The Northcott Theatre are offering an exciting opportunity for graduating Exeter University students to join their Elevate Associate Scheme: a one-year programme designed to support emerging artists in the Southwest. As an associate company, graduates would receive a year’s worth of resources to help establish their career in the arts. Applications close on the 21st of February, so don’t miss your chance to put your name down.
The initiative is part of Elevate, an artist development programme set up by playwright Sam Parker and the Northcott in 2024 to improve the opportunities of the Southwest theatre scene. In line with this aim, Northcott have reserved one slot in in their Associate Company Scheme for a group of Exeter University graduates to ensure that talented emerging artists have the support they need to thrive in Exeter.
“We will offer administrative and artistic support,” says Sam. A professional mentor for the year, guidance for projects such as funding application support and touring logistics, free rehearsal space in the Northcott buildings, platforms to share their work and opportunities for feedback and development are all part of the Associates Scheme package, starting in September of 2025. “The aim is to work out where the company want to go and put a year’s worth of bespoke support in place to help them get there. We’d love for our buildings to be a home for them for the year,” says Sam.
The idea is inspired by a previous partnership between Exeter University and The Bike Shed Theatre, a fringe venue and cocktail bar on Fore Street that closed several years ago. “The venue galvanised a network of artists and creatives in Exeter. Shows were being put on all the time, and they used to offer a graduate company slot every year.” The scheme stopped when the venue closed but local artists still have a fondness for its culture. “Their graduate scheme was a brilliant incentive for graduates to stay in the city and make work here.” Through the Northcott’s Associate Scheme, he hopes to reignite Exeter’s local theatre scene.
The Northcott Theatre has a long-standing relationship with Exeter’s drama graduates. This Christmas, for example, it co-produced The Elves and the Shoemaker with the PaddleBoat Theatre Company, founded by Exeter graduates. Artistic Director Katy Dash reflects on the impact of staying in Exeter: “Sticking around in Exeter was the best thing for us and our company. We had spent three years at uni getting to know the local arts ecology. Once we graduated, we had so much invaluable support from the University and local arts associates programmes such as the Northcott’s, which allowed us to grow our company in the real world.”
“By reserving an associateship for a graduating company, we hope to do our bit to ensure that the exciting artists coming through university pathways remain in the Southwest upon completing their studies,” says Sam.
To be considered for the Associates Scheme, applicants must apply as a company, not as individual artists. All types of creatives are welcome, from actors and writers to musical and participatory theatre groups. It is essential that your theatre company is based in or around Exeter after graduating so that you can contribute to and participate in the Southwest’s artistic community and participants must have ‘drama’ or ‘theatre’ in their degree title or have been actively involved in theatre societies on campus. There is no limit on the number of people in your company.
To apply, email Artist Development Producer Sam Parker (s.parker8@exeter.ac.uk) with an expression of interest before Friday the 21st of February in which you:
- Give some information about your company — your members, interests, talents, experience and potential previous projects.
- Write around 100 words about the hopes and ambitions for your company.
- Specify how the Northcott could support you during the associateship.
- Put down a referee from the University Drama department who knows and can speak for your work.
The applications can be in writing (750 words maximum) or as a video (no longer than 5 minutes).
Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to share their work or practice in term 3 with a selection panel featuring University of Exeter and Northcott representatives alongside past associates. This might mean inviting them to a show you have in term 3, or to a workshop you are running, or perhaps to a rehearsal. The important thing is that they get to see your company’s work. The aim is to have a company in place by July and start discussions about individual support plans between July and September.
Dr Adrian Curtin, head of Drama at the University of Exeter, is excited about the collaboration: “This scheme will enable graduates to launch their professional careers as theatre makers and consolidates a partnership between Exeter Drama and the Northcott which we are hoping to build upon in the future.”
For more information, don’t hesitate to contact Sam (s.parker8@exeter.ac.uk) and visit the Northcott website.
