Blue Apple Theatre joins Transforming Leadership Programme to foster inclusive arts leadership

Blue Apple is delighted to share our participation in the Transforming Leadership Programme, a ground-breaking two-year initiative in the UK learning disability theatre sector. This programme is designed to cultivate aspiring performers into leadership roles, offering a unique platform for individuals with learning disabilities or autism to excel in the arts.

Blue Apple Theatre's involvement in this transformative initiative aligns with its mission to challenge preconceptions and showcase the abilities and potential of learning disabled individuals within the arts. The Transforming Leadership Programme, initiated and led by Access All Areas, aims to address the exclusion of individuals with learning disabilities from crucial leadership discussions, fostering a more inclusive cultural landscape.

Programme participants: James Benfield and Anna Brisbane

Blue Apple Theatre's participants, James Benfield and Anna Brisbane, shared insights into their experiences with the Transforming Leadership Programme in a recent video interview, shortly after their return from a residential segment of the programme. [Play video link at the bottom of this page.]

Anna Brisbane, focusing on inclusive governance, dedicates two to two and a half hours bi-weekly to Zoom sessions. She emphasises her goal to prove that individuals with learning disabilities can actively contribute to leadership decisions..

James Benfield, engaged in co-directing, describes workshop scenarios and role-playing exercises aimed at developing leadership skills. His recent trip to Nottingham Playhouse provided the opportunity to collaborate with fellow trainees, fostering a supportive environment for learning and growth. He is keen to lead workshops and activities in the future and open up opportunities for others in similar roles.

Both participants express enthusiasm for the programme's impact on their personal and professional development. Anna and James highlight the importance of mentor support, emphasising the role of mentors in aiding their understanding during programme activities.

When asked about their main goals, Anna stresses her ambition to show that people with learning disabilities can take part in leadership decisions, such as board or trustee meetings, while James envisions a future with increased opportunities for individuals with autism or learning disabilities to assume leadership roles.

The Transforming Leadership Programme is set to run for two years, and both James and Anna enthusiastically recommend it to others, underscoring its potential to open doors for individuals with learning disabilities in the arts sector.

Blue Apple’s Artistic Director Richard Conlon said: “From Blue Apple's point of view, the Transforming Leadership initiative is our first real meaningful chance to take people from a voluntary approach into the real world of work because it definitely negotiates the tricky world of moving from benefits to earnings in a way that didn't seem possible before.”

Photo below: A moment showing Anna during the Transforming Leadership Programme residential trip. Photo credit: Eve-Lyne Bertrand from Access All Areas Theatre