November 4, 2008

THE WELLINGTON PRODUCERS’ ROOM OPENS    

Alchemists of the impossible in action at Toi Pōneke 

This week sees the Wellington Producers’ Room up and running at Toi Pōneke, Wellington’s Arts Centre. Producers are the alchemists of the impossible – initiating and innovating exciting arts projects. They are a key resource for Wellington’s lively independent arts sector.

The Wellington Producers’ Room will house up to four independent theatre and dance producers, as well as offering a hot desk for short term projects. The group aims to share resources, information and support to make independent producing more sustainable. Sharing ideas and building new relationships will foster the growth and development of theatre and dance in Wellington and ensure we innovate and explore new ways of making work. The group will support the broader arts sector through weekly advice sessions on a range of topics relating to producing and presenting live performance.

The Wellington Producers’ Room has arisen out of the Wellington Producer’s Group run by Briar Monro as part of the Wellington Theatre Practitioner Support Programme. Issues around the development and support of producers and producing infrastructure were a key issue discussed at the Wellington City Council’s Mapping the Future sessions as well as the B-side forums.

The Wellington Producers’ Room is supported through the Wellington City Council’s cultural grants and is working closely with the City Arts Team.  In December the Group will be running workshops on producing in conjunction with the New Zealand Fringe Festival.

Thus far, the Wellington Producers’ Group is comprised of

Leo Gene Peters (MTA in Directing graduate from Toi Whakaari / Victoria University of Wellington and director (Strange Resting Places, Settling, RPM)),

Angela Green (Toi Whakaari acting graduate, producer and actor (Metamorphosis, Strike Percussion), and

Eleanor Bishop (Victoria University of Wellington theatre programme graduate and producer (Rubber Turkey, The Hunting of the Snark)).

Update 6 Nov 2008:

We have a hot desk available for producers needing a space to work on short term projects (anything from a week up to a few months), at a cost of $30 per week. This includes rent, phone and internet use.

Please contact us at wellingtonproducersgroup@gmail.com if you are interested in the HOT DESK space. We will also take bookings for the future!

Please also pass this onto anyone else who might be interested.

The Wellington Producers Group
Eleanor Bishop, Leo Gene Peters, Angela Green
wellingtonproducersgroup@gmail.com
Studio 14, Toi Pôneke, 61-69 Abel Smith Street, Wellington