Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Dominic Dromgoole former Artistic Director of The Globe London now of Open Palm Films has been reported as saying that what theatres put on is not decided by artistic credibility but restricted by board members who resist ideas on financial terms that are not guaranteed to succeed.
The logic of the board members’ argument is obvious really, theatres are businesses and just like every other business if they don’t sell their products, in this case tickets they have to close. It doesn’t matter how much artistic credibility you have, if you don’t attract an audience, you don’t eat.
We could spend a long time analysing what artistic credibility is, but we would probably end up agreeing that we can define it in as many ways as there are artists and potential audience members.
In days gone by, a trip to the theatre, or music hall would have been a regular aspect of social life for many people and the variety of choices available would have been much wider than we have today, but then they didn’t have multi-channel TV.
Now, York Theatre Royal is launching a project which aims to make sure that the theatre programme of productions is meeting the needs of existing theatre goers and attracting a new audience.
The Visionari scheme will offer members of the community an opportunity to learn about how a theatre operates and how the theatre is funded. The Visionari team will then contribute to decisions about what work the Theatre Royal creates and programmes.
Associate Producer John Tomlinson describes one of the exciting challenges that the theatre faces, is, how to engage with people who don’t necessarily go to the theatre and encourage them to get involved. Giving those people an influence on what the theatre does may just be what it takes for them to make that leap?
The name Visionari is not just a strange spelling of an ordinary word dreamed up by a team of ‘Mad Men’ like those in the TV series. No the theatre has borrowed the name from the Kilowatt Festival in Italy, one of the theatre’s partners in the BeSpectACTive European project which is focused on audience development.
So, could this be for you? Well perhaps?
The theatre is looking for an initial group of twenty people aged over 15 who can commit to being part of the first advisory programming group for two years. That really is the only requirement says John, anyone is genuinely welcome to apply. Especially people who don’t think of going to the theatre when they are thinking about going out.
The Theatre Royal is aiming to build a diverse Visionari team which will be formed to reflect the diverse world in which we live and work. Over the coming years the group will be expanded to ensure that it genuinely reflects the wider community. It really does sound like Visionari will be opening doors for the people of York and genuinely help the theatre to meet the needs of York people.
During the first year you will be learning about the theatre, why it exists and how it operates through ten workshops led by York Theatre Royal staff that will be based on topics about the how’s and whys of theatre making.
Each session will take place prior to a performance, will be about one hour long, and generally be on the first Wednesday of each month. Throughout the year group members will attend workshops and performances at the Theatre Royal as well as other theatres in the region.
You won’t be paid, but during their first year as Visionari you will receive free York Theatre Royal membership.
Following the initial year, the team will become Visionari with the role of guiding, challenging and informing programming decisions at regular meetings.
Application forms are on the theatre website, or available from the box office at the theatre in St Leonard’s Place.
Forms must be submitted by Friday 29 September 2017.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an informal group interview.
The first Visionari gathering will be in January 2018.