The one-day version of this course is running:
Autumn 2008
in Central London
dates & venue TBC
15 places available £117.50 per person
Please contact Alex Smith our General Manager on 0113 234 5400 or by email through the Contact Form to book a place.
Alternatively you can download a booking form here:
Booking Form
Designed for young artists and managers, STARTING OUT… is a either a one or two day-long workshop addressing the key questions surrounding: Funding, Touring and Working Together for students and young theatre practitioners who are setting up their own performing arts company.
Run by founding members of Unlimited Theatre, Jon Spooner (Artistic Director, writer and performer) & Liz Margree (Executive Director, writer and performer) it provides a unique insight into the balancing act that is business start up and theatre making.
"Unlimited Theatre’s huge success is built not
only on their collective talent and energetic creativity but on their
expert management skills and grounded approach to running a theatre company.
STARTING OUT… brilliantly captures their knowledge and experience
and gives my final year students the very real opportunity to gain key
skills. Most interestingly, it has galvanised some students into action,
whilst putting others off, a testament to Unlimited’s honesty, openess
and genuine desire to help young companies!”
Steven Dykes, Programme Director, American Theatre Studies @ Rose
Bruford College, London
"The advice we received and their subsequent support
over the last two years have been invaluable to the progression and success
of our own work. The workshop offered a unique opportunity to learn from
and work with one of the country's most successful theatre companies and
served to provide the catalyst for our own group and subsequent success.”
Becky Pollock, Shady Dolls - workshop attendees 2004
FUNDING the bottomless pit
• How to identify, approach and apply to Charities and Trusts
• How to build your relationship with the Arts Council and other public bodies
INCOME GENERATION
• How to generate income from working in education
(primary, secondary and tertiary sectors)
• How to generate income from businesses
(corporate training, role-play, sponsorship)
MARKETING your work and audience building
• How to promote your company
• How to write brochure copy and leaflet copy
• What to consider in the design of your materials
• How to get your materials produced: timescales, key milestones and how to talk to designers/printers!
FINANCE
• What to put into a budget for touring a new piece of work
• How to monitor the budget
• How to create a cash flow
• How to cope when the money doesn’t come in
RELATIONSHIPS (with each other, with venues)
• What structures to put in place in your company to establish good communication, work professionally with your friends and ensure everything gets done
• How to build and nurture relationships with venues and schools
• How to work with others professionally (artists, collaborations, co-productions)
BUSINESS PLANNING
• What to put in your business plan
• How to go about writing it!
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS
• What data protection is and the rules surrounding information about others
• What Legal Structure to choose (partnership, company, charity) – what they mean, pros and cons
• What Financial Systems to put in place– bank accounts, inland revenue, VAT
• What you need to know about Employment law – how to recruit, contracts, freelancers or permanent staff?
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• How to book a tour and how to keep a project on track
• How and what to evaluate and appraise – so it's useful and efficient
• How to cope when it goes wrong (and it will at some point or another!)
For more information or to book STARTING OUT…
please contact Alex Smith, General Manager
call 0113 234 5400
or by email through the Contact Form.