Home / Latest News / Five Minutes With Jo Bennington
Did you know we have two Jo’s in our Creative Learning team? You might have already met Jo Stead-Burgess, our Group Head of Creative Learning at Trafalgar Entertainment, who gave us the bigger picture to how we look at Creative Learning as a whole when we chatted to her. But Jo Bennington, our new on site Creative Learning Manager has just started and can fill us in on what she is planning for Fareham. Jo Bennington is joining us at a really exciting time. She’s working with the Fareham community to create something truly special – think amazing workshops, fun events, and creative projects for all ages. Keep reading to find out what she’s got planned and how you and your family can get involved. Trust us, you won’t want to miss out on the fun!
Hi Jo, welcome to Fareham Live! Could you please start by telling us a bit about yourself and your new role? Hi! I'm Jo, and I'm your Creative Learning Manager for Fareham Live! Being a Creative Learning Manager is a hugely expansive role. It encompasses everything education and community-based, from Early Years storytelling sessions to school workshops and work experience for young people. It also includes providing a community resource for those with disabilities or for retirees looking to make connections with new people or try new things. There isn't really a catch-all answer for this role – it's a little bit of everything!
Sounds exciting! What does a typical week look like for you? It's hard to say exactly, but that's part of the excitement! Fareham Live is the newest theatre for Trafalgar Theatres, and at the time of writing this, we haven't actually moved into our new venue yet. It's thrilling to think about how everything will come together!
I'm really looking forward to being out and about rather than in the office. I can't wait to check in on all the amazing activities happening at the theatre and to chat with lots of people about how they'd like to get involved. To be fair, I don't think there will be a "typical" week, and that's what makes it so exciting! With workshops, performances, and tours happening all the time, every single week is going to bring something new and different.
What led you to pursue a career in creative learning and how did you end up at Fareham Live? I have always been involved with the Creative Arts from a young age. Whether it was singing, dancing, or acting, as long as I was in the spotlight, I was happy. Unfortunately, around the age of 16, during my GCSEs, I realised that my singing voice had dropped to a range normally sung by men, so I decided to go behind the scenes and start directing and producing. I've always said that I now vicariously live out my stage life through my students. My role at Fareham Live came about quite serendipitously. I was chatting with the venue's director, Gavin, about transferring two drama groups from another venue where I was teaching at the time when he mentioned the role of Creative Learning Manager. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to head up designing a brand-new education and community department from scratch. The possibilities are both exciting and infinite!
How has your connection to the local area influenced your work at Fareham Live? While I'm just beginning my work here, I'm excited about the potential my local connections will bring – come back and see me in 12 months' time! However, in my previous life, pre-Fareham Live, I ran my own business working with Early Years children. Whether it was going into nurseries and pre-schools or running public parent and child sessions, I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with many different families from various parts of Fareham and the surrounding areas. It's those children, those families, and those early years settings that I am keeping in mind when planning what I'd like to do in the future. Their words stay with me daily and motivate everything I do. As I have my own little boy at school, I am very aware of the impact that hands-on, real-life experiences can have on children, no matter their age. Whether it's a workshop in school, a trip to the theatre, or working on a project with children from another school, I'm hoping to bring all of these experiences and much more to the children of Fareham.
Can you share some of the educational programmes and workshops you’ve developed? While we are waiting for Fareham Live’s official launch, we're brimming with exciting plans for all ages! We have the Young Performers, a drama-focused class starting in October, with a musical youth theatre being launched in Spring 2025. We also have the West End Experience in February 2025 and our very first Summer Youth Project scheduled for next summer. I've also organised a Teachers Focus Group evening at the theatre in mid-October so that I can meet the very important educators in our area face-to-face. We'll discuss how we can collaborate to ensure that the children of Fareham benefit directly from the venue.
Which project are you most looking forward to working on? I can foresee that completing my first week-long workshop, the West End Experience, next February will definitely be memorable, followed closely by our first Summer Youth Project – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!
How do you see your work impacting the local community, especially the young people? I truly hope that my work will be impactful and meaningful to the local community. Time will tell! I aim for our youth theatre programme to build confidence in the young people who participate, alongside forming new friendships that might last a lifetime. The sentiment is the same for the adults who will access our services as well – as a venue, we strive to be an integral part of the community. Whether it's popping in for coffee and cake at elevenses and catching up with friends, or coming in to discover a brand-new show, we want to be a welcoming hub for everyone.
What are some of the challenges you face in your role and what do you find most rewarding? From having led another youth theatre in a past life, I know the power that drama and theatre can have in a child's life. I remember one child in particular joining my very first youth theatre – she barely spoke and was the quietest child in the session. The one thing I remember is her face as the curtain came down on her first big, main house performance. She looked up at me, smiled, and said, "That was brilliant! When can we do that again?" When she decided to move on from the group a few years later, you could barely get a word in edgeways with her – but in the best way possible! I'm hoping that I get to experience that again one day. As for challenges, I have three words: "Learn Your Lines!" The biggest challenge I face on a regular basis is getting students to learn their lines. I think every youth theatre director can relate to this.
How does the local culture and environment inspire your work? Fareham already has a rich history of young people being involved in the Performing Arts, and we are excited to be a part of and contribute towards this legacy. We have the beautiful Westbury Manor Museum gardens for outdoor performances, the wonderful High Street for festivals or carnivals, and the shopping centre in the heart of the town with lovely big spaces for musical or small performances. The possibilities within the immediate environment of the theatre are truly mind-blowing.
Have there been any mentors or influential figures in your career that have shaped your approach to creative learning? David Cooper, who was CEO of the Kings Theatre in Southsea, gave me my first chance at running a youth theatre and had the confidence in me to let me run it the way I wanted. When I left the theatre to look after my new family, the youth theatre had grown from 14 students to over 120 students under my management. I'm also a huge fan of Scott Graham of Frantic Assembly fame. One of my biggest career ambitions is to book him for a workshop at Fareham Live and to see one of his shows! I love physical theatre, and the way Scott puts meaning and poetry into those movements is magical to watch.
What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue a career in creative learning? My advice would be to go out there and grab any opportunity to teach or assist with teaching with both hands – it won't come looking for you. You have to demonstrate that you have the skills and the attitude to lead, to teach, and to take the rough with the smooth. It can be isolating as you're often forging your own path and working by yourself. But by building a network of connections with skills different from yours, you can easily ask for support from them. For example, I'm not a dancer; I can just about teach a very basic jazz or ballet class. But for anything more advanced, I would source those with greater knowledge whom I have worked with before and trust to do a good job. I have found more success in building up others and working alongside them than trying to do it all myself.
Thanks Jo, it’s been brilliant chatting to you! If you are interested in learning more about the creative learning opportunities at Fareham Live, please visit our Get Involved page.