China Plate Announces Return of its Producer Training Programme THE OPTIMISTS

Independent producing studio China Plate is seeking candidates to apply for its producer training programme the Optimists, which returns this Autumn and again next Spring. Drawing on China Plate's extensive experience and featuring specialist guest speakers, The Optimists provides vital insight into the practicalities of making, funding, touring and marketing work and covers everything from budgeting and inclusivity through to contracts and festivals.

The 30-hour course comprises 10 weekly sessions that take place from 6 - 9pm on consecutive Tuesday evenings across a variety of theatre and arts venues in London. China Plate are accepting applications for two intakes, 10th October - 12th December 2017 or 13th February - 24th April 2018, with a limit of 16 places for each.

Although there's an open call for applicants, China Plate actively seeks to attract BAME / PoC and D/deaf and disabled emerging producers and theatre-makers onto the course and is encouraging venues to sponsor candidates from within their own networks to attend. The aim is to nurture diverse theatre-makers and widen the representation of producers, future artist managers, programming staff, leaders, and policy makers, shifting the arts management landscape towards a truer representation of society and broadening the spectrum of performance work on offer.

Claire Symonds, Producer at The Lowry said "We sponsored an Associate artist to join The Optimists after talking to her about the challenges she was facing as she began to explore self-producing. She really valued the learning and the opportunity to network with other artists around the country. As a venue producer I saw a marked difference in the way she approached her relationship with The Lowry after she had completed the course, particularly in our conversations around marketing and audience development. I would definitely recommend The Optimists as a great course for artists and producers looking to develop their understanding of the industry."

Nina Steiger, Senior Dramaturg New Work Department, National Theatre Studio said "Over the last 2 years the National Theatre Studios has sponsored three staff members onto China Plate's Optimists; all of whom have hugely benefitted from the wealth of information and learning provided on the course. This has been a fantastic way to enhance our colleagues' professional development both within and beyond the NT."

Previous Optimists alumni include associate artists, production and administration staff at Battersea Arts Centre, Birds of Paradise Theatre, ITC, The Lowry, National Theatre Studios, Oval House, Soho Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company.

Topics will include:

• Founding a company: articulating an idea
• Expenditure: the recipe
• Income: working out and paying for the ingredients
• Fundraising including Arts Council England, trusts and foundations and other sources
• Administration: budgets, contracts
• Access and working inclusively
• Audiences and how to reach them
• Venues: getting through door
• Festivals and navigating Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The Optimists will feature a variety of senior guest speakers from prestigious venues and organisations. Previous speakers have come from The Young Vic, Soho Theatre, Jerwood Foundation, National Theatre Studio, New Diorama Theatre, Camden People's Theatre, Shoreditch Town Hall and Battersea Arts Centre. Speakers will also include Arts Council representatives, marketing and PR professionals, journalists and successful theatre-makers/producers.

Previous Optimists graduates have gone on to create award-winning productions including Bitch Boxer by Charlotte Josephine (Soho Young Writers Award), Bound by Bear Trap (Fringe First Award, Herald Angel Award, Adelaide Critics Circle Award, Off West End Award) and You're Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy / Mess / Islands by Caroline Horton (Stage Best Solo Performance Award, Olivier Award and OFFIE nomination).

Application deadlines are 5pm Tuesday 26th September for the October intake and 5pm Tuesday 23rd January for the Spring 2018 course. For information contact: kirsten@chinaplatetheatre.com | www.chinaplatetheatre.com

Subject to funding, China Plate will provide travel and accommodation bursaries for candidates self-defining as BAME / PoC and D/deaf and disabled for the spring 2018 course. Eight places (50%) will be reserved for bursaries, ensuring a fully inclusive group.

About China Plate

China Plate is an independent theatre studio launched in 2006 that works with artists, venues, festivals and funders to make original, exciting theatre that plays with form and has narrative at its heart. The company are also Associate Producers at Warwick Arts Centre where they develop and commission new work, Artistic Associates at the New Wolsey Theatre where they are Directors of PULSE Festival, Programmers of New Directions (the NRTF showcase), and producers of innovative development programmes including The Darkroom, The Optimists (producer training) and The First Bite and Bite Size Festivals and partners with The Place, The NRTF and Take Art on the Rural Touring Dance Initiative. They are currently producing work with Contender Charlie, David Edgar, Ella Grace & Katie Lyons, Ben Wright, Joan Cleville Dance, Rachel Bagshaw, Caroline Horton, Dan Jones, Chris Thorpe, Inspector Sands and Sarah Punshon.

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