It’s been a brilliant first year for our Elevate programme, which continues to expand, offering tailored support to artists across the South West. Our Artist Development Producer Sam Parker looks back on the Elevate Write/Direct programme, a new initiative created to enable artists’ develop their work as writers and directors.
WRITE/DIRECT HIGHLIGHTS
Elevate Write/Direct was designed in response to meetings we had with writers selected through our 2024 script window. A recurring talking point was that writers were finding it difficult to identify and build relationships with South-West collaborators, specifically directors.
We released a call-out for six directors to join our six writers – you can see those selected below.
Credit: Lillie Sherry
Frankendodo by Charlie Coldfield directed by Charlotte Kransmo
The Wolf of Lahore by Nash Colundalur directed by Taylor Ayling
Tactile by Molly Gooch directed by Theresa Pine
Whatsapp With Love by Lori Hilson directed by Rachael Walsh
Before We Were Ghosts by Perdita Stott directed by Leanne Baker
Feral by Monica Yell directed by Lara Lawman
Actors:
Zaid Al-Rikabi
Florian Saturley
Beatrice Savill
Joanne Rogers
Steve Bennett
Maya Pillay
Micha Colombo
Natasha Nwaegbe
Taraash Mehrotra
Imogen Frances
Credit: South West Theatre Photography
Across the Summer of 2025, Exeter Northcott worked with the cohort on a series of workshops interrogating the writer/director relationship, aiming to support them in finding a new collaborator. On September 6th, the programme culminated with a series of script-in-hand readings to an audience of artists, industry professionals and friends at our Barnfield Theatre.
Elevate Write/Direct was generously funded by the Idlewild Trust, and the programme was led by Danielle Mcilven and Sam Parker. To find out more about our Elevate programme and join in, please click the button below.
Written by our Artist Development Producer Sam Parker
Learn more about Elevate
Photo by Craig Fuller
Support Our Work With Artists
If you like what we’re doing, please consider donating to support our work with artists. We are a charity and every donation helps!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE