November 2024
Claire Tudge joined Bridport Arts Centre (BAC) as its director in August 2023. We caught up with her at the centre to find out how she’s getting on, and to hear her plans for the future of one of the town’s cultural hubs…
The Bridge: Claire, you’ve been in your role here for just over a year now. What were you doing before?
Claire Tudge: I was working for Arts Council England as a relationship manager, assessing funding applications and supporting the organisations that secure funding. A job like that is a sort of ‘national service’ for the cultural industry as you’re working with so many different fields, from circus to opera.
I originally trained as a classical singer in Cardiff and I worked at the Welsh National Opera, but through working in outreach and community participation I realised that was where my interest really lay, and I made the sideways transition from performing. I still like to sing, but only for myself!
TB: How are you settling into your job at BAC?
CT: It’s been a big year for me – this is my first leadership role. There’s lots to learn and I’ve been doing a lot of listening. It’s important for me to understand how people perceive BAC, its purpose in the town, and to translate that into a plan for sustainability and growth.
I’ve been testing out our relationship with other organisations and one thing that has struck me is how well BAC is supported by both Bridport Town Council [BTC] and Dorset Council. That’s no small thing – in my previous role I noticed a vast difference in the way local authorities value arts and culture, and many are cutting funding. We are very fortunate. It’s been a particular pleasure and a privilege to work with BTC on the Town of Culture initiative and I hope it’ll show just what we can achieve when we work collaboratively.
TB: So what have you learnt by listening to local people?
CT: As I see it, BAC has three roles: to bring great art here so local people can experience wonderful things in their home town; to support Bridport’s creative people, giving them a platform and a voice; and to help the wider community connect with their own creativity, in ways that are playful and fun.
TB: How will you translate that into a plan of action?
CT: One of the most important innovations has been to establish strategic advisory groups, made up of knowledgeable, enthusiastic experts recruited from the community. There are four groups – film, visual arts, live arts and community engagement – and they meet every three months. They hold me accountable and it’s really interesting working with them.
There’s no shortage of ideas among these groups, too, and it’s a privilege to be entrusted with them. They’ve led to some really joyful moments over the last year, such as the Greensleeves reggae party in the summer, which we organised in partnership with Clocktower Records. It was joyful – the floor was shaking!
We also hosted Douglas Dare, a young international recording artist who was born in Bridport. For an encore he sang Lulu’s song Shout, which he’d first heard here at BAC when he was 12.
TB: So it’s important to involve people of all ages in BAC’s work?
CT: Oh yes – but that’s not a new thing. The centre has been running BACstage, its weekly youth theatre group, for 15 years. It was established by Niki McCretton for 12- to 18-year-olds and it gives young people a space to learn theatre craft and dramatic arts while working on a performance and building a community.
I’ve been so impressed by how quickly they form a cohort, how strong the sense is of coming together and building something meaningful. And I’m delighted to be able to take young people’s ideas and realise them using the expertise of adults.
TB: What are the highlights of BAC’s year for you?
CT: I love Gifted, the show we hold every year in the Allsop Gallery during the run up to Christmas. It’s a celebration of makers, both local and further afield, and offers some wonderful Christmas shopping, although it’s also a beautifully curated show in its own right.
I really enjoy our Christmas shows in the theatre, too, and this year we have A Winter’s Tail again after its huge success last year. It’s a family play-along show by The Last Baguette theatre company and it’s full of music, adventure and fun.
And I love the Sustainable Fashion Fair. It’s such a buzzy event and it brings so many people into the centre. I love it when people drop in, even just to use the loo – they might pop upstairs to the gallery or pick up a programme. Everyone’s welcome whenever our doors are open – people bring the centre to life.
TB: There hasn’t been a cafe at the centre for a while now, although we hear this might be changing… please tell us more!
CT: Yes, I’m thrilled to say that the fabulous chef Claire Wellman is opening a vegetarian cafe here this autumn. It’s called F.east at the Arts Centre, and to start with it’ll be open Wednesday to Saturday during the day*. Claire will start with drinks and cakes and move up to a full menu in November.
It’ll be lovely to have a food offer here again. Breaking bread together strengthens our community and Claire’s food will help make BAC welcoming to everyone. It’s another way to spread our message to the community: we are open and you are welcome!
www.bridportartscentre.co.uk
*f.east at the Arts Centre is now open