Principal Josette Bushell-Mingo Delivers Keynote at The Stage Conference
Central’s Principal, Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE, has delivered the keynote address at The Stage’s The Future of Theatre Conference, a three-day virtual event full of insights and discussions centred around the most pressing questions for the future of theatre.
From March 30 – April 1, the award-winning online conference brings theatre professionals from across the world together and provides a platform to have vital conversations, reflect, share ideas and challenge the way things have previously been done in order to build a stronger theatre sector.
Opening the Festival, Josette laid out her vision for the future of drama training in the 21st century. Alongside the priority of addressing systemic issues and historical under-representation, and of ensuring equal, diverse and greater access, she called for a student-centred model of training that focuses on wellbeing, multi-culutural and multi-curricular learning and collaboration with wider industries and partners including those in STEM (science, technology engineering and maths). Josette also confronted the UK Government’s ‘counterproductive’ policies which serve to weaken the arts infrastrucutre and limit access to arts education and training at all ages, and a ‘levelling up’ agenda that pits the regions against each other for funding at a time when the arts sector should be working together to recover from the impact of Covid.
Speaking specifically of the role of arts leaders in training, Josette said:
“The spaces that we create must be a refuge from a world gone mad on itself. Here in our buildings, our conversations, meetings and transformations, we as leaders are charged with the responsibility of integrity, care, inspiration, interrogation and curiosity.
I look at my peers in other arts institutions and I am inspired. This, believe it or not, is the best of times. Because we are called to act. We do this for the students we believe in, for our colleagues that inspire us and for the arts that transform us.”
Of Josette’s involvement in the conference Alistair Smith, editor of The Stage, said:
“UK drama training is facing a period of unprecedented change, so we’re delighted to have Josette Bushell-Mingo, the new principal of one of the country’s leading schools, discuss her vision for the future of the sector.
Her opening keynote speech is just one example of what we are confident will be an engaging and thought-provoking three days of presentations and panels that grapple with the key issues that the theatre industry is facing – now and into the future.”
This is the second year that The Future of Theatre Conference has been held virtually. The Future of Theatre 2021 was the first of its kind to bring the entire theatre sector together since the start of the pandemic, drawing together over 700 attendees online from 21 countries.
Other featured speakers at this year’s Conference include Lyn Gardner (Associate Editor, The Stage), Michael Harrison (Producer), Ajay Chhabra (Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Nutkhut), Paddy Dillon (Theatre Green Book Co-Ordinator) and Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp (Freelance Arts and Culture Consultant). Attendees will also hear from a line up of leading theatremakers and industry figures as they explore topics ranging from theater digs, fair pay on the fringe, the theatre talent drain, how the theatre sector can speak with one voice and an introduction to lobbying.
Future of Theatre is sponsored by Arts Council England, Charcoalblue, Guildford School of Acting, Moore Kingston Smith, Preevue, Race Furniture, Substrakt and Theatreplan.
The Future of Theatre conference is available to view on The Stage’s conference platform. Josette’s speech is also available to read in full on The Stage’s website.