The New Wolsey Theatre Launches First Associate Artists And Artist Relationship Programme

Six East Anglian artists and companies – Aspire Black Suffolk, Jamie Beddard, Martha Loader, Mae Munuo, The Paper Birds and Spinning Wheel – are delighted to have been appointed to work with the New Wolsey Theatre's Chief Executive/Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul in Ipswich, as part of its inaugural Associate Artists programme celebrating and supporting creativity in the region.  

The Associate Artists will be supported by the New Wolsey Theatre over the forthcoming 18 months with a bespoke programme designed to enable individual development or to act as a step change.  

The Associate Artists come from a range of artistic backgrounds: 

Aspire Black Suffolk (https://www.aspireblacksuffolk.org.uk) is an award-winning, Ipswich based not-for-profit community interest company dedicated to tackling the causes of inequality by creating meaningful and lasting creative and educational solutions.  

Jamie Beddard (https://jamiebeddard.wordpress.com) is a Suffolk performer, director and writer who is Co-Artistic Director of Diverse City and Lead Artist with Extraordinary Bodies.   

Martha Loader is an Ipswich based award-winning writer, actor and producer whose work has been performed across the UK. 

Mae Munuo is an actor, deviser and writer who grew up attending the New Wolsey Theatre's Youth Theatre and Young Company, most recently returning as a professional actor earlier this year in DNA. 

The Paper Birds (https://www.thepaperbirds.com) is an Essex based devising theatre company, with a social and political agenda, and recognised as UK leaders in devised verbatim theatre.  

Spinning Wheel Theatre (https://spinningwheeltheatre.com) is a Suffolk based rural touring company, creating work with and for families in communities across East Anglia.  

Douglas Rintoul, Chief Executive/Artistic Director of the New Wolsey Theatre, said: "Supporting the independent creative ecology in Ipswich, Suffolk and East Anglia is a priority. I'm inspired by the vision and determination of these individuals and companies and we are excited to bring them into the sphere of the Theatre, not only to support them to achieve their ambitions by putting the weight of the Theatre behind them, but also to be influenced by them. It's vital we unearth the major questions and stories that are pertinent to our communities, and this is only possible in collaboration with a range of voices. This associate scheme is part of a wider artist relationship programme supporting hundreds of local artists over the next three years through one-to-one support, scratch nights, take overs, employment opportunities and peer-to-peer skills development sessions. As the programme grows it will respond to the needs of our artistic community."

To find out more about the programme visit: https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/artist-relationship-programme/.