Norwich Theatre unveils community co-creation strategy

Norwich Theatre has launched a collaborative initiative – Creative Assembly – to “diversify the voices across theatre leadership” by involving local community members in the organisation’s creative direction. 

Creative Assembly aims to involve audiences, artists, stakeholders, communities and partners to help co-deliver the theatre’s Creative Experiences Strategy, which it says will mark a departure from “conventional top-down decision-making”.

“It enables people and communities to be actively involved in shaping the things that impact their lives,” explained Stephen Crocker, CEO and Creative Director of Norwich Theatre. “It also deliberately and uniquely shifts power, resource and ownership towards the people our work is intended to benefit.”

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The strategy entails the recruitment of five Creative Assembly Groups. 'Theatre disrupters' will represent audiences and communities in the area and help to shape programmes and events. Meanwhile 'community connectors' will be influential local people who will “bridge the gap” between communities not yet involved in or attending the theatre. 

'Young cultural leaders' is an already established group offering 18-30-year-olds the opportunity to become involved in programming decision-making and to represent the governance structure on the board of trustees. Another existing entity is the 'creative advisory group', of creative professionals that meets bi-monthly to act as a “sounding board” for strategic decisions facing the theatre and consulting on challenges within the arts sector.

The final group will be an asssociate company, which will work with the theatre on research, consultancy, skills-sharing and new work creation. The first company will be announced in March for a 2-year pilot period.

Co-creation and co-delivery

Crocker said: “We want everyone to feel a connection with Norwich Theatre, but we know that some people might not see themselves represented on our stages or might feel like they don’t belong in our buildings.

"We believe passionately in the power of co-creation and co-delivery and Creative Assembly will help us develop a richer and more meaningful way to support and engage with audiences, artists, participants and visitors, as well as expanding engagement with our work and our buildings.

“This is a hugely exciting transformation of our creative leadership and a genuine commitment to co-delivery."