hubalicious.org - Professional Profile: Stewart Collins-Artistic Director

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This is the section where you can talk to someone in your chosen career. This should hopefully help you to decide whether this is the path you want to take. They should give you an idea of what qualifications you need, what experience you need and obviously if you actually want to pursue this career. All the Professionals have their own profile with a set of questions to help you with your choices. They also have some contact details so that if you have any questions you can ask them!!! How cool is that???

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Professional Profile: Stewart Collins-Artistic Director

What is your name?
Stewart Collins

What is your profession?
Artistic Director

What does it entail?
Programming arts festivals – music, theatre, dance, visual arts etc, budgeting, writing copy for marketing material, heading up the PR programme and helping raise funding/sponsorship

How did you get into it?
I was an actor/singer for a number of years before applying for my first festival post – which I got.

Did you need any qualifications?
No.

If not, did you need any other skills to get into your profession?
I needed knowledge of the performing and visual arts world, together with some skill at budgeting – together with a dusting of imagination.

What tips would you give to someone interested in your profession?
Identify those things that make you unlike everyone else and go for it.

How competitive is it to get into your area of work?
Highly

What do you enjoy the most about your profession?
Working with artists and performers to create special events and happenings. The most exciting thing about my job is not the things that you buy ‘off the shelf’ – as you have to do in a large number of cases. It is the devising and creating new and innovative events and partnerships.

What do you enjoy the least about your profession?
The financial uncertainties and dealing with artists and agents who think they’re more special than they really are.

What’s the most interesting thing you have done or the most interesting person you have met?
My latest commission or new production is always the most exciting thing, although discovering jaw dropping companies and artists ranks this pretty closely. There is always a new most interesting person: my most recent a brilliant young Belgian theatre director.