An artist-led development programme for the Midlands theatre sector. Mobilising artists, companies, producers, programmers and venues from across the entire region, East Meets West reduced barriers and encouraged collaboration between and within the East and West Midlands, cementing the foundations of a more proactive, democratic and supportive community.

Over five years, some of East Meets West’s specific interventions included:

• Symposiums and conferences, bringing together members of the theatre community from across the entire region;
• Regular in-person and online meeting grounds for people in different roles, including programmers, directors, producers, makers, marketeers and fundraisers;
• Creating the largest information and resource bank for the UK theatre industry, featuring signposts to funding, UK and international festival directories, accessibility guides and more;
• Building and maintained The Midlands Programming Database, featuring key information from venue programmers looking to place work in their venues across the Midlands, which grew into a vital resource for artists looking to tour their work;
• Early work on a Midland-wide touring scheme
• The Programmer’s Pudding Club for the region’s programmer’s to share insights, best practice… and rate their favourite puddings;
• An Easties Meet Westies Buddy Scheme, matching East Midlands based and West Midland based practitioners and sending them on blind dates, fostering cross-border networks and collaborations;
• Human Search Engine events to help facilitate networking and knowledge sharing;
• A Theatre Club, encouraging the regional theatre sector to support the work and events of other regional artists en masse;
• The 1% Pledge Scheme, whereby members of the community made publicly accountable pledges to make a 1% improvement to help the sector move towards its 5-year goals (as formalised at the very first Easy Meets West Symposium);
• An online events and anti-clash diary for the region;
• A Green Bank, whereby members could share unwanted sets, costumes, props and tech for others to reuse, recycle and reclaim;
• A discount ticket offer scheme for non-regularly funded members of the community;
• Workshops and training sessions, by Midlands-base practitioners, for Midland-base practitioners. Sessions ranged from fundraising, marketing and producers, through to acting, choreography and writing workshops.
• Devising lab weeks ran in collaboration between Attenborough Arts Centre and Little Earthquake;
• An active Facebook Group with over 400 regional members, sharing resources, signposts and events;
• A Twitter List made up of over 700 profiles, providing an instant snapshot of what was happening in the region at any time.

All East Meets West activity revolved around a central online hub where members could build beautiful profiles, seek advice and find collaborators.

FOR EAST MEETS WEST

Co-Founder & Co-Curator | Gareth J. Nicholls
Co-Founder & Co-Curator | Philip Holyman
Administrator | Vita Fox

FOR LITTLE EARTHQUAKE

Co-Director | Gareth J. Nicholls
Co-Director | Philip Holyman
Producer | Zoë Roberts

FOR MIDLANDS ARTS CENTRE

Artistic Director & Chief Executive | Debbie Kermode
Performance Programmer | Jo Carr
Head of Marketing | Simi Obra

FOR DERBY THEATRE

Artistic Director & Artistic Director | Sarah Brigham

FOR ATTENBOROUGH ARTS CENTRE

Programmer | John Kirby

PROJECT PARTNERS

A Little Earthquake Initative

Supported by Midlands Arts Centre, Derby Theatre and Attenborough Arts Centre

FUNDERS

Funded by Arts Council England through National Lottery Project Grants