In this blog post, Azeem Nathoo reflects on his journey as part of the inaugural cohort of the Artist-Producer Lab (formerly Artist Producer Training). His experience this summer highlights the our commitment to adaptability, community-driven support, and the ongoing reimagining of processes that better serve independent producers. If you’re interested in participating in programs such as the Artist-Producer Lab make sure that you follow us on social media and you’re registered for our newsletter to stay up to date on calls for submissions.
I became familiar with Generator’s wide-reaching support of Artist Producers through my own need, like many before me, to produce work which I had yet to see on Canadian Mainstages. Through its Artist Producer Training (APT) programmes, Generator has continuously supported diverse independent theatre makers while also providing free access to online resources for indie theatre producers seeking guidance.
The inaugural 2024 Artist-Producer Lab (APL) which I am so grateful to have been part of this summer has proved no exception. It arose as a result of the last APT cohort’s suggestion for the programme to gravitate toward a practitioner-centric model of artist-producer support, and away from intensive training.
Photo by Duane Cole
Generator’s ability to absorb participant feedback and quickly evolve according to the needs of the community it serves, demonstrates an exemplary level of adaptability which ought to characterize every arts organization; especially in times of ever-present change. In my view, adaptability is key if any organization is to keep up with the continuous evolution of demographics and voices of both artists and audiences alike.
The APL 2024 consisted of guided workshops through which each of us as participants could expand our own practice while creating the space to reimagine processes that would better serve independent producers compared to existing models. How can funding models be altered to create better support for independent producers? How can we redefine corporate responsibility toward local communities? Why are certain kinds of programming more dominant than others among the large theatre companies?
Early on in the programme our cohort was invited to the Producing Spectrum, produced by Undercurrent Creations, in association with Why Not Theatre, Generator and The Theatre Centre. I found this to be an incredible gathering of a variety of articulate independent theatre voices seldom heard on the mainstream. In my mind, this gathering represented the future of Canadian theatre, if not a significant force ready in the wings to bring more currency to the main stage. The Producing Spectrum offered a variety of ways in which ideas could be communicated, from welcoming anonymously written responses to key industry questions (e.g., board governance and corporate sponsorship); to inviting discussion across a long table where participants could join ad existing conversation, write thoughts down on a paper-covered table, or simply listen and observe; and also to exchanging ideas informally over a community meal.
The variety of processes through which information could be gathered and ideas shared paralleled the process we experienced through the remainder of the APL. This included relaxed conversations, guided exercises and partnering with each other to reflect upon anything from specific processes we wished to learn, to dreams of how the system can evolve to better support our practice as independent theatre producers.
Not only were we all able to further explore how to make our own artistic visions more actionable through Nikki Shaffeeullah and Bianca Guimarães’ guidance or via Patricia Allison’s social media insights, we were each paired up with mentors aligned with our own journeys. My own mentorship under Michelle Yagi of the NAC continues to be hugely impactful in providing the clarity of vision for my own journey as co-founder and Artistic Director of Phoenix Arts. Learning from my fellow cohort participants was also a hugely impactful for me, as I was able to obtain a much deeper understanding from my fellow peers who brought such valuable queer, neurodivergent and racialized perspectives all informing each of our gatherings. It is a tribute to Generator and this (and past) programmes to be continuously prioritizing voices which some mainstream organizations still find difficult to do … at least at the time of this writing ;-)
And when observing my fellow APLers navigate their own journeys in Artistic leadership, it was so gratifying to see Generator offer supports according to what best served each participant. Such supports ranged from fidget tools to reduce anxiety and enhance ability to process lots of information during meetings, to a variety of avenues through which one could deliver additional research opportunities. My own gravitation toward text-based delivery was the key impetus for electing to write this blog post, for example. But video, and podcast were other forms available too. I’m sure I speak for everyone in the 2024 APL cohort that Generator’s support reached beyond ourselves as individuals, crucially embracing our missions which, without exception, exist to serve the broader community, especially those who continue to be underserved.
Photo left to right of (back) Charlie Petch, Ashley T, Jules Vodarek, isi bhakhomen, (front) Taran Bamrah, Nikki Shaffeeullah by Duane Cole. At Generator Spark Night which was held after the Producing Spectrum event.
So thank you Generator, for continuing to welcome new voices, for being the example of how to evolve according to an ever-changing artistic landscape and for keeping the questions coming as we continue to challenge our own practices daily.
