In March 2019, we launched recruitment for our first Resident Designers program. We are hoping to create opportunities for emerging designers who may otherwise struggle to make their first steps into the industry whether due to financial resource, ethnicity, gender or disability. We have based the scheme on our successful Resident Directors scheme which has been running for the past few years and we hope that the 2 programs will complement each other.

The program will bring together emerging theatre set/costume and sound designers to become part of a network of designers attached to the Almeida Theatre for 12 months to develop their skills and their craft for a year with the support of our Artistic and Production teams. We will expand the programme to include lighting designers in 2020.

For each of our main-stage productions as well as some additional projects, the set, and sound designers will be asked to select an assistant from the network of designers. This assistant will then work with them and their team at the Almeida for the length during the planning period, of the rehearsals and show opening.

The pool of designers will have a budget to support and enable them to see plays; attend conferences and/or training and to develop ideas for their own project. Other opportunities include working with our Production team, attending workshops and readings, the possibility of designing for our Young Company productions and mentoring from an established designer.

Initiative by: Almeida Theatre