Local People

A dream come true for James

‘I told my careers advisor at 15 years old that one day I wanted to run the Theatre Royal - 26 years later that ambition has become a reality’

Theatre Royal Plymouth’s new chief executive James Mackenzie-Blackman said it’s an honour to be at the helm guiding a new chapter for the organisation. James took over as CEO in January this year from Adrian Vinken but his connection to the city didn’t begin when he took up this new role. James grew up in Plymouth and cites his time with Theatre Royal Plymouth’s long-established Young Company as a lifedefi ning experience. ‘The Theatre Royal changed my life when I was a teenager,’ said James. ‘I was enjoying school but hadn’t quite found the tribe of people that were my very special best of friends. I discovered the Theatre Royal Plymouth Young Company when I was in my teens and this organisation transformed my life and proved to me that I had potential and opportunities to achieve. ‘So it feels a really important moment for me to have returned home to this incredible city, to help lead your Theatre Royal. I say “your” Theatre Royal because I really do mean that, this organisation, our incredible building at the bottom of Royal Parade, and TR2, belong to you, the people of this city. During my time here in this organisation, which I hope will be as long, perhaps as long as my predecessor’s Adrian, I’ll be working incredibly hard to bring the very best shows and the very best projects to all of you, who know and love the Theatre Royal.’ Before he came back to Plymouth, James was CEO of Eden Court Highlands, Scotland’s largest single-site performing arts venue. James’s previous roles include executive director of Matthew Bourne’s award-winning dance company New Adventures, executive director of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and six years in a variety of roles at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. Under James’s leadership, Eden Court was internationally recognised for its industry leading response to the global pandemic. The organisation was a winner of the inaugural Calouste Gulbenkian 2021 Civic Arts Award. In 2020 James entered The Stage 100, an annual list of the most infl uential people in the UK theatre industry. James said: ‘It is the honour of my career to take on the leadership of the organisation that defi ned the path my life would take. I told my careers advisor at 15 years old that one day I wanted to run the Theatre Royal - 26 years later that ambition has become a reality. Throughout the recruitment process I was deeply impressed by the continued ambition for the city of Plymouth, the role that the theatre plays in the cultural life of the region and equally the recognition of the work still to do in the years to come. It will be a great privilege to build on all that Adrian and his colleagues have achieved.’ As part of TRP’s new chapter, James has launched a year-long series of conversations under the banner ‘Your Voice Matters’ that will help steer the organisation’s future development for artists, audiences and communities. The fi rst set of conversations for the consultation were for people working in the performing arts sector with a call-out for individuals to join one of a series of workshops that will consider what creative and artistic leadership of TRP could look like in the 21st Century. ‘As we embark on a new chapter for our organisation, we are committed to our sector friends and colleagues having a voice in shaping our future priorities,’ said James. ‘That’s why we are hosting these conversations. Our organisation is in a period of transition, our industry is in a period of recovery from the pandemic and we want to ensure that how we operate in the future is relevant and responsive to the needs of artists, audiences and communities.

‘In short, we want to matter more to more people. To watched with pleasure his rapid career development achieve it we need to further embed creativity at the heart over the years and couldn’t be happier than to be of all we do and we need the insights, perspectives and handing over the reins of the theatre to him. James honest opinions of the sector to help us develop the right is a shining example of TRP’s talent development in model to make sure we deliver.’ action so he already has the During his time off James likes to take his two sons onto the Hoe with their scooters or “ James has launched a yearlong series of conversations under Theatre Royal’s DNA in his blood.’ Nick Buckland OBE, chair bikes with their puppy. the banner ‘Your Voice Matters’ of Theatre Royal Plymouth ‘I grew up in Plymouth and in South Devon, left when I was 20, and have been away that will help steer the organisation’s future development said: ‘Finding a new chief executive for the iconic Theatre Royal Plymouth for over 20 years but I am for artists, audiences and to follow Adrian Vinken’s completely delighted to be back. I am living in the city centre, communities. ” outstanding tenure was never going to be easy. His [James’s] which is really important to me. I have extensive experience in the sector got two little boys and I am really means the organisation can continue excited to be building a new life back to develop its preeminent role in home, here in Plymouth,’ said James. the city, the region, and nationally, Handing over the reins off ering the broadest programme Adrian Vinken OBE, who led of stage work, and one of the Theatre Royal Plymouth for over 30 years, said: ‘I biggest engagement, learning and talent development remember James from my early days at TRP when he programmes. As James developed his love of theatre was a member of our Young Company and particularly in his youth here at TRP, it’s particularly gratifying to an unforgettable trip to Poland to perform our welcome him back to his home city.’ n production of Korczak in Warsaw and Gdynia. I have Lindsay Turpin

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Martha Pengelly comes full circle helping young people to access the arts

Student from Plympton returns to support the course she fi rst attended aged 4

19-year-old BA (Hons) Illustration student Martha Pengelly, from Plympton, supports young people to access weekend art courses at Plymouth College of Art, bringing her full circle in a journey that began when she fi rst started attending Young Arts clubs on Saturdays at the college at the age of four. Alongside the fi rst year of her undergraduate studies at Plymouth College of Art, Martha, acts as a paid Student Ambassador, helping out at events at the university-sector art school. One of the roles that she university-sector art school. One of the roles that she fulfi ls as a Student Ambassador is to support the Young fulfi ls as a Student Ambassador is to support the Young Arts programme, which was established in 1988 to bridge the gap in arts provision for young people whose creative education might be limited by curriculum changes or limited access to resources and equipment in schools. Martha said: ‘I’ve been coming to Plymouth College of Art for as long as I can remember, since I was old enough to attend the Young Arts clubs that were running at the time. Coming here gave me were running at the time. Coming here gave me opportunities to try things that I wouldn’t have done opportunities to try things that I wouldn’t have done at home, from printmaking and ceramics to things like at home, from printmaking and ceramics to things like photography. I was drawing regularly, but there were photography. I was drawing regularly, but there were resources and equipment in Plymouth College of Art resources and equipment in Plymouth College of Art that I had no access to at home. Here I could practice that I had no access to at home. Here I could practice and learn new skills. I attended Young Arts and and learn new skills. I attended Young Arts and Saturday Arts activities off and on until I was 15. Saturday Arts activities off and on until I was 15. ‘When I was old enough, I chose to come to Plymouth ‘When I was old enough, I chose to come to Plymouth College of Art to study a UAL Level 3 Extended College of Art to study a UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Graphics, Illustration and Game Arts Diploma in Graphics, Illustration and Game Arts instead of staying at school for A-Levels. Studying in instead of staying at school for A-Levels. Studying in Palace Court was great, I absolutely loved it. It was Palace Court was great, I absolutely loved it. It was such a big change from school, I cared about working such a big change from school, I cared about working hard a lot more than I had done and really enjoyed hard a lot more than I had done and really enjoyed every day. It was such a good experience that staying every day. It was such a good experience that staying here for my BA (Hons) Illustration degree was a natural here for my BA (Hons) Illustration degree was a natural decision. decision. ‘I’m in the fi rst year of my degree now and since I ‘I’m in the fi rst year of my degree now and since I secured a role as a Student Ambassador, I get a chance secured a role as a Student Ambassador, I get a chance to help the Saturday Arts sessions, which is weird but to help the Saturday Arts sessions, which is weird but amazing. Every now and then it hits me that I was amazing. Every now and then it hits me that I was attending these sessions when I was their age and now I attending these sessions when I was their age and now I get to help run them. Knowing how happy it made me get to help run them. Knowing how happy it made me

when I was their age and knowing that attending Young Arts might help them to discover what they want to do when they’re older, I love being able to support that.’ From 2018 to 2020 Martha studied a UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Graphics, Illustration & Game Arts at Plymouth College of Art, earning a Distinction, which is equivalent to 3 A*s at A-level (or 168 UCAS points for a university application). After initially thinking she might specialise in digital art for games, Martha has spent more time painting recently and is looking into options for illustrating children’s books, but wants to keep her options open as she experiments with new styles for future modules of her degree. Plymouth College of Art is a specialist independent Higher Education Institution (HEI) run by artists and designers for artists and designers. Founded in 1856, the College, a Founding Associate of Tate Exchange, off ers a range of Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Pre-Degree study across Art, Design and Digital Media – combining over 160 years of history with up-to-theminute thinking and cutting-edge facilities. Its two city centre campuses are home to MIRROR and Fab Lab Plymouth and off ers a range of short courses, masterclasses, and a programme of Young Arts activities including the College’s decades-old Saturday Arts Club and strong affi liation with the National Saturday Club. n

children’s books, but wants to keep her options open as she experiments with new styles for future modules of Plymouth College of Art is a specialist independent Higher Education Institution (HEI) run by artists and designers for artists and designers. Founded in 1856, the College, a Founding Associate of Tate Exchange, off ers a range of Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Pre-Degree study across Art, Design and Digital Media – combining over 160 years of history with up-to-theminute thinking and cutting-edge facilities. Its two city centre campuses are home to MIRROR and Fab Lab Plymouth and off ers a range of short courses, masterclasses, and a programme of Young Arts activities including the College’s decades-old Saturday Arts Club and strong affi liation with the National Saturday Club. n

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