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Meet our new Programme Director, Rob Drummer
Introducing our new Programme Director, Rob Drummer! Read on to find out more about him and what he brings to the MarketPlace team.
February 2024
We’re all thrilled to welcome Rob to MarketPlace as our new Programme Director who joined the team in January. Over the coming months there’ll be lots of opportunity to meet with Rob but for now read on to hear more about his background in the arts and how you can get in touch to hear more about our plans for the year ahead.
MP: Welcome Rob! Would you mind introducing yourself and telling us a bit about where you’re joining us from?
R: I have joined MarketPlace after seven years running a youth arts charity and theatre company, Boundless Theatre, a longstanding Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. Before that I have held commissioning, artist development and programming roles at the Bush Theatre in London and at HighTide Festival Theatre in Suffolk, where I started my career. Supporting diverse artists to create extraordinary theatre, as well as my work growing communities of teenagers and young adults are huge influences on my approach here at MarketPlace.
I grew up on the Isle of Wight in a working class family, with limited access to culture and am the first to appreciate how valuable creative opportunities are to living happy, healthy and fulfilling lives. I am passionate about how we build connections, especially in places that are rich in culture such as Fenland and Forest Heath; even if the resources or opportunities to be creative have historically been limited. I’m also an optimist and see only opportunities where there may be challenges. I can’t wait to learn through listening to everyone we’re working with at MarketPlace.
MP: What are you most looking forward to over these first few months in the role?
R: I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone that we’re working with, all of the communities we’re supporting and better understanding the ways we can be helpful. I’m really keen for everyone to be honest with me and share their thoughts on what MarketPlace can be doing to support every person engaging with our activity as well as learning how we can be better and work together. I’ve already seen how much the whole MarketPlace team is here for our communities and are passionate about growing and supporting everyone to get stuck in to creative opportunities. I’m hoping that if you’re reading this, then you might share your thoughts on the culture you want to get involved with on your doorstep. Then it’s our job to turn that into action.
MP: Is there a way that people can hear more about our plans or get in touch with you?
R: Definitely, the first thing I would say is make sure you are subscribing to the newsletter you’ll then be the first to know what we’re working on and how you can get involved, as well as being able to get in touch with us directly to make suggestions.
If you want to get in touch with me directly though, you can email rob@cppmarketplace.co.uk and we can set up a chat to talk more. No thought is too small, or too large!
For now, thank you for your ongoing support of MarketPlace and I hope we’ll get to know each other better over the coming years.