Paid residencies for three directors at top venues
- Alan Hulme
- Sep 12, 2025
- 1 min read
Leeds Playhouse, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse in our region, and Bristol Old Vic in the south west, are working with the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme to offer special "Fair Play" associate artistic director residencies to mid-career directors.
The three theatres will each host an 18-month paid residency, enabling less-advantaged creative people - specifically who identify as from low socio-economic backgrounds or who are on benefits - to progress to artistic leadership.
Leeds Playhouse's artistic director, Tom Wright, and chief executive Shawab Iqbal, said: "We’re delighted to be working with the RYTDS and Fair Play to offer this opportunity. The new Fair Play Associate Artistic Director role will empower a talented artist and play a key role in shaping the future of the Playhouse in collaboration with our community.”
Director of Fair Play, Cat Shoobridge, said: “We focus a lot of our energy as an industry on the entry points to creative careers and talent development for emerging artists – but where are the programmes that provide a step-change, or a route to leadership that recognises the barriers that stop working-class artists from getting and keeping these roles? With the residencies, Fair Play wants to change this.”
Each successful candidate will join the management team at their partner organisation, contribute to the strategic planning and delivery of the theatre’s artistic programme and direct a mid-scale production, developing their directing skills while learning about the role of artistic or creative directorship.
Applications for the residencies at the three theatres are open and have a deadline of the morning of September 18.
More info here
