Spotlight on Jessica Draper
Head of Creative Engagement at Soho Theatre

Can you tell us a little bit about how you got here? - Not public transport, but career path.

Prior to working in theatre, I started in TV and radio, working on a variety of programmes from interviews with political commentators to dog competitions to comedy shows. I really enjoyed working with artists who were starting out, and people who were interested in arty stuff but hadn't given it a go due to life-obstacles, or lack of opportunity. I went on to work on creative and artist development projects in homelessness and criminal justice settings and more recently as a producer for Waltham Forest’s London Borough of Culture. I enjoy working with people and platforming stories and work that counter dominant narratives, or that might not have been heard before. Soho Theatre has a long history of producing work by new voices, and in the Creative Engagement team, it's a privilege to work on the programmes that support emerging artists.

How did I get here? I've never been shy to have conversations with people - whether that's going up to dog walkers asking if they'd like to be on TV, or talking to people in interesting jobs and asking what they do, and how they got there. It can be daunting, but on the whole people tend to be friendly. I got here by bike btw!

What’s the best thing about your job?

Ah! There's so much to enjoy - It ranges from watching children write their first plays on our Primary Playwrights programme, to seeing emerging artists forging friendships and creative partnerships (four participants from our Waltham Forest Cabaret and Drag Lab formed the Drag King troupe GAGGLE), to opening up opportunities and making space for the next generation of culture makers - both on stage and off stage.

And what’s been the most challenging?

We've just been shortlisting for our Labs programme and received over 800 applications for 48 spaces on our Writers Lab programme. Each application went through a series of reading panels, with lots of eyeballs on each application, but it has been so hard whittling the shortlist down to 48 participants for the Lab! There is so much talent, with incredible stories to tell. It's been exciting to see how many applications have come from Waltham Forest this year; it was great meeting residents at our taster sessions over the summer at Walthamstow Library.

Can you tell us a little about your Future Technician placements at Soho Theatre?

As theatres and the wider culture sector reopened after lockdowns, there's been a workforce shortage for technical and backstage staff. This is affecting theatres and venues across the cultural sector, with current technical and backstage vacancies unfilled and not enough trained people to meet demand. This presents a real need, with good jobs. And so, we have partnered with Waltham Forest Council's Future Formed team to offer paid placements to Future Technicians in our tech department. For the trainees, it presents an exciting opportunity to develop skills and learn all about a variety of backstage and off-stage roles from top industry professionals. It's been great hosting Natalie and Becca - both from Waltham Forest - who have been introduced to the variety of backstage and offstage technical roles including lighting, sound, video, and stage management, through masterclasses, demonstrations, and practical activities, led by Stefan and the technical teams at Soho Theatre. You can read interviews with Natalie and Becca here and here.

Why do you think opportunities like this are important for the industry?

At Soho Theatre, we're committed to building the next generation of the cultural workforce. We are committed to creating a workforce that is representative of our society and to bringing together those with a variety of skills and experiences. Through these schemes, our aim is to create practical and positive experiences that will offer valuable and transferable skills to participants. The role offers numerous progression routes, and if people want to, it is possible to progress in other areas with transferable skills and stepping stones into TV and Digital Production.

Soho is opening a new venue very soon in Walthamstow. What can the local community expect from the venue?

We will sit together in a raucous auditorium; shout SHE’S BEHIND YOU! in our panto; learn new skills and make new friends on our Labs programme and community shows; there will be studio spaces for community groups and local creators to use for developing their work; there will be workshops, talks, and heritage tours, not to mention fantastic food and drink on offer. Families and young people will be welcome. People may want to use the foyer area during the day to meet for a coffee, chat with friends, or get some work done. And in the evening, meet for a cocktail before taking their seats to see the best comedy in town.

As head of Creative Engagement for Soho Walthamstow, can you tell us a little about your approaches to Creative engagement?

Lots of walking, visiting spaces, and meeting people. I’m part of a brilliant Creative Engagement team that includes Waltham Forest's Shazad Khalid, along with a fantastically talented team of theatre professionals, writers, and comedians who lead the delivery of our Labs and projects. It's very much a collaborative process. Our role is to listen. Listen and construct programmes of work and activity that will support artists at every stage of their creative journey, be it a 10-year-old writing their first play or a seasoned comedian taking a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We run a number of programmes, working with people of all ages and backgrounds, to make the most of their talent, whilst creating a pipeline to our programme and stages that ensures Soho Theatre continues to platform new voices and exciting work.

If someone wanted to get into that area (Creative Engagement), what should they be trying to get experience in?

There are many different routes into this area of work. Assisting in workshops is a good route in - Often these workshops are led by professional artists who facilitate classes in their artform - be it comedy, acting, or whatever. It's a really good way to learn about the process of making work, whilst also understanding how people respond to and thrive in different situations, what potential barriers might be and how to overcome these. It is also a lot of fun.