Have you come to Theatre from another profession? Serafina Salvador, 10 January 2016 I called a session on sharing and celebrating the creative, mental and emotional condition of the courageous people that had or are transitioning into Theatre from another profession; and to my surprise, there were at least 4 others at DandD11. Sophie from Project Management, Amy from Charity work in World Peace and Conflict Resolution (whoa!), Anthony from Retail, Marianne from Journalism and Olly from Producing/Managing & many other things. A common helpful catalyst to 3 out of the 5 participants was Julia Cameron and her wonderful nurturing book The Artists Way. For me personally, the book helped me celebrate my decision to go from disgruntled & paid to disgruntled & now devoted. At DandD11 and in real life finding myself amidst discussions on how to get paid for that devotion, I have concluded: its not just about having that “one idea of success” in my mind become reality; but really allowing myself to trust the process of change I began. And really listen to what it is teaching me about my experience as a human. Which then, feeds my experience as artist. So its not (just) about becoming my favorite director's new muse and getting paid; but about how this process of change could contribute (through my art) to the performing arts as a whole and to the world. I mean, I am much more than perfecting the process of being “told what to do” as a muse to a famous director. Isn't that why I initiated the change in the first place? Do I know for sure that process pays, well I am a work-in-progress and still finding out…but I can tell you I am not broke! Transitioning does not only have its philosophical lessons;as Sophie, who is just letting go off software development (fully) pointed out. There are things to be learnt from other professions, which then get brought in by people who transition. In her experience, a number of processes she had employed, such as the “agile methodology” and “failing quickly” could be employed usefully in the arts to “creatively get to the same place/ a sane place”. Similarly IT software development could use “open spaces” to more efficiently create satisfying working processes that aren't (almost always) stifled by the bureaucracy in corporate organisations. Amy from the Charity sector, opened our eyes to how competitive charity work can be and that she discovered through cardboard citizens the relevance of real life to theatre making and has now moved to Manchester where she is re-organising life, to let herself creatively express. She spoke of the welcoming atmosphere outside of London to “new” artists regardless of having emerged or being emerging. Anthony brought forward the very relevant question of “how do you structure your life?”. Its not like the day after you decide to become an actor, you are on stage or in an audition room or even in front of an agent! This question just brings me back to my realisation of keeping “the human experience” alive and the focus rather than just the artist's experience. Anthony has a great opportunity at the RSC, which seems to be a good combination of his past work ex and where he wants to be in the future - a theatre maker. So it is possible and even the transition does not have to be painful. Olly found that his life experience of being a jack of a lot of trades has now helped him be General Manager at the Poets School in Bristol. Giving up the “extra” life pressures of living in London has allowed him to find a place as a more relaxed participant in the Arts. He finds he has more room and breathing space to think about his contribution to theatre. Marianne who started off as a journalist brought her experience as a theatre maker in prague to the forum and commented that the potential for dynamism and exchange between cultures was definitely more possible in England versus Hungary. She has not given up her job as a journalist yet but makes her contribution as a playwright on the side. Some very practical statements that came out of the session: Know Who You Are Not Letting Criticism Destroy You Have yardsticks for success but define them yourself In Life you gotta get comfortable with “winging it” once in a while. I end with a quote by Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day Law : The deeper the roots of a tree the more prolific its branches, and the farther the source, the longer the stream (Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 736) A very inspiring and encouraging session. Hope I didn't get anyone's points jumbled up (for the people that participated) and hope whoever reads this gets a twinkle or two out of it to go on and shine on your artist self! Tags: Criticism, Charity, criticism, success, charity, growth, CRITICISM, Theatre, it, way, THEATRE, theatre, It, Success, Poets, Human, Being, Yardsticks, Profession, IT, Julia, Growth, Way, Artist's, Cameron, being