The RTYDS Associate Artistic Director scheme is a new opportunity for an experienced and exceptional director to work in a leading regional theatre at a senior level. The scheme aims to provide a director with the tools to continue to develop their craft whilst learning about the role of an artistic director in cultural leadership.

Sue Emmas, Artistic Director of RTYDS said: “The ask being made of artistic directors today is huge; they need to be entrepreneurs, fundraisers, politicians, with the ability to inspire a board and a workforce and at the same time make and facilitate exceptional art. Opportunities to learn this demanding skillset first-hand are rare. This is why we have created our new scheme in consultation with the network of UK producing theatres we work with.”

The RTYDS Associate Artistic Director scheme will partner a director who has a strong professional track record with a major regional producing theatre to learn about the complexities of running a company and a building from within the Senior Management Team. During the 18-month residency the director will also stretch their artistic capabilities by making work on the mid-scale.

“As a director gets further into their career the chances to train are limited; there are few tailored, structured learning opportunities for artists wishing to learn about leadership and deepen their craft. This scheme covers it all.”

The Associate Artistic Director residency will also give the director the opportunity of working with RTYDS itself on its national programmes and provide an insight to theatre industry and theatres throughout the country.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for the successful director.” says Sue. “RTYDS has a unique position in the ecology of theatre across England; we have a national network of connections; we instigate and lead initiatives that make theatre more inclusive, and we contribute to the debate about representation at a national level. Playing a part in this will benefit the successful applicant, the host organisation, and ultimately the industry.”

The application deadline for theatres to host the Associate Artistic Director residency is 30 September 2019; the successful theatre will be informed on 5 November 2019.

The search for the Associate Artistic Director will open in November 2019. Interviews will take place in January and February 2020 and the director will start their new role in September 2020.