proactive response to crisis

createbalance supports NSDF

createbalance supports the National Student Drama Festival

The Sunday Times NSDF is re-launching today as a virtual Festival with support from a string of rising stars and speakers. As one of the sponsors, we’re proud to be part of this important initiative, now available to thousands on-line for free.

Rather than cancel the Festival, the on-line format is a great example of how the organisers, artists and speakers have taken a balanced approach and proactive response to the crisis – remaining focused on what matters most, using their strengths of creativity and resilience in different ways and coming together to ensure the Festival is still available to their audiences. Running to the original Programme dates of 04-10 April, the festival will include more than 35 online workshops and masterclasses, bespoke mentoring sessions for young artists with leading industry professionals and some great discussion panels.

A host of new artists including Emma Rice, Mark Ravenhill, Laura Wade and April De Angelis feature beside some of the well-established voices of New Adventures, The Donmar and Paines Plough. Topics range from Writing a Musical, Storytelling, Arts Council funding, inclusivity and accessibility and a variety of Producer-led sessions. The festival also explores how the industry might re-boot itself beyond Covid-19 – a topic close to our hearts and reflective of some of the critical conversations we’re having with our clients and associates, on how this industry will survive, succeed and keep moving forward.

We firmly believe that collaborative initiatives such as this will provide a balanced foundation upon which this vital industry will sustain itself through the current upheaval and come out stronger on the other side.