Professional History
Producer
Same Sky, Brighton, UK
July 2022 - present
Development & Events Manager
Brighton Fringe, Brighton, UK
January 2020 - July 2022
- I was the development desk for Brighton Fringe, England’s largest open-access arts festival. I was brought on right before the pandemic so it has been a challenging time. I manage all contributed income coming into the festival including private philanthropic grants, public funding, individual donations, membership, volunteer management, community outreach, and commercial partnerships.
- The past year presented a lot of difficulties for the arts but I was able to raise £210k despite the setbacks and the development team reducing to just myself while also recovering £40k in owed credit from the cancelled 2020 festival.
- In that time we were able to produce Fringe City, our free central festival space in the middle of Brighton. Working with the incredible Traumfrau productions I assisted in site planning, volunteer management, act coordination, and sponsorship. We produced twenty-six free performances at an accessible space with an estimated footfall of three thousand pedestrians.
- My current project is recovering a sustainable income model for the festival and expanding our community outreach, so we are able to effectively partner with the brilliant charities and services in Brighton and Hove.
Apprentice Luthier
Anna Tummers - Luthier, Brighton, UK
October 2020 - November 2021
- Part of my week is spent in the workshop of Anna Tummers, a master luthier specialising in Baroque instrument repairs and restorations. Anna is training me on basic instrument care and repairs. She’s also an incredible source of knowledge on bespoke customer relationships and appreciating the connections between a musician, their luthier, and the instrument.
Treasurer // On the Ground Volunteer
Mask Up Group, Brighton, UK
August 2020 - December 2021
Mask Up distributes free face masks and sanitiser at protests, protecting community health while supporting the right to peaceful protests. Activism should not come at the cost of public health. I wrote the articles of association, established formal financial procedures, and directed the fundraising policy while in the role of Treasurer. Please consider making a donation to a group that does a lot of incredible work.
Street Kitchen and Warehouse Volunteer
Sussex Homeless Support, Brighton, UK
January 2021 - July 2022
Sussex Homeless Support provides free clothing, food, and supplies to vulnerable, homeless, or at-risk members of the public in Brighton and Hove. The team I work with prepares hot meals, collects and sorts donations, and provides counsel to those who need immediate support. Most of my time is spent doing dishes, chopping vegetables, and talking to clients.
COVID-19 Warehouse Volunteer
Rockbridge Area Relief Association, Lexington, US
April - July 2020
While furloughed I volunteered at the food bank warehouse in Lexington, Virginia aiding with stock deliveries, client collection, and warehouse management. While you’re here please make a donation to support an area extremely vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus. Since the Trump administration cut federal aid to relief programmes, groups like RARA are at risk.
Company Manager
Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, US
September 2019 - January 2020
- I worked as the main link between the theatre management, cast, creative, technical teams, unions, and service providers for a non-profit regional producing theatre in Pennsylvania with an annual turnover of $6.8 million. The general management team was small but acted as the conduit to the whole theatre’s operations.
- During my tenure, I managed three productions with a total of ninety persons and mounted seventy-six performances. I also got to manage a production of Rocky Horror which was a real treat as I am a massive Richard O’Brien fan.
- Chief responsibilities: arranged travel, housing, transport, hotel bookings, flights, hospitality, and human resources; improved administrative and hospitality standards; assisted in AEA, USA829, and IATSE contact and record-keeping; maintained a network of medical professionals; scheduled cleaning and maintenance for housing; occasionally performed housing repairs; maintained records of travel, housing, hospitality and parking; processed all ticket requests from actors, SMs, and creatives; represented the company press events; represented the general management team at rehearsals and performances; prepared weekly payroll.
Development Officer
The Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, US
August 2018 - September 2019
- This was a development role for a large non-profit regional producing theatre based in Philadelphia with an annual turnover of $16 million. The development team was responsible for $2.2 million in annual contributed income, as well as a $30 million capital campaign. I began as a development apprentice but was promoted out of the position after I organised significant improvements to their donor CRM.
- Two projects I believe highlighted my time with Walnut: the revitalisation of their young patrons programme where I took a project about to be scrapped and made it into a social club that generated $9k in annual contributions while preparing a pipeline of lifelong theatre patrons. The other was a donor recovery campaign following a minor scandal on the leadership level and through sheer force of charisma (and lead by an incredible interim director) ensured donor restoration and prevention of further loss. In the last four months of my employment, I was the longest-serving member of the development department.
- My duties included: organized and implemented fundraising campaigns; managed donor database; provided concierge service to donors; wrote, managed, edited foundation and corporate grants; organized patron events; managed gift reception and acknowledgement; organized fundraising and events calendar; improved administrative and inter-department communication standards; prepared reports and donation analyses for campaign planning and debriefing.
Contributing Writer
Various outlets. US and UK.
October 2015 - September 2019
- I wrote for Book Riot, Edinburgh Flipside, The Edinburgh Revue, EUTC, University of Edinburgh, FreshAIR Radio.
- I’ve written several plays, sketches, and radio plays most of which were produced either with the EUTC or at the Edinburgh Fringe. I also wrote furniture descriptions during a bleak summer in 2018.
Head of Press and Marketing // Duty Manager
Bedlam Fringe. Edinburgh, UK
May - August 2016
- This was my first proper arts job as I organised the press and marketing director for Bedlam Fringe Theatre during the 2016 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This is a central, 90 seat venue, operated by the student theatre society during the academic year but professionally equipped to generate revenue during the festival.
- Duties included: managing and planning projects and marketing campaigns; developing, in-house productions, branding, marketing, press contact and relations; oversaw staffing, worked as duty manager while overseeing the building.
Bar Supervisor // Marketing Manager
Andrew Ushers and Co. Edinburgh, UK
November 2016 - November 2017
- Took a bar job at a craft brewery focused bar in Edinburgh. Was in charge of staff management during the festival season at an extremely busy pub.
Events Coördinator
Cult Espresso. Edinburgh, UK
January 2016 - October 2017
- Acted as an events producer for a small cafe in Edinburgh near Summerhall. Produced year-round concerts, poetry readings, story-telling shows, comedy, and other artistic happenings for two years in a tiny, but rewarding space.
Festival Director
Fringe Abridged (part of the Institute for Academic Development). Edinburgh, UK.
November 2014 - February 2016
-After receiving a grant from the Institute of Academic Development I produced a festival of new work that went on to produce at the Edinburgh Fringe.. This required a lot of front-facing and coordination of dozens of stakeholders. We mounted seven productions the first year and nine the following, with a total audience estimate of six hundred each year
- Duties included: curating shows, acquiring funds from trusts and donors, designing ad material, producing, contacting press outlets and advertisers.
Apprentice Luthier
North Fulton Violins. Alpharetta, US
May 2011 - August 2013
- When I was in high school I worked under master luthier Mark Pullen. He began training me to repair, build, and maintain instruments in the viol family. He also entrusted me to take care of the shop after he had a motorcycle accident.
Odd Jobs
Various. US and UK
October 2013 - August 2018
- I’ve also worked as a tour guide, played in a moderately successful string quartet, sold bratwurst at a German sausage stand, took various bar gigs, spent eight months in a sales role for a promotional products company, and covered a few box office roles
Skills
Ticket and Donor database management; CRM related to donated and commercial income; draft and plan monthly and weekly ROTAs; project management; budget drafting and protection; report writing and delivery; grant writing; investment appeal writing; donor cultivation; local authority management; manage volunteer corps; festival site management; maintain and organise warehouse of perishables; operate forklifts; crowd management; Adobe Photoshop CS6; Adobe Premiere CS6; Excel; Word; barista trained; professional bar trained; PPAI Certified Advertising Specialist; personal licence holder (Scotland); first aid trained and certified; US driver's’ licence holder.
Education
Master Honours Diploma in History
University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh, UK
August 2013 - 2017
Commercial Theatre Institute Three Day Intensive Alumni
Commercial Theatre Institute, New York, New York
February 2019
Speak - Listen - Reset - Heal: An Anti-Racism Conference for UK’s Theatre and Dance Sectors
UK Theatre and Inc Arts UK, via Zoom
October - November 2020
British Sign Language Courses 101 - 103
Sussex University
October 2020 - July 2021
References
Sarah Perryman, Former Manager
Former Head of Operations and Development for Brighton Fringe
sarah dot perryman at brightonfringe dot org
Anna Tummers, Master Luthier
Luthier
details on request (she’s very busy!)
Chris McGinnis, Former Manager
Associate General Manager for Bucks County Playhouse
Cmcginnis at bcptheater dot org / +1 267 740 2090
Garry Stone Former, Professional Client
Owner of Cult Espresso
+44 0744 611 3045
Tom Webster, Phd. Former Professor
Senior Lecturer of History, University of Edinburgh
tom dot webster at ED dot AC dot UK
Robin Mitchell, Former Employer
Owner of Cadies and Witchery Tours
+44 0131 225 6745
Stu Marchington Former Employer
Assisstant Manager of Andrew Usher and Co.
stewart marchington at outlook dot com | +44 4477 493 5094
Julian Caddy, Current Manager
CEO, Brighton Fringe
contact details on request
Kathryn McCumber, Former Employer
Former Company Manager at Walnut Street Theatre
*contact details are available on request.
Mark Pullen Former Master
Master Luthier North Fulton Violins
*Mark’s a retired misanthrope so just let me know if you’d like to reach out to him