The Art of Making Theatre

I was delighted to collaborate with Stephen Browning on a strategic review for the Royal & Derngate, a wonderful regional theatre based in Northampton.

The 460-seater Royal Theatre, designed by the renowned Victorian theatre architect C J Phipps and opened in 1884, is a ‘producing’ house supported by workshop and wardrobe offering an acclaimed Made In Northampton self-produced programme.

In complete contrast, the multipurpose 1,500-seater multipurpose ‘Derngate Theatre’ opened in the 80s and presents some of the best of UK theatre, music and entertainment, regularly welcoming some of the biggest names and shows on the circuit.

In beautiful synergy with Northampton’s rich manufacturing heritage, it is inspiring that the Royal & Derngate is committed to flourishing further as regional centre of excellence for making theatre and for developing the creative skills of people living and working in Northamptonshire and beyond.

We wish them every success.

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Amanda Hart Director, Corinium Museum

Finella was commissioned to write the post-Covid Business Plan for the Corinium Museum using funds from the Government’s Cultural Recovery Funding. She worked with two other consultants to ensure the team had the breadth of knowledge and expertise to fully address all the Museum’s needs. Finella is a wonderful listener, making sure she fully understands the objectives and works closely with you throughout the project keeping you informed of progress. The Business Plan has proved a vital document in shaping the Museum strategy and we are already seeing the positive benefits of some of the changes we’ve implemented – thank you Finella!

Anthony Baker CEO, Barnsley Civic

It was a huge pleasure to work with Finella on our business planning and development at Barnsley Civic. Finella is extremely knowledgeable, skilled, strategic and most importantly hugely empathetic. She understands how to contextualise challenges and help search for solutions. I would highly recommend Finella if you want to work with a brilliant consultant who is filled with compassion.

Lindsay Robertson Arts Manager, City of Edinburgh Council

Finella provided us with the crucial basis for the project's business plan - and with good-humoured good sense and the occasional flash of brilliance. What more could you ask? The proof's in the Assembly Rooms project - which has been a great success.

Geoffrey Bertram Barns Graham Trust

Finella provided a detailed critical assessment and suggested a range of options which could help the Trust improve levels of funding. Their review has helped the Trustees determine what is, and what is not, worthwhile to pursue, and where the Trust could be doing things better. Overall, their insights have been very important in saving the trust time and money, and are the foundation on which future decisions are being made.

David Sutherland Chairman, Tulloch Construction (Project Partner)

Finella Devitt was attracted onto the team for Aviemore because of her input to the launch phase of the Lomond Shores development at Loch Lomond. Finella brought to the team zest, focus and strategic approach to the re-awakening of the Aviemore dream. Ms Devitt’s unique, refreshing approach to the marketing process re-kindled the enthusiasm of the management team to bring forward a development of equilibrium.

Graham McKenzie Director, CCA

Working with Finella Devitt has been a pleasure. She is focused, enthusiastic and totally committed to any task she undertakes. As someone who has dealt with more consultants than most people do in an average lifetime during the redevelopment of CCA, I feel well qualified to comment.

Liz Davenport Trustee, Woodchester Mansion

Finella provided us with an invaluable business review, in a tight timescale. She was easy to work with, listened to stakeholders across the organisation, understood our problems, and delivered a well structured to-the-point report. We are now busy implementing her suggestions.

David Leslie Chairman, House for an Art Lover

I regard our employment of Finella Devitt as having been a major success. We were looking for a Chief Executive with imagination and enthusiasm, who would establish a new enterprise – the House for an Art Lover – as a visitor centre and as a centre for the stimulation of interest in art, design, and architecture. Finella achieved all of that and in a confident and friendly manner, placed a stamp of quality on our product which sustains the company today.

Derek Reid Chairman, Loch Lomond Shores Management Company

Finella is a very gifted marketeer. Her enthusiasm, energy and creativity are infectious for everyone who works with her. She made an outstanding contribution to the development of Loch Lomond Shores when I was Chairman and she was CEO of the Management Company.

Anthony Kimber Chair, Rye Art Gallery Trust

Rye Art Gallery Trust benefited from a business development study by experts, including Finella Devitt, funded by Renaissance Museums. As Chair of the Trust, I was delighted to hear about ways to improve the business. Some of the recommendations chimed with our own ideas, but took on new relevance when endorsed by the study.

Joan Riddell Projector Director, East Dunbartonshire Council

Finella came highly recommended from colleagues in Scottish Enterprise, and worked with us to develop a business case for a planned Arts and Cultural Centre. Finella showed significant flair for engaging with stakeholders, communities, the client team and others, and her work was consistently of the highest quality. This is someone who clearly understands the needs of major capital funders and how to present a compelling and winning case.

Pamela Robertson Senior Curator, Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow

I have been involved with Finella in the generation of two bids to the European Regional Development Fund: for marketing the Glasgow-wide Whistler Festival and a Charles Rennie Mackintosh marketing campaign. In both bids Finella provided informed and strategic input, which was core to the successful completion of the bids. She was also a pleasure to work with.

Steve Carley MD, The Beat Project

I advertised nationally to find a unique person to help me develop a very large initiative and business plan, I was very lucky to find Finella who proved to be such an asset to my future plans. Finella was a pleasure to work with and I would recommend her to anyone who wants to receive a highly professional and friendly service that goes the extra mile to ensure you end with a product better than you envisaged.

Kevin Kaley Director, Tourism UK

Finella's hands-on experience in developing and running cultural visitor attractions was invaluable in mapping out and estimating the size and value of the markets for the new Hepworth Gallery.

Lindsay Gordon Director, Peacock Visual Arts

Finella was a delight to work with; from genuine listening to the client’s brief, enthusiastic grasping of the driving vision behind it, through to imaginative, fresh and, most importantly, appropriate ideas for making money. I would thoroughly recommend her.

Bill Neish Glasgow Restaurateurs Association

We had been nominated by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow for a Thistle Award and Finella had been contracted by them to help us prepare a submission... Normally the time to run a mile! On the contrary she speedily got her mind to the kernel of what we were all about and was responsible for an excellent piece of work. I had to liaise with her and found her to be very professional at all times in her approach, also her calming manner helped tremendously as the deadline approached!

Marc De'ath Culture Services Manager, Chelmsford City Council

Like many museums across the country, we needed to adopt a more entrepreneurial mindset. Our museum is a cherished local cultural asset, and we sought external expertise to identify new revenue streams. Finella not only pinpointed excellent commercial opportunities that aligned with our mission, vision and values but also helped us prioritise them, from quick wins to long-term areas for growth.

The Art of Making Theatre

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