The first one I would like to talk about is The British Theatre Guide, (http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/). This website provides a number of useful links and resources which could be useful to any person interested in theatre.
What is provided?
- Articles for actors, directors, groups, teachers and individuals
- Reviews of books, shows, festivals and amateur theatre
- News on festivals, awards, and events
- Interviews with actors, directors, groups,and industry individuals
- Academic resources
- Links to amateur theatre groups around the UK
- A list of acting agents in the UK
- Glossary of theatre terms
- Pages about directors
- News for what's going on in particular regions
- Practical advice for actors
- Bookshop
- Directory of all UK theatres
- British Theatre forum for all users to discuss the arts
This site is a free resource that gives insight into a wide range of topics within the theatre sector. I think it has obvious benefits for joining, as it gives access to a huge range of topics, groups and individuals that could all be of use in the future, and will be able to provide me with the latest information on the arts practice. I have now signed up for the newsletter they provide, and have become a member of this group.
The NODA, which stands for the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (http://www.noda.org.uk/) is the next organisation I looked into. This association aims to provide support, education and information for amateur theatre groups and individuals with a love of theatre, as they believe that 'amateur theatre is successful and sustainable, providing a range of opportunities for people to develop their skills and enjoy taking part, at all levels' (http://www.noda.org.uk/about_noda). They hope to encourage continued success of amateur theatre, and appreciation for the sector.
What is provided?
- An aim to give a voice to those in the amateur theatre world
- Help and support for societies and individuals to enable them to achieve high standards in their field
- Leadership and advice to help tackle challenges and opportunities groups may be faced with
- Summer Schools and Youth Academy's
- Regional workshops and training sessions
- NODA Insurances for groups
- Rights to several musicals, plays, and pantomimes
- DVD's providing technical support and management support
- Umbrella organisation for CRB checks and ISA services
- National and Regional Conference weekends
- Local NODA meetings
- Helplines
- List of directors, choreographers, and musical directors
- National and regional magazines
- Campaigning for groups and organisations
- Awards and certificates
- Discounts on books and subscriptions
This site again provides many great resources for people involved or wanting to be involved in Theatre. I think the benefits of joining this group would again be the great amount of resources that can be accessed, and also to look into the conference and training weekends that they have available as this will provide me with good networking opportunities and also up to date information on the field, that will be important throughout my studies. The amount of advice and support available would also be of high importance.
The organisation has a yearly fee of £27 for individual membership, which is reasonable I would say for the amount of services on offer. However some features are more aimed towards societies and groups rather than individuals, which would be something to take into consideration. I have signed up for the newsletter currently whilst I consider the benefits of full membership.
The third organisation which has come up in my searches is AmDram (http://amdram.co.uk/). This site is similar to the others in what it offers for members, and again is another good resource for networking in the sector.
What is provided?
- List of articles and news in the world of amateur dramatics
- Reviews of television, shows, radio, film and scripts
- List of theatre groups both UK and abroad
- List of events, upcoming productions and festivals across the UK
- Advertisements for companies involved in the theatre worlds
- Space for individuals to advertise themselves as actors, directors, production assistants
- Advertisements for people looking for actors, directors, props/costumes, production assistants
This group is free to join,and I have already become a member with them. This will allow me to have full access to what is available from them.
The last website which stuck out in my mind as a good resource to use currently is Creative Stoke (http://creativestoke.org.uk/index.html). This is a more localized creative hub for people involved in the arts in the area. I feel now I am relocated in Staffordshire this would be particularly useful as it would provide me with first hand information about creative opportunities happening in my local area.
What is provided?
- Directory of over 700 creative individuals and groups in the local area
- List of local events, including training events, workshops, conferences and meetings
- List of local arts spaces
- List of training and skill courses
- Support for business start up opportunities
- Local home, job, arts and volunteer listings
- Whats on? in the local area
This site is aimed at all creative forms within the area, not just the theatre sector, which is useful as it may lead to other creative opportunities that I had not thought about before. It provides directories in the fields of theatre, crafts, photography, art, music and many more. It is a free resource with pages available to all, so is something which I think will definitely be of importance to me.
My next plan is to look at a wider range of more local community drama groups in the area and see where this search leads me.
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