Welcome Message

As you may know, this blog started life as a resource aimed at the members and Alumni of Birmingham University's Guild Musical Theatre Group.















Since then, I have realised that a great many artists I know could use a serious resource for discussion and debate of the major issues.















So, I open this network to any and all arts professionals who would like to use it. Over the years, I have seen some awe inspiring performances and productions by a great many talented and high ranking individuals, whose knowledge would be an asset to the artistic community. I invite these individuals and others to come forward, so that their achievements may be celebrated.






If you would like to write articles or make comments on this blog, please let me know. My contact email is on the link. Membership is free, and there are no obligations. Existing members are free to write as and when they want.








Its is also easy to forget, that we don't often have a chance to discuss or to think about the most serious issues affecting the arts. Despite all the progress made by online networks like Facebook and Twitter, there still needs to be a place where opinions can be viewed, and I hope that this will be such a place: a neutral ground, where all are welcome, and where knowledge can be shared.















Artists of all disciplines, I hope that this will assist your development and further networking. May this resource serve you well.















Best Regards,















James Megarry















Founder















Wednesday 28 June 2017

Supporting Offstage Professionals

Offstage employees are as important to the performing arts industry, as the performers on stage. And yet as one independent report has said (link below), these employees are not given the support they need for a good career.

As I suspected, the access to the arts industry is a problem, through voluntary work and unpaid internships. There needs to be a proper career path to becoming a producer, technician or other offstage professional.

To overcome most of the challenges, I think there need to be more technical apprenticeships, and open networking into the arts sector, through more groups like ours. There also needs to be more in house training, to allow people to develop within the industry.

And then there's the issue of pay. I think this can only be solved by a Living Wage for all offstage professionals industry-wide.

We need to remember, that the offstage production is as important for the arts, as performance itself.

https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2017/offstage-report-demands-urgent-skills-overhaul-exclusive-antiquated-sector/