Mortal Fools is an award-winning, person-centric, socially-engaged employer. We are committed to treating our people well, so they thrive, and to actively enabling social good and pursuing equity through activism. We are always striving to be and do better – we are continuously learning and evolving as a company.
We want everyone who works with us to feel that they belong at Mortal Fools, and that their efforts and skills are valued. We enable our staff to authentically be themselves in a thoughtful workplace, and we value differences.

“Working for Mortal Fools is an exhilarating learning process. They never stop and get comfortable. They support their team to grow and develop, with them, with every project. They are always looking for ways to progress, to move forward, and actively respond to what’s happening around them.” 

–Mortal Fools Artist

Artist Development

We are a sector leader in the North East for supporting professional theatre artists to develop their practice in co-creating theatre, drama, and film - with, by, and for children and young people. We do this by providing employment opportunities and training and mentoring for theatre artists - with a particular emphasis on those who are early career stage.

Across 2022-23, we:

• Recruited and trained 12 new permanent employees - creating a new structure through which we could support and train early career artists and employees wishing to specialise in this area of work.
• Recruited 7 new sessional practitioners/assistants to train and develop their work with us as early career practitioners.
• Supported 4 young people to transition from young leader and volunteer roles into paid employment roles - as Assistant Practitioners.
• Gave paid work to 23 freelance professionals across our portfolio of work - such as guest artists, or project contributors with specific expertise, practice, or lived experience.
• Collaborated and shared learning with project partners including Company Three, Prime Theatre, Theatre Porto, Burnley Youth Theatre, and We Are Beyond.
• Worked with/ purchased from 52 North East small businesses, contributing to our circular economy.
• Programmed external training in mental health, autism, LGBTQIA+ awareness, safeguarding, and first aid.
• Ran co-creation practice development sessions and facilitated practice-sharing with theatre makers, artists, and youth sector professionals. This included training with Company Three focusing on Devising Theatre With Young People.
• Presented our work and practice at conferences and networking events.
• Contributed to careers events at Dukes Secondary School and Whitley Bay High School.
• Hosted an online creative careers event viewed by 200+ young people.
• Actively engaged in steering groups and alliances to influence change in a meaningful way. Our memberships include – VONNE, Arts Marketing Association, North East & North Cumbria VCSE Sub-Group, North East Institute of Business Ethics, Northumberland Local Cultural Education Partnership, Northumberland Employability Forum, North of Tyne Good Work Pledge, Art Works Alliance, Connecting Culture Northumberland, and North East Youth Alliance.

We want everyone who works with us to feel that they belong at Mortal Fools, and that their efforts and skills are appreciated. We believe that when it comes to job roles, it’s not helpful to restrict people into pre-determined boxes. Instead, we want all of our staff members to feel that their individual needs, interests, and development goals are being met.

Artists and theatre makers that are part of our Mortal Fools community are supported in their development through:
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• One-to-one feedback and mentoring.
• Peer-to-peer support.
• Free access to our open CONNECT training sessions.
• Opportunities to attend networking events, practice sharing events, and conferences - where appropriate within staff roles.
• Specialist training in practices to support wellbeing (e.g., cultivating resilience and mental health first aid).
• A collaborative environment where folks can bring ideas, enthusiasm, and talents to fruition.
• The chance to work with a cross-sector network of national partners, expanding professional networks and experience.
• Training by external providers to meet personal development goals.
• A safe, supportive, and inclusive company culture.
• Opportunities to help shape the growth and development plans of the wider company at Team Development Days and Company Development Weeks.

“I feel uplifted and passionate every time I come to work with Mortal Fools. Everyone is respected and held in such high regard with one another. There is a sense that we are all on the forefront of a new dawn of company management - where each and every member of the company is an essential part of the Mortal Fools jigsaw.” 

– Mortal Fools Artist

Artist development networks that Mortal Fools are active members of:
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ArtWorks Alliance
A network of organisations and individuals with a passion for participatory arts and the artists working in the field.

Co-Creating Change
A network and programme which explores the role which artists, cultural organisations, and communities can play to co-create change together.

National Producers Taskforce
A network of UK-based creative organisations, working together to respond to issues - such as a lack of sustainable pathways into employment and leadership roles for young people, challenges in recruiting young producers, and people from underserved communities falling through the gaps.

The Freelance Task Force
Created in April 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 150 sponsor organisations (including us) joined together to support freelance theatre and live performance makers - by providing paid work and a forum for constructive discussion on changes in the industry.

We also regularly engage with peer networks, such as The Space, North East Cultural Freelancers, Wor Culture and Digital Culture Network.

Keep in touch with us!
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We are always interested in connecting with North East-based theatre and drama practitioners, professional creatives, film makers, technicians, youth workers, third sector organisations/charities and artists - to widen our network, to exchange best practice, and to link up with folx who are passionate about co-creation and children and young people.

We encourage you to reach out to our team and say hello! Drop us an email via [email protected] and let's connect digitally.
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If you'd like to be notified about future recruitment, practice sharing, or volunteering opportunities, you can sign up to our mailing list here.