The fourth edition of our INVEST Artist Takeover is here!
A feature where our INVEST artists share their experiences, creative journey, and insights from the programme in their own words.
This month’s INVEST Artist Takeover features Theatre director, dramaturg and facilitator, Emma Copland.
I can’t believe how fast this year has gone already!
Being offered a place on the Invest programme gave me a brilliant piece of news to introduce myself to buildings and artistic directors with. It’s funny being a freelance director in NI, I’m often working on a lot of things that are production adjacent, so being part of the Invest group meant I had a really clear reason to reach out to people.
I’ve been in correspondence with some great people over the last few months, making connections with Erica Whyman, Lotte Wakeham, Elizabeth Newman, Julie Stewart, Michelle Terry and Tamara Harvey. With Invest I’ve been able to organise time to shadow at RSC for The Constant Wife rehearsals and a tech week at the Globe. I was keen to shadow working creatives who had managerial roles within producing houses to see how they were able to balance the loads. I also wanted to get an insight into how personal creative interests intersect with producing house responsibilities.
I’ve learnt a lot about the opportunities and challenges of directing and managing within a producing house. The transparency and honesty of the people I’ve been talking to has really given me a broader understanding of the industry and my role within it. I feel like the more open we can be with each other, and with the wider public about the ingenuity that we summon and the challenges that we face, the more we can band together to flourish.
All of these great opportunities have meant I’ve been back and forth over the water a lot this year, for shadowing, but also for work. Alongside Invest, in London I have been directing a rehearsed reading at Jermyn Street Theatre, developing a new play with an actor and a writer, and facilitating for the Primary Shakespeare Company (directing primary students in excerpts of Hamlet for performance on professional stages). And in Belfast I have been part of Amadan Ensemble‘s “Manifest” residency, Belfast Playwrights 10 minutes-play showcase, Deaf as a Post creative captioning development and teaching third years at Queen’s University Belfast on the Participatory Performance Practice module.
Invest has also given me the network to connect to more networks. By meeting other professionals throughout the TDNI training sessions and using the programme as a talking point at Front & Centre the Performing Arts Forum Gathering in Limerick. I’ve learnt loads about websites from Tierna Byrne, some philosophy insights from Patrick O’Reilly and some professional strategy from Conor Mitchell and Steven Atkinson. And I’ve heard some incredible insights from people like Sarah Durcan (WTF), and some exciting possibilities from people like Zoe Ní Riordáin (Cork Theatre Collective) and Gavin Kostick.
I’ve nearly finished my Invest activities, recently completing a second week in Stratford Upon Avon, shadowing Tamara Harvey again but this time in her capacity as Co-Artistic Director. Driven by everything I’ve learned, I’m currently training with Katie Mitchell at CSSD to contrast her very focused system of directing to the other models I’ve experienced so far. I’m really looking forward to spending a few days at Shakespeare’s Globe at the start of August, speaking with Michelle Terry and observing technical rehearsals for Twelfth Night. This will lead really nicely into some Shakespeare work for Mountview later this year.
I love new writing and Shakespeare’s plays, and new responses to Shakespeare’s plays. I often organise table reads with professionals (with professionals) and run workshops. If that’s something you’re interested in, you can find out more here.
I’m really grateful for my time on Invest, I’ve learned so much from the rest of the cohort, as well as the many people I’ve met through TDNI. I would 100% encourage you to apply if you want to invest in yourself as an artist.