Artistic Director Application Pack
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ARTISTIC DIRECTOR APPLICATION PACK Hampstead Theatre is recruiting a new Artistic Director. Our theatre is a place of great history, great challenges, and even greater opportunities. We are keen to hear from a diverse range of artists with the vision to lead us into the next decade. If that’s you, we want to hear your ideas and ambition to secure and grow our future as a world-leading new writing venue. HISTORY AND CONTEXT VISION, MISSION AND VALUES Hampstead Theatre was founded in 1959 by James Roose Evans and was VISION initially based in a Church Hall in Hampstead Village. New plays formed the core Our work strengthens, energises and enriches British Theatre by bringing of the repertory from the very beginning and the first season included successful accessible and successful new plays to the canon, in world-class productions to premieres of Pinter’s The Room and The Dumb Waiter. In 1962 the theatre be enjoyed by audiences and artists, and giving artists and production teams moved to the 157 seat prefabricated building at Swiss Cottage which was to be Slag Caroline, or Change deep experience of making best practice professional theatre. its home for over 40 years. The programme mix was much the same as it is now: The enormous reach of Hampstead’s work is easily demonstrable: 70% occasional revivals (a 1963 production of Private Lives doing much to restore of our bookers live outside NW London postcodes, with people travelling from Noel Coward’s reputation) supporting a diverse repertory of new plays and UK all over the UK to attend performances in NW3. This ability to draw a diverse premieres of American work. audience - indeed a range of audiences - from across the nation is a tribute to Once established, Hampstead supported the careers of a number the accessible nature of the work, and to a national sense that Hampstead is a of notable writers. Three plays by David Hare (including his first play, Slag) destination venue. premiered here; there were premieres of three plays by Michael Frayn, four The character of the work, whilst always retaining a broad appeal, should by Mike Leigh (including Abigail’s Party), two by Terry Johnson, five by Philip continue to be wide ranging. Our stage and technical facilities accommodate and Ridley, three by Rona Munro, three by Shelagh Stephenson, and the return of enable work of significant scale, while also being sympathetic to smaller scale Harold Pinter with the premiere of The Hothouse. Alongside these there were plays. The programme features productions of both larger and smaller scale, UK premieres of plays by Tennessee Williams (one also a World premiere), three The Hothouse Prism making the work attractive for commercial exploitation and to theatres seeking Frank McGuinness plays, four Brian Friel plays, and plays by Athol Fugard, David to revive it in the future. Mamet and Tony Kushner. In 2003, with the prefab becoming increasingly dilapidated, a National MISSION Lottery grant and the generosity of the local community enabled Hampstead to Hampstead will shape the future mainstream by championing the creative create its current state-of-the-Art premises. But adjustment to this new home originality of a diverse range of writers. proved unexpectedly difficult both financially and artistically: the much loved but We are artistic entrepreneurs: today’s Hampstead Theatre is probably tatty old auditorium was less than half the size of the luxurious new Main House. the first theatre in modern history to focus almost exclusively on presenting In recent years the institution has risen from bankruptcy to become one of the new plays but with as little as 15% of its income coming from public or state most prolific producing theatres in the United Kingdom, presenting 14 new support and a resultant dependence on Box Office revenue. Through this model productions every year (of which 13 have been World or UK premieres) as well we can successfully produce 10-15 new scripts each year by a diverse range as one of the nation’s leading employers of Equity members (24.6 members of writers, to be seen by close to capacity audiences and to critical acclaim. employed every week last year). Box Office revenue has been very strong, critical Abigail’s Party I and You Our approach means we operate quite unlike any other ACE supported venue: and public response has been excellent, and the theatre has been able to create shorter programming horizons, a lean model taking some of the best practice of a generous patron base from a standing start. commercial theatre, and a limited but highly focused approach to outreach are We fully embrace the ACE creative case for diversity and believe all essential. passionately that the greater the range of perspectives, lived experiences and We work hard to be an open and inviting organisation to all audiences cultures that are embodied in the artists we work with, the more exciting the and visitors, and to reach out to new and young audiences. The openness and theatre on our stage will be. So we aim to reflect the diversity of contemporary the accessibility of our work means that our audiences continue to be ever- Britain, both in the work presented on stage and the audience we attract. Our more representative of the full, diverse and changing make-up of the British strong commitment to diversity will ensure the theatre remains relevant, resilient population. We model ourselves on the egalitarian and democratic tradition of and culturally productive. the English playhouses of the Elizabethan period - presenting accessible work Hampstead maintains two auditoria working full-time and in concert with priced affordably and available to everybody. one another: the Main Stage is the engine of the institution and the Downstairs Studio its creative and developmental heart. Work that has been developed Bad Language iHo VALUES through Studio production can be presented both on the Main Stage, and work Original – on stage and in our approach to theatre-making from both stages has been regularly presented elsewhere. Entertaining – plays that are destined to have a life beyond this theatre and find In spite of the evident financial challenges with which we have been audiences everywhere presented by a 14% cut in the ACE 2018-22 funding round, we believe that Professional – we aim to be one of the best theatres in the world to visit and at our ongoing public funding continues to allow us to take risks, to programme which to work boldly, to invest faith, resources and time in developing artists, to diversify our Respectful – of artists, of the work, of actors, of our staff and of our audiences audiences for the future and to influence the shape and diversity of the future’s Welcoming – we treat artists, audiences, supporters and peers with generosity great plays. Hampstead’s distinctive place in the theatre ecology and the and inclusivity uncompromising quality of our work enable us to bring new artists and original Accessible – our programme, our venue and our practice will be as free as voices from the periphery to the future mainstream. possible of barriers to all people. Dead Funny Gloria PERSON SPECIFICATION ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ESSENTIAL QUALITIES, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Key relationships: Executive Producer, Chair of the Board, Board of Trustees, Operations Director and • The ability to set an inspirational, ambitious, relevant and distinctive artistic vision for the Theatre Senior Management Team • A proven reputation in the new writing sector for delivering industry-respected, excellent, ambitious and innovative new plays Role summary: The role holds overall responsibility for the artistic vision of Hampstead Theatre • Enthusiasm for leading on fundraising, ideally some fundraising experience, and a full RESPONSIBILITIES acknowledgement that philanthropy will be at the core of Hampstead Theatre’s success • Experience of working with a diverse range of creative practitioners ARTISTIC • An extensive network of wide-ranging contacts in the theatre sector nationally and internationally • Set a clear, distinctive and identifiable artistic vision for Hampstead Theatre that reflects the • Experience of managing significant budgets and teams company’s ethos and values. Create a programme of work that delivers this vision • A producer’s understanding of the relative importance of creative risk-taking, the ability to • Uphold, promote and develop Hampstead Theatre’s reputation for excellence, innovation and successfully push boundaries, and the financial sustainability of the institution accessibility and the commitment to presenting work of the highest quality • An interest in the social, cultural and financial context within which Hampstead Theatre operates • Working with the Executive Producer, seek new ways to extend the reach of Hampstead Theatre’s • A genuine and demonstrable commitment to maintaining the broadening of cultural diversity and work, providing a wide range of entry points for audiences in line with Hampstead’s accessibility and access across all areas of Hampstead Theatre’s work diversity aims, and leading development of the institution’s Inspire outreach programme • Excellent communication skills and the ability to inspire and motivate stakeholders, donors, staff and • Work with the Executive Producer to deploy the Next Decade £1m commissioning fund effectively and creative personnel ensure that it is used to create work of the highest calibre for Hampstead’s Main Stage • The ability and ambition to work with a range of stakeholders at the highest level to position