MEET SCOTTISH YOUTH THEATRE’S NEW ADDITION TO THE TEAM – VANESSA, joining as artist producer.
Hello. I’m Vanessa and I moved to Scotland during an early summer heatwave to take up a brand-new role as Artistic Producer at Scottish Youth Theatre. If you’d like to know who I am and how that’s been going, this is the mini-Dialogue entry for you.
I’m a producer, curator and facilitator from Ireland via. most of a long time in London. I’m particularly interested in collaboratively building spaces for the creation and development of new work and, in the applied use of theatre for social, education and community contexts. I’m obsessed with the possibilities of theatre as an antidote, in a world that’s gradually rejecting artificial digital spaces like social media and moving towards more tangible, connected, authentic experiences.
My recent work includes co-curating my fifth and final Peckham Fringe festival and designing and producing a multidisciplinary creative arts programme for Peckham Sessions 2026. More broadly, I spent lots of the last 3 years leading a strategic redevelopment of everything from policies and procedures to courses and programmes as Participation Manager at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
As Artistic Producer at SYT, my core remit is to develop and deliver projects and programmes that serve the needs and aspirations of young people in Scotland who want a career in the theatre industry. Cultivating connections and collaborations with artists, organisations and spaces will be a key part of this work.
By the end of my first week on the job, I was off to Aberdeen for a brilliant 4-days supporting Then. Now. Next, a project delivered by SYT, in partnership with Aberdeen Performing Arts, as part of this years’ bustling Light the Blue Festival. The opportunity to be involved in this theatre-making intensive as a blend of observer, practitioner and participant was a fantastic induction (and provided many bonus bouts of laughter, sunshine and storytelling).
It was a joy to witness the dedicated cohort of participants generously meld their ideas and creative outputs together under the guidance of inspirational artists and workshop leaders. During the devising process, invitations to focus on what was ‘sticking’ and what felt ‘true’ were honestly and curiously followed, leading to the creation of a piece that was playful and funny while simultaneously moving and sincere.
I was particularly struck by how naturally a sense of place (Aberdeen) became an atmospheric thread though the work. Doric and Gaelic and lists of lost places and things were explored; scandalous seagulls (scurries) and synchronised cod dances were choreographed; we even saw the revival of late-night pirate radio. Suffice to say it’s all left me immensely excited to see what different flavours of Scotland emerge in future projects.
See you soon,
Vanessa
Also a quick reminder to let us know what you would liked covered on Dialogue – subject areas and particular topics are always welcome so drop us a message via one of our many social platforms.
Scottish Youth Theatre is a charity, and, while we get some public subsidy, we need to raise just as much in other ways every year to deliver our projects. Support us with a small donation to reach more young artists in more places. Click this link to donate as little as £5.