We are delighted to have been awarded £5,000 from the Equity Charitable Trust to buy equipment and provide infrastructure to support local actors in the advancement of their careers, from our space in Hull’s Old Town.
This is a quick blog to let you know what we’re planning.
First thing we did was ask. Thanks to all those people who filled out the survey we posted: we really hope that what we’re planning reflects the needs of the acting community of Hull. So here is what we’re going to do with the money.
Create a self-tape space
This was the most popular request, so we are going to spend a big chunk of the money creating a soundproof space that has all the equipment in it you might need to create and edit your self-tapes to the highest possible quality. This will remove financial and practical barriers to allow you to do your best work. A big thanks to local actor Matt Sutton who is advising on the best possible setup.
Update the technical equipment we can offer
We’ve been delighted with how much use our rehearsal room has had already this year but we’re also aware that some of the equipment that you have to use when you come in is… knackered. So, we’ll be replacing some of those old faithful bits of kit with stuff that doesn’t turn off when you turn the lights on, as well as also making sure you have access to computers for both creative and administrative work.
Improve the library
We’ve got such a big stock of plays that it can be overwhelming to find what you need, so some of the money will be spent creating a database of monologues and duologues to help you find the piece you need as quickly and easily as possible. We’ll also be making sure the library stays up to date with the most contemporary plays from the best writers worldwide.
It’s also worth noting that quite a few of the responses were about continuing to offer things that Middle Child already provide, so to be clear, our spaces including the rehearsal room will remain free to book and can be done so through our website. Our Acting Gym will return in October, and we also have some new sessions starting this summer, including talks about issues within the industry and a book club, where artists will get a chance to read and chat about contemporary plays.
Also, our Take Your Seat initiative is now up and running where, with our friends at Hull Truck Theatre, we offer free tickets to see new plays and then a chance to come and chat about them afterwards.
Hopefully if you’re an actor based in Hull, this all sounds good, but as ever this is just the start of the conversation. Do keep talking to us about how we can improve our offer and hopefully we’ll see you all soon taking advantage of the new self-tape space.
