The Lowry prides itself on our excellent reputation as an industry leader in the field of artist development. We have an established track record for the quality of our work, having supported hundreds of artists and companies and premiered over 700 productions, and we are nationally recognised for our commitment to the development of artists, companies and producers.
We also know that we do not operate within a vacuum. Our work in artist development forms part of a wider movement from organisations and producers who see artist development as a specialist practice which itself needs attention and development, and space for new ways of thinking about this work to emerge. It’s essential that these organisations – including The Lowry – are open and generous, sharing our learning and resources with each other in order to problem-solve, upskill, instigate change and establish best practice within the sector.
There are no roadmaps for artist development in this country and venues are often navigating this difficult terrain on their own. There are no training courses for artist development, and no qualifications, yet it is emerging as a field of expertise which is absolutely essential to the health of the live arts sector. We believe that by working together and developing our own practices, we can contribute to a wider understanding of what good support might look like, even if we all take a slightly different route to get there.
The Lowry’s first Artist Development Toolkit Day took place on 27 February 2020. It was an intentional space created for new ways of thinking about artist development as a specialist practice.
Below is a selection of recorded videos from speakers sharing provocations on the day.