Independent Creative Producer, and member of OAUK, Kate McStraw has recently been published on their specialist subject ‘what does a producer do’, a question even producers often ask themselves.
“I think the many ways a producer can be described is a positive reflection of the unique skillset they bring to each project. The job can be everything from creating and managing budgets, pulling together creative teams, managing HR and health & safety procedures, facilitating rehearsals, providing pastoral support, supporting access needs, fundraising, securing and managing partners, running marketing campaigns, booking tours… in smaller scale companies, you’re often a ‘one person band’.
With the hugely varied job description, it’s interesting that, with the current shifts in the arts sector, there seems to be a shortage of producers. During the pandemic I was alarmed by the instability of the arts, with most of the workforce being freelance. I particularly recognised the precarity experienced by colleagues who are artists, performers, stage management, crew.
Producers were able to continue work due to our skills in fundraising, project management, administration, bookkeeping and the like … but the tasks changed significantly. Working from home, I mostly took on bid writing and access support and, by January 2021, I had replaced the live event/producing work that I had lost. I was aware of a level of security I hadn’t previously felt as a freelance arts worker. And I was uncomfortable that my producer skillset was more in demand at this time of live event closure.”
The following paragraphs have been taken from the article, which can be found in full here.
