Laura Elliot and Corey Campbell, the new leadership team of the Belgrade Theatre Coventry, have revealed a broad overview of some of their plans and initiatives for the next three years, as well as their overarching artistic vision, and what has led them to the positions they now occupy. This comes in the wake of the recent news that the Belgrade has retained its status as a National Portfolio Organisation and has been awarded a 30% increase in its core annual funding from Arts Council England to £1,229,552 for the period 2023 – 26.
In January 2022, Laura Elliot took over as Chief Executive, responsible for overall strategy and to run the commercial side of the Belgrade, and Corey Campbell – whose long association with the theatre included a stint as one of the three Co-Artistic Directors of the Belgrade for Coventry’s year as City of Culture 2021 – was appointed to the new post of Creative Director, focusing on the Theatre’s artistic output across both its professional and community areas. They took over from the outgoing leadership team, CEO Joanna Reid and Artistic Director Hamish Glen, who’d been in post for the previous 18 years.
Laura Elliot explains, “The Belgrade Theatre first opened as part of the redevelopment of a city still healing from the collective trauma of the Blitz. To a large extent, we see our role the same today – as piece of vital municipal infrastructure to enrich the lives of the people of Coventry and wider region”
This vision is underpinned by three main, interlinking areas of work: As a Theatre of Diverse Stories: We will produce, present and co-create performance that celebrates our city and region’s people and stories; and share them with the World; building a reputation for diverse, inspirational theatre.
As a Theatre of Learning: We will invest in our region’s talent, using our facilities and staff to provide training and opportunity for the next generation of creatives and leaders. As a Theatre of Transformation: In partnership with schools, health providers and charities, we will provide creative opportunities to enrich peoples wellbeing, belonging and education.
Laura and Corey’s vision and work will be rooted holistically in a people first approach. Laura explains, “We are using this year to set the foundations of a ‘people-first’ organisation. In prioritising co-creation, collaboration and social change; we aim to be a leading example of an inclusive learning theatre that sits at the heart of its community.”
Corey adds, “When we talk about inclusion and diversity, we don’t just mean different faces represented on our stages or moulding talent to fit traditional theatre roles. For us, it’s about running the theatre in collaboration with our communities – not so much offering a seat at the table as asking people what kind of table they want to build in the first place.”
For example, their new Youth Council is working with the Board and leadership team to influence creative programming. This is the first of three open forums they will be holding, with a Creatives Council (for self-identified artists) and a People Council (open to anyone in Coventry), launching in the coming months. These two additional councils will advise on decision-making across the organisation.
As Theatre of Diverse Stories, the produced work will focus on realising a co-creation model for new productions co-created with the people of Coventry and wider region; with a particular focus on work with young people, and the South Asian, Irish and Afro-Caribbean Diasporas. This is something Corey Campbell trialled through City of Culture by creating a digital TV series Seaview with six new writers from Coventry and a combined team of 125 participants and professionals.
Corey says, Co-created practice has been a bedrock of the theatres work before and during City of Culture – so this way forward feels like a natural legacy. In the word of Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adiche “Power is the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that person”. Our producing model aims to respect the value of lived experience in the stories we present; which involves recognising forms of creativity that haven’t traditionally had a place in theatre settings.”
Laura goes on to say, “Our Theatre of Diverse Stories will be delivered in partnership with nationally and internationally leading theatre companies such as the the Bush Theatre, Tamasha, Headlong, Complicité, Paines Plough and Leeds Playhouse to name a few, which will support us place Coventry on a world stage. This will be complimented by an increase in West End hits and musicals coming to the theatre as part of our presented programme, something which we know is greatly wanted in Coventry. Much of this can be seen in our upcoming season with more to be announced in the New Year.”
As a Theatre of Learning, enabling growth, opportunity and a creative hub for the Midlands is a huge part of the vision. For those serious about a career in the arts, a company of 15 young adults (16-25) will be established to bridge the gap between education and professional theatre careers. The existing Springboard scheme for emerging companies will also continue, prioritising those with social change agendas, such as the Underground Lights Theatre Company.
Corey Campbell says, “I commit to a practice that will allow community and grassroot artists to develop their craft, gain experience and see the arts as a viable career option. I found myself at the Belgrade, as an artist in the ‘city that welcomes’ – I’m from Birmingham, but Coventry as a place really spoke to me, and then The Belgrade spoke to me even louder.
“I’ve taken a whole journey through the organisation – from being a Springboard Artist to creative associate to Co-Artistic Director to Creative Director – and I believe this is the only place I could have done that, and arts is the only tool I could have used for that. Our vision is to continue to give this tool to others.
“We want to offer artists collective knowledge and practice of craft, and at the same time a space to flourish in a safe, home environment, whilst – crucially – not compromising their own instinctive forms of storytelling. This co-learning style and strategy means that we commit to actively listening to these artists and audiences, learning from their lived understand and experience, and actioning those learnings.”
This approach was recently trialled under Corey and Laura’s leadership through their Autumn Takeover – where local artists took the B2 studio, with commissioning money, support from Corey and the wider team to explore new ideas. Laura adds, “The B2 was built as a space for radical, contemporary theatre – it should be a resource for this regions artists to take risks, and create new work – which will in turn upturn and upskill creatives in our region.”
As a ‘Theatre of Transformation’, the team have already reshaped their established participatory theatre groups into a membership programme of connected theatre ‘hubs’ for 200+ weekly participants of all ages to develop confidence and wellbeing. 80% of places are funded through means-assessed bursaries with participants enjoying membership benefits including cards, t-shirts and café discounts.
Some are ran in collaboration with charities, such as Sharing Cultures – a weekly group that supports migrant communities with language and social connection in partnership with Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre. Outside the building, the aim is to develop deeper partnerships with 10 associate schools, enabling the Belgrade – with its education credentials being deeply rooted since the invention of Theatre in Education in the 1960s - to deliver a more comprehensive and offer in collaboration with teachers which will continue to tour work into classrooms.
Laura explains: “Growing up, we could barely afford the bus to our local theatre never mind the tickets, so the first show I saw was one that came to my school. I was very very shy – but got picked to go up on stage and loved it.
“I then got a bursary place to attend my local youth theatre from the age of 11-18 and it was transformative. I found my confidence through opportunities to perform, direct, and stage manage – which helped me understand and grasp my potential. Our vision for the Belgrade’s participatory work is rooted in empowering people of all ages and circumstances to realise who they can be; and builds on the Belgrade’s inspiring history in transformative practise.”
Corey goes on to explain: “The Arts were given to me as a tool for expression. In my early life, I often expressed myself via violence, and I was in a lot of trouble with the police and my local community because of it. A genius called David Vann really believed in the power of the arts – and that very belief, that system, that structure changed my whole way of living, and then later on even changed my cognitive behaviour patterns – just by being given this tool.
Laura and Corey’s holistic vision for a ‘people centred approach’ will mean the Belgrade is to be as much a resource for health and wellbeing, education and career development as it is a space for entertainment. By 2026, the pair say success will look like a theatre that proudly belongs to, and is reflective of all Coventrians; unleashing their stories, creativity and civic pride. “We aim to cultivate a 2-way learning relationship with creative communities, to evolve together.
“We will be an accessible and radically inclusive centre of excellence for diverse storytelling, talent development, co-creation and community embedded work; enriching those most underserved. We hope that coming here, creating here, communing here should feel as natural to residents as walking down city streets, going to school or booking an appointment with a GP”.
