"Only continue if you feel passionate about it"

Hometown
Originally, Guildford. Now, Brighton

What do you do?
I run UZ Events in Glasgow and as part of my job I am the artistic director of several festivals and events

What was your very first role in theatre?
I trained to be a drama teacher. I started running festivals whilst at college and played in lots of performance/ music groups whilst teaching. I gave up teaching to set up and run the Zap Club and perform and direct shows (read about the history of the Zap Club).

What have you done in theatre?
I have curated programmes at the ICA and directed shows for the South Bank

I was invited to Glasgow to create festivals and events to prepare the city for being European City of Culture in 1990. I have become a specialist in closing down cities to create venues, and was event director of Glasgow’s Millennium Hogmanay.

I am MD (managing director) of UZ Events which has played an active part in the rise of Glasgow’s internationally renowned art scene. UZ produces the Glasgow Art Fair and produced Glasgow International, Glasgow’s first curated commissioning festival of contemporary visual art, until 2006.

I am the British representative of Insitu, a pan-European network who fund the commissioning of major cross-border arts projects, and the chairman of the Hikkaduwa Area Relief Fund , a Sri Lankan based post-tsunami charity (nothing to do with theatre, but very important). I was responsible for brokering and directing the first multi-faith peace concert in Sri Lanka in January 2007, at a time of increasing hostility and violence.

Have you got qualifications?
A degree

What did you do before you worked in theatre?
* Student politics–sabbatical vice president at Brighton Poly (now University of Brighton) Union
* Spent five years as a drama teacher
* Founded the Zap Club, Brighton

How did you make the move into theatre?
Moved from teaching to full time director of the Zap, plus performing with the notorious Wild Wigglers. Very exciting. I had lots of support from family and friends, and from my school who kept my job open for me in case I wanted to come back.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A magician

What do you do all day?
I run the company and I’m artistic director of Glasgow’s Merchant City Festival and Big in Falkirk which is Scotland’s National Street Arts Festival. I am also the Director of the Chandrasevana Centre (for artists in residence) in Sri Lanka.

I live in Brighton and have an office there and in Sri Lanka but the main office is in Glasgow. So I travel a lot (often two flights a week or more). Most days I spend a couple of hours in meetings with colleagues from UZ either by phone or in the office. We’re usually discussing programme ideas or issues on fundraising or delivery of an event.

I often meet with artists I’m working with, and in the evening might go with my family to a show. We travel a lot together to festivals around the UK, on the continent and in Sri Lanka .

What’s the best thing about your job?
The people I work with

And the worst?
Cancelling a show – in my kind of work that is rare and usually to do with extreme weather

What’s your dream job in theatre?
I’m doing it

Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?
Learn about every part of the job, and then only continue if you feel passionate about it