We've got some big news, so we asked our chair of trustees, Sarah Perryman to tell you all about it in our first post of what promises to be an exciting year, full of new challenges, artistic explorations and participation opportunities.
I met Simon and Jess through my work at the Brighton Fringe. Their positivity and enthusiasm is infectious. They’re passionate about what they do, and the value and difference it can make to people’s real lives. I strongly believe in equality of opportunity, and that the arts can change lives in small, day to day ways as well as huge, major changes. However I don’t think life-changing art needs to be condescending or “goody goody”! Root Experience reflects these beliefs in the work they do, and so it seemed like a natural fit.
I am currently the Participation & Development Manager at Brighton Fringe, which is England’s largest open access festival. Through this role I get to help over 5,000 people put on arts events across Brighton & Hove throughout May each year. Before this job, I was a freelance Theatre Producer for 12 years. I’ve always worked in the Arts and have had a varied list of roles including Box Office, Front of House Manager, Production Manager, Stage Manager, Marketing Manager- the list goes on! This experience helps me to steer Root Experience as the current Chair of the Board of Trustees – I can put expertise in management and running a larger charity to build up Root Experience and what they are capable of.
So as Chairperson I am honoured to announce that:
Root Experience is now a registered charity!
The future of Root Experience is looking very bright. As a charity there are many more doors that are now open to us and I am excited to be guiding Root Experience through this vital development time as we build more opportunities for bringing drama into mainstream education, communities and public spaces. I’m keen that we build fruitful and long-lasting relationships with a range of organisations on a local and national level, as well as attracting funding from Trusts and Foundations to help the company to continue to deliver exciting and worthwhile projects to those who can benefit from them the most. Ultimately, I think we can help change even more lives for the good!
There’s a whole raft of exciting Root Experience projects planned for 2017. For opportunities to get directly creatively involved with Root Experience’s projects do join up to our mailing list and we’ll keep you up-to-date.
So, despite sometimes dismal news feeds, we are excited and energised and looking forward to a brilliant, playful, adventure in 2017 in this new shape.
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported Root Experience; whether simply by buying a ticket, by being an Agent in Black, or in helping with our application and being on the end of a phone line when we needed you (you know who you are).
Wishing you a positive, healthy 2017,
Sarah Perryman
Trustee at Root Experience, registered Charity no. 1170746