Creative Careers Week

Q.1 – What is your job and what does it involve?

I’m the Head of Development and I raise money for Kings Place. I do this through our Friends & Patron giving scheme, annual campaigns and everything else associated with individual giving.

Q.2 – What was the first job that got your foot in the door of the creative industry?

I was a volunteer for outreach administration at a community theatre. Being a student at the time, I offered to help out during my summer break on the days off from a catering job I had. Volunteering gave me my first taste of what goes on behind the scenes of an arts organisation, unlocking the confidence to seek out more opportunities with different organisations and types of art.

Q.3 – Is the job you’re in now what you aimed for when you were younger?

I had no idea that fundraising could be a career, I just knew I wanted to work in the arts but not as a performer. I wanted to help make the art happen, I wasn’t fussed with how. I ended up in this role after applying for every job I felt qualified for after I graduated. Since then I’ve worked my way up from an administrative role to strategy development and leadership.

Q.4 – What advice would you give to people interested in the creative industry now?

Seek out opportunities that expose you to different roles. Throughout college and university, I took part in various youth schemes and clubs to gain broad experience across a number of roles (and make the most of free tickets!) before I eventually settled into fundraising. I’m also a Trustee, so in my spare time I’m still building transferrable skills that are useful should I ever decide to try out a different kind of job.

Q 5. – What is the best part of your current job?

Conversations with people. A key part of my role is relationship building, to bring together donors and organisations who share the same values. It’s brilliant to see these relationships develop into exciting opportunities and the wider impact that can have for our artists and audiences.

Q.1 – What is your job and what does it involve?

I’m Senior Visitor Services Manager at Kings Place. That means I am responsible for the safety and enjoyment of everyone who attends our events.

Q.2 – What was the first job that got your foot in the door of the creative industry?

I started working as a team member at my local cinema-making popcorn, selling popcorn, sweeping up popcorn.

Q.3 – Is the job you’re in now what you aimed for when you were younger?

No. I wanted to be David Attenborough when I was 5 years old and I didn’t know what I wanted to be after that.

Q.4 – What advice would you give to people interested in the creative industry now?

Take any opportunity that comes and learn everything you can in each role. If you don’t enjoy doing it then you can always do something else instead.

Q 5. – What is the best part of your current job?

Interacting with my colleagues and our visitors. Working in the arts means that you get to interact with all sorts of people and every night of the week can be completely different.

Q.1 – What is your job and what does it involve?

I work in the programme department as Head of Artistic Planning. This means I monitor our calendar of events to ensure a great variety of shows are on offer, and closely work with our Artistic Director on what we want our programme of events to look like. I also programme our folk shows, of which there are about 100 a year.

Q.2 – What was the first job that got your foot in the door of the creative industry?

I was an intern for the Academy of Ancient Music, an orchestra based in Cambridge. Their office was just a 40 minute train ride from where I grew up, so I was really lucky to be able to work with them after I graduated from University. It was the first job that gave me an enormous amount of experience in arts admin and organisation – they toured around the world continuously so there was a lot of exciting things to do!

Q.3 – Is the job you’re in now what you aimed for when you were younger?

It’s more than I dreamed of when I was younger. I never wanted to be on stage, but putting talented artists on the stage, ensuring as many people as possible get to hear some amazing music. This job is so creative and I’m given a lot of trust – I take it seriously, but it’s a lot of fun booking bands that you love then going to see them 😊

Q.4 – What advice would you give to people interested in the creative industry now?

Talk to as many people as possible, try out lots of new things and don’t say no. I nearly said no the my internship with AAM because I thought I should head straight to London, but I’m so glad I didn’t! Even if you try out something that isn’t directly related to your end goal, you can be assured there’ll be many things you’ll learn that are easily transferable.

Q 5. – What is the best part of your current job?

The best part of my job is going to the events I’ve put together, seeing the artists put on an amazing show and the audience having a brilliant time. I also love heading backstage at those gigs and chatting to our brilliant tech team who are making it all become reality from behind the scenes. I’ve been here 10 years, but it still always make me feel very grateful and lucky that I get to do this for a living.

Q.1 – What is your job and what does it involve?

I focus on the tech side of delivering events at Kings Place. This includes lighting, AV, filming and streaming, making sure that everything (hopefully!) runs smoothly on the day.

Q.2 – What was the first job that got your foot in the door of the creative industry?

I was lucky enough to be a venue tech at the Edinburgh fringe and shortly after I worked in a Polish community theatre. Working in small teams definitely gave me a broad experience of theatre and live events, with everyone pitching in across all technical areas.

Q.3 – Is the job you’re in now what you aimed for when you were younger?

I did a physics degree at university and thought I’d end up putting on a suit for a city job. Even when I made a left turn into the arts, I thought that would be in theatre and lighting design. Somewhere along the road I realised that who I worked with mattered more than what I worked on. In some ways other people have shaped my career more than I have!

Q.4 – What advice would you give to people interested in the creative industry now?

Most jobs can be learned by someone with the right attitude and interest. If you make yourself useful with what you know and are enthusiastic about learning more, you will make the most of the opportunities around you even without formal training.

Q 5. – What is the best part of your current job?

The team around me. Everyone at Kings Place is passionate about our events and works incredibly hard to make them happen to a high standard. Supporting and working with them raises both my spirits and level of work.

Q.1 – What is your job and what does it involve?

I am an Event Production Coordinator at Kings Place and I work with our conference clients on planning the technical aspect of their events.

Q.2 – What was the first job that got your foot in the door of the creative industry?

I volunteered at Cheltenham Jazz Festival whilst in my final year at university. One of the stages had particularly challenging turnaround times on its second day and I got asked to help the Stage Manager. Due to my previous experience as a performer and the knowledge from my Music Business degree, I was able to assist the SM with keeping musicians on time and got recommended to work a bigger stage at another festival the same summer.

Q.3 – Is the job you’re in now what you aimed for when you were younger?

I knew from quite a young age that I wanted to work in the music industry but I was not sure in which specific area. After not getting accepted on any of the music label placements I was applying for, I did end up working for an arts charity as a Partner Delivery and Events Intern alongside tech-ing shows for a small local theatre. My current role is a mixture of all the jobs I have done in the past three years which makes me feel like I might have finally found the area I would like to further develop myself in.

Q.4 – What advice would you give to people interested in the creative industry now?

Reach out to local organisations which might be able to help you develop your knowledge and skills; and when you are given a chance, do your best. And never forget, there is no such thing as a stupid question!

Q 5. – What is the best part of your current job?

I really enjoy my current job as it is very much a customer-facing role whilst also being heavily involved in the technical side of things. It allows me to merge together various areas of interest and skillsets I have developed over the past five years.

Q.1 – What is your job and what does it involve?

I’m the Development Director, which involves overseeing all of our fundraising. I focus on raising money from trusts, foundations and public bodies, as well as helping shape the venue’s overall strategy and direction.

Q.2 – What was the first job that got your foot in the door of the creative industry?

I did an eclectic range of work experience while studying, from classical music broadcasting to indie record labels. Then I found myself at a tiny record label where the key manager had just left, so I had a chance to fill that space. It was daunting but also an invaluable immersion into marketing, PR, artistic programming and more.

Q.3 – Is the job you’re in now what you aimed for when you were younger?

No, but I was always pretty open-minded about where I’d end up. Basically I just knew I wanted to help make great art happen. I discovered that securing grants is often a vital step in that process, and a step where I can make a difference.

Q.4 – What advice would you give to people interested in the creative industry now?

Nurture a side project – your first jobs probably won’t align 100% with your passion, but hopefully they’ll leave some time for you to plug away at what you love, whether it’s running a club night, acting in plays or writing about film. Those projects will hone a different set of skills and could open new doors for you.

Q 5. – What is the best part of your current job?

Building the argument – I love thinking creatively and bringing together knowledge and data, so we can tell powerful stories to funders about what Kings Place wants to do.

Q.1 – What is your job and what does it involve?

The role involves the strategic direction of the Marketing and Visitor Services operations – leading efforts for income generation and excellent customer service. It’s centred around the audience: understanding and engaging audiences, developing new ones and optimising the customer’s experience with the venue.

Q.2 – What was the first job that got your foot in the door of the creative industry?

My foot in the door was a Head Cashier’s job at a music and club venue. I was selling tickets on the door until 2am and sometimes later, then spending the next few hours counting cash as it was sent up to me. I enjoyed the customer-facing side and I got to meet a lot of interesting characters – both customers and staff!

Q.3 – Is the job you’re in now what you aimed for when you were younger?

No, I wanted to be a dancer, then a fashion designer. I became disillusioned with both. If I’d been aware of creative roles within the music industry sooner I would have made different decisions in forging my career. I’ve loved music and the arts from a young age, I just didn’t know what jobs were open to me.

Q.4 – What advice would you give to people interested in the creative industry now?

My best advice is to believe there are opportunities for you to try things – you don’t always need years of professional training for a specific role. Most of us ended up here rather than taking a linear route through education. If you’re enthusiastic and passionate about the Arts, organisations will want you!

Q 5. – What is the best part of your current job?

The best part of my job is in seeing so many different events and discovering new expressions of creativity through music and words, whilst being part of making it all happen. Hearing how those experiences excited and inspired our audiences is the best feeling.

Q.1 – What is your job and what does it involve?

I’m Executive Director of Kings Place. That means that I’m responsible for leading the charity and taking care of our team. I report into our Board of Trustees and work in partnership with the organisation’s Artistic Director. While Sam leads on the artistic programme, I focus on strategic direction and operational effectiveness. Every day brings new and exciting performances, conferences, events and people into our building, so no day is ever the same. Working with the other Directors I balance supporting the team through daily challenges and planning for Kings Place’s future.

Q.2 – What was the first job that got your foot in the door of the creative industry?

I worked as Front of House Staff at my on-campus arts centre during my time at university. Being a part of the team that ran a venue inspired me to follow a career in the arts. I loved working with my colleagues, interacting with audiences and artists, and found a sense of common purpose.

Q.3 – Is the job you’re in now what you aimed for when you were younger?

A lot of people say they “fell into” the arts but, though it wasn’t my intention when I first walked into an arts centre and asked about a job, as soon as I started working in a venue, I knew I’d found where I was meant to be. Since then, my career development has been focused on reaching the leadership role in a cultural organisation and I am so happy to have been given that opportunity at Kings Place.

Q.4 – What advice would you give to people interested in the creative industry now?

I recommend starting in an operational role Front of House or backstage. Having that experience working with the public and performers and seeing how creative organisations run, opens endless possibilities for roles in the arts.

Q 5. – What is the best part of your current job?

My colleagues are the best part of my job. Kings Place is a very special place to work, and one of the main reasons it’s so special is the wonderful team that run the venue. I am consistently amazed by their talent, dedication and passion for their work. We all believe in the life changing power of the arts and are immensely proud of the music and spoken word programme that Kings Place delivers. It’s a joy to work alongside them.

Q.1 – What is your job and what does it involve?

I’m the Contemporary Programme Manager for Kings Place, which means I look after the programme for all of our electronic, jazz, experimental, hip-hop/RnB, non-Western music, and everything in between. That means booking a lot of shows myself (in particular for our Songlines Enouncters, Luminate,  EFG London Jazz Festival and Unwrapped programmes), and also working with our external promoter partners like MARSM and Bird On The Wire.

Q.2 – What was the first job that got your foot in the door of the creative industry?

I first started putting on gigs in university when I ran my uni’s student orchestra, which made me realise I really enjoyed working behind the scenes. Then after working in marketing for a big tech conference, I decided I wanted to try and make a career out of putting on music events, so I started my own music production/management company in Dublin and basically learned from my mistakes as I went along.

Q.3 – Is the job you’re in now what you aimed for when you were younger?

I didn’t know exactly what it would look like, but certainly working in a senior programming role at a prestigious institution was on my mind as an eventual career goal.

Q.4 – What advice would you give to people interested in the creative industry now?

Try and gain as varied an experience as possible at the start of your career, including working outside music / the arts as we have a lot to learn from other indsutries too. Meanwhile put your own events on on the side that you’re not dependent on income from. Then you’ll gradually learn what areas you’re most skilled/passionate in and can start specialising in those.

Q 5. – What is the best part of your current job?

Getting to work directly with artists, and helping their visions come to fruition. In London we’re blessed with one of the most incredible musician scenes in the world – both in terms of the artists who are based here and it being a destination that everyone wants to perform in.