It’s my final week at RTYDS as a Trainee Programme Producer and I’m finding it hard to believe how quickly the past 8 months have flown by! In April of this year I began this journey – curious, anxious and excited. I will be leaving soon still very curious, a little anxious and even more excited, but with a suitcase full of knowledge, skills and what feels like a grounded steering in a new creative direction.
Within the first few weeks I started to gain an understanding on how conversations around supporting artists take place, are facilitated and come into realisation through layers of thoughtful structure in the language used. Working directly with the lovely Programme Producer, Manli, I learned a great deal about the value of maintaining sustainable structures to encourage early-career artists and the different avenues of organisation to make this possible. I also had the opportunity to research and collate data related to regional theatres, which I must admit, popped the city bubble I’d found myself in since the start of my working career.
Closer to the summer we began event planning for the Annie Castledine Award launch, during which I overcame my fear of spreadsheets and instead found comfort in colour coordinating and constant updating with the team. The event took place at the Young Vic in London and was a wonderful insight into the details of event planning. The was like a full circle moment for various reasons; I had the chance to meet the team I had been working alongside for first the time IRL! Not to mention it was the venue where I saw a show in 2016, before which my passion for storytelling and theatre was very much confined to the classroom and drama club. Seeing this two-hander play had a huge impact on me in terms of re-imagining the possibility of working in theatre.
During my traineeship I have been assisting with organising workshops, social media design and assisting in all administrative capacities. Alongside this I have been developing a project together with Freelance Producer Sarah Penney for a Talent Development Map, which will feature artist opportunities in nine regions. This included a lot of data inputting for a prototype, as well as troubleshooting and figuring out how to make it as accessible as possible. I’m really excited to see how this project takes off and for the launch in early 2023.
In September I started an Art Foundation course alongside this traineeship and whilst studying art in 2022, in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis feels more than absurd, I know it’s been the right choice for me for a few reasons including the support and skills that this traineeship has equipped me with.
During a farewell meeting with Gina, RTYDS’ previous Executive Director, she suggested looking into stage design and ever since I began researching this, I am hopeful about this path being a bridge between my passion for both visual art and storytelling on stage. I am excited for the next chapter in my career and so grateful for the time I got to spend working with the wonderful team at RTYDS. My time here has encouraged me to explore more opportunities regionally and the values of supporting underrepresented artists is something I will continue to carry forward.
Shahreen Vayani – Trainee Programme Producer
Thank you to Creative Access for supporting this traineeship through their Mo Siewcharran Fund, which provides grants to creative organisations to enable young people from Black, Asian and ethnically-diverse backgrounds to break into publishing, theatre and music.
The Fund was set up in memory of Nielsen Books’ former Director of Marketing and Communications, Mo Siewcharran by her husband, John Seaton, and is administered by Creative Access – a leading social enterprise specialising in diversity and inclusion.