Mission Statement

Artists Anonymous exists to create open social spaces for emerging theatre makers to meet, share ideas and develop projects. Artists Anonymous provides activities and services tailored to addressing the specific needs of professional theatre makers in the first 5 years of their career. The events we run represent a development ladder that helps this group advance through the first five years of their professional career, building up their skills, contacts and experience, and supporting and developing their projects.

History

Artists Anonymous was founded in 2006 by Alexander Parsonage, artistic director of Finger in the Pie Theatre, with the aim of opening up social spaces for people involved with creating theatre in the capital.

Self Help Conference

On July 7, 2007 Artists Anonymous hosted an Open Space Conference on the subject of finding financial sustainability in the light of UK government cuts in arts funding as a result of their overspend on the 2012 Olympic Games. The conference was held at Middlesex University and attended by representatives of the Equity Actors Union, Independent Theatre Council and the Old Vic New Voices, as well as numerous theatre companies and individual practitioners. The conclusions of the conference were published by the Performance Initiative Network based at Brunel University and is available to view here: Self Help Conference Report.pdf.

2008 Relaunch

2008 saw an expansion of Artists Anonymous with Finger in the Pie project manager, Catherine Eccles appointed to run the organisation. PubClub was re-launched at the Phoenix Arts Club. Then Page to Stage, a script reading and development program, was launched to create a forum for developing new writing in collaboration with Jacksons Lane. Artists Anonymous also launched a series of master classes with the aim of bringing new skills into the network - as well as provide a networking environment based round specific interests.

2009 National Expansion

2009 saw the expansion of the network with a new organisational structure based on a ‘franchise model’. The philosophy behind the structure of the new model is to create a robust and decentralised organisation which can provide a large number of events and services for our members, with the minimum amount of centralised administration and financial risk to the organisation.

2010 Social Network

In 2010 Artists Anonymous commissioned the creation of an online social network to add to it’s other networking environments. The website aims to provide an online networking environment for our members as well as a suit of online tools to help them stage, promote and market their shows.

2010 also saw the appointment of Surviving Actors’ Felicity Jackson as the London organiser for Artists Anonymous - with responsibility for overseeing our core events in the capital as well as launching a new annual conference ‘Surviving Theatre Creators’.

Despite all the changes Artists Anonymous's mission remains the same: to create open social spaces where ideas can be shared and honed, projects discussed and developed and artistic connections made and maintained. However you choose to access it Artists Anonymous offers a much needed sense of community within the landscape of London theatre.

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