and lived experience.

Portrait of Sue Emmas by Jonathan KeenanSue Emmas
Sue has been Artistic Director of RTYDS since 2007 and until May 2025 she was Artistic Associate Director at the Young Vic – where she led the Creators Program (previously Directors Program) running initiatives for directors and theatre makers.

As a registered charity this strand of our work supports our other programmes and furthers our mission to change the face of British theatre so that it is more representative of contemporary society.

If you would like an initial conversation, please contact Natasha Bucknor (Executive Director) on rtyds@rtyds.co.uk. We will be happy to share past recruitment packs and give a sense of our fee structure.