Departure Point

Happily (or should I say jauntily), I wear many hats in my career. Today I want to don my theatrical hat and talk about a British theatre company which I am very much involved with, and their latest venture. Theatre Delicatessen started out as a group of four directors with an idea to use pre-developed, empty buildings as places to mount their productions. That was nearly ten years ago. Today, it is large non-profit dedicated to nurturing new theatrical companies, mentoring them, giving them the tools to go out into the choppy waters of the theatre world and create sustainable companies of their own — and all within the sorts of large vacant buildings we see around our cities everywhere.
I became involved with Theatre Delicatessen because we share a belief in the importance of allowing creativity to flourish, wherever it may be found. We understand that by sharing knowledge and working as a supportive artistic community great art, great theatre, becomes more possible. And now we have a new program which brings together the experience of nearly a decade of theatre-making. It is called Departure Point:
Aimed at theatre companies and collectives in the early stages of their careers, Departure Point offers an intensive course in the practical and producing aspects of making new performance, with an opportunity to develop a new piece of work. The programme offers a wide variety of workshops, led by industry professionals, to give an insight into the many different roles within the arts and to equip companies with the professional tools to become self-sufficient. 
Four companies will be chosen to take part in a 10-week programme of workshops and mentoring. Applications are being taken now for the first session, with a deadline of June 1.
I believe that this is an exciting, and much needed addition to the British theatre world: experienced practitioners working with emerging talent to expand the horizons of what British art can produce. Whether you are a theatre maker yourself or not, I urge you to take a look at the website information here. And then come along to a production or become involved. A community of creatives exists and it is growing and developing all the time. I love being a part of it, even though my own work has very little to do with the theatre these days. Their creativity and excitement rub off. You can be a part of it, too.