Boundless Theatre has appointed the first of its new co-leaders to job share Artistic Director/CEO and Executive Director roles. Lamesha Ruddock (Baghdaddy, Royal Court; Hamilton, West End; The Cherry Orchard, Yard Theatre) has been hired as Co-Executive Director and Jordi M. Carter (Taking Part 25: Of The Cut, Young Vic; We Need New Names, UK Tour; Saturn Returns, Gateway Arts Productions) will be the Co-Artistic Director/CEO.
It is a big shake-up of its leadership structure and programme of work alongside exciting plans for the year ahead, following the confirmation of Arts Council England NPO funding. Boundless Theatre will continue to disrupt the conventional means of engaging in the arts as a teenager and young adult and will continue to champion the cultural voice of young people in the UK. The vision for the organisation is to cultivate a new approach to sustain change within the industry for 15-25 year olds.
Lamesha Ruddock, Co-Executive Director, I am so gassed to be appointed Co-Executive Director for Boundless Theatre. The routes into theatre leadership roles have always been very narrow and I’m so inspired by Boundless for creating this alternative path to senior leadership. I can’t wait to get started and work with emerging creative and the local community in a way that values their lived experience and demonstrate care and appreciation for the culture these communities have added. All in all, I am excited to put trust in young people to create and innovate in the same way Boundless has put trust in me.
Lamesha is a producer, stage manager and historian. Through her production company, Blemme Fatale Productions, she produces theatre and events that aim to promote active engagement with Black British History and to enable people with skills to respond creatively. Lamesha has produced at Battersea Arts Centre and Theatre Royal Stratford East.
Jordi M. Carter, Co-Artistic Director/CEO, I feel blessed and honoured to be appointed Co-Artistic Director/CEO of Boundless Theatre. The work of this company in galvanizing young adults and holding space for them to be bold in sharing what they have to say about the world today has inspired me as an artist for a long time, and I am grateful to be joining the Boundless team at such an exciting time in continuing this important work. I know first-hand and believe in, the power of theatre to connect young people and stimulate social and cultural engagement, and I am committed to using my time with Boundless to amplify the voices and stories of our community.
Jordi M. Carter is a Caribbean-British performer, creative director, artist-educator and producer from South London, with a passion for Afrocentricity, racial, social justice, and radical Black cultural expression across theatre, film and performance. A former Young Vic Young Associate and Theatre Peckham Young Producers alumnus, Jordi has trained extensively in the work of creative/community producing and artistic output/development.
These are fully paid roles, which have been created to allow Boundless Theatre’s to test how to further embed core principles of co-creation and co-leadership into their work. By training young people aged 18-25 in leadership, with equitable decision-making authority, the aim is to foreground new thinking and place equitable youth leadership at the forefront of all aspects of the organisation.
Rob Drummer, Artistic Director & CEO, From 111 applications and an inspiring interview process I am absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Lamesha and Jordi to the Boundless team. Not only have we seen the huge demand for opportunities like this but have already had proven to us the sheer expertise, passion and leadership that exists in those under 25. What follows now is the work and I can’t wait to get started. Both of our Co-Leaders have already pitched huge ideas and I can’t wait to see how our community of young adults benefit. I truly hope that by working in this way we can start new conversations about leadership in the arts, how we support young adults into work and how we innovate to ensure the success of our industry.
Complementing the co-leadership work and following 18 months of co-creation, research and development, Boundless Boxes will travel across the UK over the next three years, starting this summer in Leicester, Croydon and Lambeth. Boundless Boxes, developed with architects U-Build will be requested, constructed and directly programmed by 15-25 year olds. These flexible spaces will be piloted in 2023 with a group of trainee project managers from Lambeth. Boundless hopes to test how giving space to youth creativity and building new cultural spaces around the UK can reduce isolation, have a positive placemaking impact on local communities and introduce new pathways to creative careers.
With further programme details to follow in due course, Boundless Theatre are encouraging those to get involved and keep their eyes out for more exciting announcements.
