Three members of the Cultural Programme team (the people bringing work to the brand new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities) joined us on 10 February 2026 for a panel discussion about what producers do, and how to take your first steps into the industry.
Our panellists:
- Rosie Kelly, Senior Producer
- Elizabeth Lawal, Theatre & Performance Producer
- Alexis Paterson, Senior Music Programme Producer
For all three, producing was a role that they 'fell into' while working on productions when they were students. They wanted to be involved in shows and events, but not as a performer.
What does a producer do?
- Administration: picking up all the tasks nobody else does!
- Being the 'all-seeing eye' across a production, seeing how it fits together, how to move it forward and how it will get to the end point
- Realising the vision of the artist to deliver the magic
- Setting up the invisible structures around a project which make things possible
A day in the life
Being a producer means having multiple plates spinning at different speeds. Day-to-day activity includes
- Lots of conversations
- Lots of emails
- Contracts, compliance, project plans, working across other teams to bring things together
- Brokering relationships
- Problem-solving
Advice for aspiring producers
- You have to believe in the art you are making, in order to do it well.
- You are probably already doing it, in projects you're working on, without having a name for it
- Learn how to write a budget and project schedule
- Being able to articulate your project is absolutely key
- Know who you want to work with, and build a team. Mutual respect is essential
- Get experience where you can. Student committees and internships (as long as they aren't taking advantage of your time) are great places to hone your skills
- If you have no money or resources, think about what you have around you. Who is in your networks? What partnerships can you build? Ask people for help, because they often want to help
- Put yourself out there and don't be afraid to say that you're a producer
Resources
Performance Research Hub
