Set on empowering the next generation of artistic leaders, Artistic Directors of the Future, founded by award winning founder and artistic director Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway seeks to demystify leadership roles; ‘celebrating the Black, Asian, Middle Eastern and Ethnic Minority talent which exists in our community.’ Formed 6 years ago, the charity’s impact has been significant within the theatre industry, conversations geared towards diversifying leadership a key factor in regards to advocating for change. Reflecting on the charity’s impact so far, Simeilia tells us more about the organisation’s journey, their Board Shadowing programme and Diversifying Boards event and her hopes for the organisation moving forward.

Within the past 7 months, the integration of digital within the arts has witnessed various creative responses to an otherwise challenging year. In response to current restrictions, award winning theatre company Popelei have curated a range of works for our new normal; shows programmed for their digital festival Press Play ‘set designed’ to help set the tone for each piece. Popelei co-founders Tamsin Hurtado Clarke and Scarlett Plouviez tell us more about the innovative festival and what to expect!

As part of their continuing commitment to support artists during the pandemic, Chinese Arts Now have commissioned a series of new works as part of their ‘Digital Commissions’ initiative, an initiative encouraging the integration of technology and art to explore pertinent issues whilst reaching wider audiences. Commissioned for her work nineteen ways of looking, composer and producer Jasmin Kent Rodgman tells us more about her Instagram Opera, a production highlighting the experiences of 19 individuals, tackling themes of racism, isolation, media and mental health that will play out over 10 days during November.

An opportunity for leaders across industries to connect on a global scale, International Leadership Week, taking place from Tuesday 16th until Thursday 19th November 2020 will offer insight into how best to achieve effective leadership. A digital initiative encouraging inclusivity and transparency – the week looks to inspire, celebrate great leadership and bring about changes. Driven by inspiring social change within her work, Cut the Cord’s Artistic Director Camilla Gürtler, in collaboration with Nordic Council of Ministers will present a trio of podcasts connecting Nordic and UK leaders on how best to achieve sustainability within the arts. An advocate of the Nordic model of sustainability, having started to explore this within her work, Camilla tells us more about what to expect from the conversations.

Placing collaboration at the centre of what they do, Intercultural Roots are a network of 120 practitioner-scholars connected to communities and universities in over 26 countries, committed to the sharing of embodied practice and applying research gained within their practice. Currently adapting to the effects of the pandemic on collaborative practice by hosting sessions online, Intercultural Roots have introduced the Ripples Project, an initiative encouraging anyone online to respond to the question ‘What matters to you?’, with the first edition having taken place on World Mental Health Day (Saturday 10th October 2020), the 2nd due to take place on Saturday 24th October 2020. Ahead of the 2nd edition – Executive Director Dr Alex Boyd and fellow practitioner-scholars Dr Andrea Maciel and Alice Motta tell us more about the initiative and the organisation.

A crucial component of Grime culture, important in terms of their influence and preservation of music – DJs help to promote undiscovered voices to new audiences – bridging the gap between communities and inviting all to connect within a shared experience. Their ability to compile their own musical sets an opportunity to showcase creativity and a musical language unique to them. Establishing a career within a male dominated genre, award nominated DJ Kaylee Kay has performed for some of the UK’s well respected venues and radio stations including Rinse FM, Kiss FM, the O2 and is currently a resident DJ at Boxpark. Ahead of HighRise Theatre’s online Grime rave Lil.Miss.Lady where she’ll performing pre and post sets, Kaylee tells us more about what to expect from the show!

Celebrating Grime’s 20 year journey, a music form deriving from an array of other UK based genres such as Garage and Funky House, HighRise Theatre’s Dominic Garfield recognises the need to highlight contributions made – particularly by women within the genre as well as showcase how the form continues to evolve. Currently enjoying mainstream success, it’s important to learn about the genre’s past, as well as its present, and to celebrate those who don’t receive the recognition that they deserve, as it is those who often help shape the culture. Ahead of digital theatre rave Lil.Miss.Lady taking place on Friday 23rd October via Contact, Manchester Theatre, Dominic tells us more about what to expect from the show.

Drawing inspiration from the sophisticated world of James Bond, Co-Founders of the London Cabaret Club Evelina Girling and Doni Fierro present London Never Dies, a glamorous immersive dining experience entertaining audiences with choreographed dance sequences, specialty acts and a selection of tracks from the iconic franchise performed by talented singers. A welcome back to the venue post the pandemic, Evelina and Doni have made a commitment to support their artists – opportunities created for past and current cast members to perform in their upcoming Christmas and NYE Season a glimmer of hope. Having just experienced their opening weekend, Evelina and Doni tell us more about the production, and what to expect!

Having engaged the community of Barking and Dagenham for over 30 years, Studio 3 Arts is committed to putting ‘local people at the centre of everything they do’. Having launched their inaugural Groundbreakers Leadership programme earlier on this year, the initiative highlights the need to support our leaders of tomorrow – participants having gained the confidence to go on and build their own projects and inspire others to do the same. With applications now open for the next programme later on this year, Artistic Director Liza Vallance explains how applicants can get involved, what her hopes are for the initiative and what the £1.2m worth of funding awarded to the organisation to transform the 1960s Galleon Community Centre into a community arts centre means for the Barking and Dagenham community.

Founded in 1987, Big Telly Theatre, founded by director Zoe Seaton has established itself as one of Northern Ireland’s most respected and long running theatre companies – their work spanning multiple sectors such as tourism and heritage. Adapting Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth for the digital stage, the production follows the director’s succession of well received online productions, her most recent – Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Ahead of the productions online showing as part of this year’s Belfast International Arts Festival, Zoe tells us more about her adaptation of the classic.