Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust
Trustee Recruitment Pack
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The Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust (Masterclass) is seeking to appoint up to six new members
to the Board of Trustees. You will be joining at an exciting and important time as the charity plans to grow
and expand its work in London and across the U.K.
Based at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, Masterclass is a well-established charity that has, for over 20 years,
played an important leadership role in advancing the education and career development of young people
aged 16 – 30 through theatre and is seen as an important, inspiring and welcoming destination for them.
At the heart of Masterclass is the belief that all young people should have regular access to the arts and the
ability to creatively express their thoughts and ideas in a safe, open, nurturing and accessible environment.
Our vision is to champion artistic excellence by supporting young people for whom theatre is a career
choice, a passion or an interest yet to be discovered. We create access to the theatre industry by delivering
high quality programming with the industry’s top practitioners and through the creation and presentation
of hands-on learning opportunities.
Masterclass is committed to making sure young people of all backgrounds have the opportunity to engage
with the theatre industry and benefit from our free programming. As such we are also committed to
creating a diverse Board and wish to appoint people who come from a diverse range of backgrounds in
order to represent the range of voices and perspectives that make up the theatre industry in Britain today.
We are seeking people with expertise and strong networks in the following areas:
Diversity and Equality
Finance and Business Management
Fundraising
Education and Training
Apprenticeships
Marketing and PR
Legal
Movement workshop with choreographer Natasha Khamjani
Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust
Trustee Recruitment Pack
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THE ROLE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Board of Trustees is responsible for acting in the best interests of Masterclass by complying with its
governing document and ensuring it is doing what it is set out to do. As a Board member you will be
responsible for overseeing governance and financial management, offering strategic guidance and support
and acting as an ambassador for the work of the charity. All appointments to the Board are for a three year
term, renewable for a second three year term.
WHAT THE ROLE REQUIRES
While joining a Board is both a rewarding and
fulfilling experience it also requires the following
commitments:
Ensuring good governance by attending 4
- 5 board meetings a year. Meetings
usually last between 1 – 2hrs and take
place at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in
London’s West End
Ensuring that measures, controls and
procedures are put in place to mitigate
against risk
Having a thorough knowledge of the
charity’s finances, overseeing and
maintaining robust financial controls
Providing strategic support and guidance
to the team around key areas such as
business plans and fundraising
Having a thorough understanding of the
work of the charity and attending 1 – 2
projects or events per year
Acting as a positive advocate on behalf of
the charity and our programming
Contributing to the fundraising efforts of
the charity by assisting with the building
of relationships with partners, core
funders and patrons and supporting
annual fundraising events
An understanding and acceptance of the
legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities
of trusteeship
Exercising independent judgement
HELPING MAKE A DIFFERENCE
By joining the Board you will be making a
difference to the lives of hundreds of young
people who engage with Masterclass each year
and support the charity’s work to:
Support the next generation of theatre
makers, nurturing artistic ideas and
practice through theatre
Deliver projects that create important
social change
Deliver projects that encourage and
empower young people to be creative
Support young people’s self-expression
Support the mental health and wellbeing
of young people seeking a career in the
theatre and wider arts sectors
Use theatre to help young people
increase their confidence, hone their
communication and leadership skills and
strengthen problem solving and critical
thinking abilities
Information about the role and responsibility of a
Trustee can be found on the Gov.uk website.
https://www.gov.uk/topic/running-
charity/trustee-role-board
Further information regarding governance in the
arts can be found on the Clore Leadership
website.
https://www.cloreleadership.org/post/governanc
e-arts-and-museums-practical-guide
*All appointments to the Board are subject to a
DBS check which will be organised via the charity.
Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust
Trustee Recruitment Pack
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ABOUT MASTERCLASS
Masterclass is an empowering theatre education programme dedicated to fostering, nurturing and
showcasing the work of emerging talent and young people through a year-round programme of free talks,
workshops, careers advice, £5 ticket Giveaways and practical learning and creative opportunities. Through
the use of the Theatre Royal Haymarket, Masterclass offers open access to the industry across several areas
including monthly Masterclasses with leading industry figures; work experience opportunities; a paid
Apprentice Scheme; Pitch your Play, a platform for emerging talent to showcase their work on the historic
Theatre Royal Haymarket stage, broader one-off creative schools and community projects that inspire
social change such as The Cyberscene Project and The Bravo 22 Company and TheatreCraft, an annual
behind the scenes careers fair held at the Royal Opera House and run in partnership with Mousetrap
Theatre Projects, the Royal Opera House and Society of London Theatre. The charity also holds an
impressive archive of over 300 audio recordings of past masterclasses.
Attendees come from different backgrounds and at different stages of their career journey. Over 80,000
places and opportunities have been made available to young people since the launch of Masterclass in
1998 so they can realise their full potential.
“I just wanted to drop you an email and thank
you for the last few weeks of masterclass
sessions. I’m currently in-between acting
contracts and I can’t tell you how good it feels
to have weekly sessions exploring the craft
and keeping my creative mind engaged. I felt
extremely inspired after listening to Andy talk
for 90 mins; it's wonderful to listen to
someone that I highly respect talk so openly
and honestly about surviving as an
actor. Thank you for providing such a
generous & enthusing opportunity.”
Jo, 2019 Masterclass attendee
Over the past 20 years Masterclass has programmed nearly 400 Masters, launched and co-ran 13
TheatreCraft events with over 580 workshop leaders, 27 paid apprenticeships on West End and major
London and regional productions, staged 13 showcases as part of the Apprentice Scheme, 9 staged
readings as part of Pitch Your Play, commissioned two major plays; The Two Worlds of Charlie F by Owen
Sheers (Bravo 22 Company) which supported wounded, injured and sick Service personnel and was
performed nationwide and Cookies by Emily Jenkins (The Cyberscene Project) which explores the effects of
cyber bullying and other online related issues effecting young people today. Cookies currently exists as
valuable on line resource through a film and education pack along with the published play text, given away
22,600 tickets as part of our £5 ticket giveaway scheme along with countless other workshops, playwriting
schemes and work experience and networking opportunities.
Tanya Moodie Masterclass
Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust
Trustee Recruitment Pack
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Past Masters include: Dame Eileen Atkins, Jez Butterworth, Bunny Christie OBE, Janie Dee, Noma
Dumezweni, Idris Elba OBE, Sir Lenny Henry, Mark Gatiss, Toby Jones, Dame Angela Lansbury, Elaine Paige
OBE, Clive Rowe MBE, Fiona Shaw CBE and Meera Syal CBE to name a small selection. A full list of Past
Masters is included on the last page of the recruitment pack.
In addition to the Board of Trustees the charity is supported by a dedicated and committed volunteer
Development Board, whose members have been supporting the work and fundraising activities of the
charity for over ten years.
Development Board members: Fiona Arghebant, Moira Beattie, Susan Bliss, Lady Bonfield, Billy Differ, Katy
Egan, Jenny Green, Jeanne Mandry, Lady Purves, Suellen Richmond and Fiona Williams.
Masterclass Patrons: Dame Judi Dench, Sir David Hare, Maureen Lipman CBE and Elaine Paige OBE
“I have given three Masterclasses, with some fantastic young people from a wide range of
backgrounds over the past few years and each one has been an enjoyable and fun afternoon.
Throughout my career I’ve learnt many things which I am very happy to pass on to the next
generation. Even if just one piece of advice makes and impact on just one person, then it’s been
worthwhile.” Elaine Paige OBE, Actress and Masterclass Patron
The Masterclass Team:
Blayne George - Programme Director (f/t)
Hazel Kerr - Programmer (p/t)
Ellen Walpole - Marketing and Press Manager (f/t)
Charlotte Wallis - Programming and Marketing Assistant (f/t)
Board of Trustees:
Arnold Crook, Founder and Chair
Peter Loose, Consultant for Edwin Coe LLP
David Jones, former Managing Director & Global Head Foreign Exchange Global Capital Management Group
at National Australia Bank
TheatreCraft – Lighting workshop Cyberscene - Performance of Cookies by Emily Jenkins
Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust
Trustee Recruitment Pack
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Creation of a Youth Board:
We believe hearing and learning from those
who are our direct beneficiaries is important
to the growth and development of
Masterclass. Through the creation of a Youth
Board we want our beneficiaries to help us
shape the future of Masterclass by having a
greater say in the opportunities we are able
to make available to them.
The role of the Youth Board will be to advise
Masterclass on what young emerging theatre
makers feel is relevant and beneficial to
them. In addition to regularly meeting with
the Masterclass team Youth Board members
will also gain valuable leadership and
communications skills by representing
Masterclass’ beneficiaries at Board of Trustee
and Development Board meetings and
occasional fundraising events.
Year round paid apprenticeships:
One of the most frequently asked questions
we receive from young people is, ‘How do I
get a job’?
Over the past ten years Masterclass’ paid
apprenticeship scheme has been an
important stepping stone for emerging
theatre makers wanting to gain hands on
experience in the industry. The scheme offers
invaluable opportunities to ‘earn while you
learn’ from some of the best practitioners
working in the industry today. The scheme
has produced excellent results over the years
with many of our past apprentices having
gone on to successful careers in the West
End, across London and regionally.
We aim to further develop this pioneering
scheme and ensure accessible pathways into
the West End continue to be available to
young people interested in a career in the
theatre by making paid apprenticeships a
more frequent year round part of our
programming.
Development of digital & streaming content:
An important part of keeping current with
our programming will be the development of
steaming capabilities for masterclasses and
workshops along with the wider
development and creation of digital content
in order to give young people who are not
able to travel to London or able to attend our
events due to work commitments greater
access to our programming.
Creation of a Fundraising post:
Expansion of the Masterclass team is crucial
to the ongoing growth and success of the
charity.
We would like to create a Fundraising and
Development Manager role that will support
and lead on all aspects of the organisation’s
fundraising strategy. The importance of this
role will not only be to help ensure strong
long term financial stability but will also allow
the Programme Director, who currently leads
on all fundraising, more time to focus on
developing the charities programming.
OTHER AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT INCLUDE:
A programme of regional Masterclasses
A large scale regional TheatreCraft event
Monthly play reading labs
A Masterclass Company to support the
production of new work from page to stage
Further largescale communities and schools
projects
Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust
Trustee Recruitment Pack
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EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
To express your interest in joining the Board please send the following to Blayne George, Programme
Director.
A covering letter outlining your interest and reasons for applying and the specific skills and
expertise you will bring to the Board.
A copy of your C.V.
For further information on Masterclass, its programme, team and current Board, please visit
www.masterclass.org.uk or contact Blayne George on 0207 389 9660 or [email protected].
The closing date for applications is Friday, 30 August 2019
Meetings with prospective Trustees will take place early September 2019 with invitations to join the Board
to be made shortly thereafter.
Kerry Michael Masterclass
Pitch Your Play artwork, 2018
Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust
Trustee Recruitment Pack
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PAST MASTERS
List correct as of 1
st January 2019