Convener(s): Carolina Giammetta

Participants: Gareth Corke, Robert Bathurst Oliver Sentory, Laura Cubitt, Julian Burton, Lily Pendes, Sharon Kean

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

• Do the best people get the job? Some thought yes- if you are good you will succeed in the end, are there really a lot of brilliant unknown artists around? The majority of the group thought that there was. These people give up sometimes.

• Organisations, companies and practitioners use the same people because: They are lazy, they like to use their friends, they have created a community of people that they feel comfortable with and safe with and need them to produce their work

• They are too scared to take risks that may lead to personal failure

• The industry is so fragile and insecure; that you are only has good as your last job so make you work as close to your successes as possible, using the same people.

• The industry needs to recognise that new talent, influences and different work/people could refresh, excite and challenge their work and make it better.

• We learn more by working with different people and grow as individuals and organisations.

• Safety is sometimes our downfall and stops progress and development

• More creative casting has to happen- people don’t go out to see work to find their cast anymore.

• Companies have to be more open to letting new people in and more creative in how they find them. Not always looking at CV, asking people or because they are friends of friends, or family. Get out there and find unknowns!

• More events for people to network or show their skills that have credibility. A market place for artists where they can exhibit their work.

• Stipulations in funding from funding bodies, that part of the remit is that they have to include an unknown artist in there project- like contracts for TV where they have to include a number of performers that come from ethnic groups.

• Companies and venues should hold more events and workshops, to share there practice and to meet new talent. They are too close shop sometimes

• More opportunities for unknown artists to show their work. Open auditions, open space events, funding for organistaions/venues if they nurture, mentor or develop and work with unknown artists.

• Carolina will write to the arts council and film council regarding part of some funding agreements to include inviting unknown artist into projects.

• WE ARE BORED OF SEEING AND HEARING ABOUT THE SAME PEOPLE AND THAT THE ONLY NEW PEOPLE ON THE SCENE ARE THE YOUNG ONES!!! ( That was the big shout from everyone)