It was set up to be an annual festival run entirely by 12- to 26-year-olds who 'take over' the theatre building for a whole week; programming events and performances, managing marketing campaigns, creating workshops and youth theatre programs and getting the chance to run a festival. Also the Senior Management Team of TakeOver mirrors that of York Theatre Royal's Senior Management Team who mentor them throughout the experience. In the last six years, more than 700 young people have been involved in running very well-received festivals.
There was talk in some corners that TakeOver wouldn't be possible this year because of York Theatre Royal's temporary closure for its £4.1m redevelopment. But, the groundbreaking festival – which has inspired many others around the country – went ahead thanks to the generous help of the National Railway Museum. TakeOver Festival 2015 was unlike any other that had come before. This year we were delighted to be collaborating with the National Railway Museum, the busiest museum in the country outside London, during their busiest time of the year; October half-term. They let us loose (within reason!) on their trains, locomotives, carriages – you name it, we performed around or on or within during the eight-day festival, which ran from the 24th to the 31st of October. We pulled out all the stops to produce theatre that was thrilling and challenging to people of all ages and interests. But it was equally as important to us that the collections, the stories and most of all the spirit of the National Railway Museum inspired every word of every show we put on and we hope that we shed some new light on the museum's exhibits while we were there. TakeOver '15 truly took over every nook and cranny of the museum.
My job within TakeOver 2015 was Artistic Director. This meant that I was in charge of the artistic vision of the whole festival. As part of my mentorship within the theatre I also was given a chance to make a piece of work and in the case of this festival I made two; a promenade pop-up piece of interactive dance/theatre and a 30 minuet piece of storytelling of two sisters learning to say goodbye to their best friend and the adventures they went on using their imaginations, both made in response to different parts of the National Railway Museum. TakeOver 2015 was a unique multi-arts festival; immersing itself, and its audiences, in the heart of York's heritage. We welcomed the inquisitive, the adventurous and the imaginative, challenging spectators of all ages to expect the unexpected. We wanted to inspire the people of York, allowing them to see the museum in a different light. I believe that this was achieved.
The best part of my job within the festival week was seeing all my ideas come to life and seeing everything I had made on crazy mind maps and spider diagrams, things I had mentioned in meetings, realised over the course of 8 days. It was also amazing watching an entire team of people working extremely hard to make these ideas happen. The worst part was closing it all down, seeing everyone's hard work packed away and having to say goodbye to the project. Also working with a large age group there were times of disagreement as all working relationships do but I am very proud that the teams were so professional throughout the week. We truly were amazing advocates of York Theatre Royal.
If I am perfectly honest I didn't really know what to expect when I accepted the job offer of Artistic Director. I remembered that I was really excited to take over a museum (2015) and a theatre (2016) and I sort of knew what an Artistic Director did but I feel like this experience has heightened my knowledge in the job role. I have learnt all about how my job works in relation to others in a theatre building and what the important parts of my job are. It has also confirmed that this is something I want to pursue as a career.
I think that TakeOver is a really important experience for those who want a job in the arts but it is also important for those who just want experience in an organization and in running projects. Also, it is a foot in the door for any other opportunities that might arise in the future. TakeOver can be a big time commitment but I think every minute I put into it is worth it, as I would not be learning these skills anywhere else. I'd recommend these sorts of schemes to everyone.
Read more about York Theatre Royal's TakeOver Festival.
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