UP(date) Networking and Showcases

Gorilla Circus

The Networking and Showcasing Working Pary met for the first time in November.

To kick off the conversation we broke into 2 smaller groups each discussing Networking and Showcasing separately. We started this process by assessing what is already happening in the UK, acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of current practice. We also considered what has been done in the past and what we can learn from in other countries, especially in Europe. 

We acknowledged that networking has different meanings for different stakeholders and that career stages are important to consider in terms of access. Equally, showcasing means different things to the subsidised and commercial sectors and of course to individual artists, companies and promoters. We agreed that festivals were great to allow for a range of work and a range of people to come together under one roof. We also agreed that digital was a useful tool for making networking more accessible but should be used to supplement but not replace live showcasing.

We highlighted a key crossover with another Change Up mission is around Advocacy and Mentoring. As a result of the discussion, we are meeting with the conveners of the Creative Development Working Party to share thoughts on advocating and mentoring. We are also populating a list of existing showcases and networking opportunities ( as opposed to formal networks) which will be shared with the resources group.

Our next meeting will take place in late January. 

Authored by Axel Satgé and Camille Bensoussan