This summer, we welcomed Lucy Cornwell as our Artist Development Assistant as part of the University of Exeter’s Professional Pathways programme. Lucy shares their experience of their placement below.
Through Exeter University’s Professional Pathways to Arts, Culture and Heritage programme, I was given the amazing opportunity to spend 35 hours over two weeks interning as an Artist Development Assistant for the Northcott and Barnfield theatres. I worked alongside Sam Parker, Artist Development Producer, who kindly gave his time to support me in learning more about the theatre industry.
During my two-week placement, every day was different and I was able to pack so many different experiences into my time at the Northcott! I felt fully immersed in every aspect of life at the Barnfield and was able to observe all the different ways the theatre works to serve the community, from the Young Creatives scheme for teens to the Café Theatre programme for seniors.
Pictured: Northcott Young Creatives rehearsing for The Albatross (2025).
Some of the many activities I took part in included sitting in on rehearsals for the Northcott’s production of Daphne, reading plays that had been submitted to the Elevate programme’s scriptwriting window, and meeting with playwrights to give feedback on their plays and discuss how the Northcott can further support them. I was also able to take a trip to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School to see a MA Writing showcase which displayed some of the incredible talent that is on offer in the South West.
Despite being a university student without much professional experience, or knowledge of the specifics of the theatre industry, I felt that my contributions were encouraged and valued. I was trusted to represent the theatre on a trip to the Barnstaple Fringe TheatreFest to watch some shows and share my thoughts on them with the Artist Development team.
By reading and watching so many interesting pieces of theatre, I was able to develop my analytical skills and learn how to give feedback effectively, which I know will benefit me greatly in the future. Even though I only spent 35 hours on my internship, I have had such a wealth of experiences and learnt so much more about the theatre industry and the landscape of theatre development in the South West. I am looking forward to returning to work at the Northcott in September as a Student Liaison focusing on developing connections between Exeter University students and the Elevate Festival!
Pictured: Elevate Festival 2024.
I want to give my sincere thanks to Sam Parker for taking me under his wing and sharing his knowledge with me, as well as the University’s Pathways team and the Northcott for enabling this internship to happen.
We are thrilled to be welcoming Lucy back in September 2026 as our Student Liaison focusing on developing connections for our Elevate Festival, celebrating South-West artists and their work.