Convener(s): Lucy Foster

Participants:
Helen Pringle, Jen Lunn, Nathan Curry, Carolina Giammetta, Laura Cubitt, John Hoggarth, Rebecca Brown, Stephen Hodge, Sharon Kean,

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The group emerged from this session really excited. We have decided to try and set up a website for all theatre practitioners which would allow both



Is there a need for mentors?

There are established systems out there for artists to draw on for advice about setting up a company, marketing work, applying for funding, such as ITC, Artsadmin’s advisory service, New Work Network, Oval House’s advisory service and others.

Also, there are informal systems of mentoring which people set up themselves by finding the people whose work they admire themselves or getting friends along to feedback on work. If we are active and focused on what we want do we need anything more than this or any formal system of being given a mentor?


Some conclusions:

Having a system where you were able to set yourself up with a mentor would not be spoon feeding or taking away the onus on artists to be responsible for finding their own opportunities. You would still have to take the initiative to access a mentoroing system if there was one in existence.

The benefits of a formal mentoring system would also guarantee that the mentor would make a commitment to getting to see your work when you show it, or to support you in key decisions or approaches.

The role of a mentor is also something different from being given advice on funding, venues, etc.


Qualities for a mentor/mentee relationship:

Recommendations/Action: