Whoever said arts students were doomed to failure ??

Not me, bitches !

And neither did Ben Todd, the creative director of the Arcola Theatre.

Opened on credit cards in a reformed factory building in east London, the Arcola Theatre is an inspiration for students wishing to change the world via the arts. Commitment drove it all the way from the first production lit by candles, to generating its own sustainable energy onsite. The Arcola theatre thrives today because it stuck to its core values – integrating several strands of specialization to lead the way toward change in arts organizations.

What is so special about the Arcola theatre is that it marries art, engineering, community and sustainability. Ben Todd, the executive director of the theatre, spent 10 years as an engineer before he decided to commit to the arts five years ago. When he joined the Arcola Theatre, he joined a mission to shift the culture in London toward a more sustainable one.

If art is the means by which cultural change can be brought about, then it must encompass more than simply its performance aspect. Todd points out the fact that the artists he knows are more one trick pony’s. He believes that artists, unlike any other specialist, are a select group who can take an idea and make it a reality in a matter of months. However, in order to maximize the power of invention, artists need to extract from their other faculties. Da Vinci for example, a Renaissance man in his many abilities, was an architect, a poet, an engineer, an anatomist, a musician. His influence on the world is unparalleled, and remains impressive to this day because he was able to harmonize his artistic abilities with other passions.

If artists don’t see the need to restrain themselves and their consumption habits, they fail to see a priceless creative challenge - one that would look great on a CV, make an organization more interesting, more marketable, and more prolonged. Of course, it is also increasingly necessary. While the carbon footprint of a theatre is negligible compared to that of a hotel, (theatres representing 2% of London’s total carbon emissions) they have to get involved with the cultural players if they wish to shift the culture.

The Arcola’s emphasis on community work makes it a vital facet in the district of Dalston. The area in east London is becoming progressively more and more gentrified, adding more affluent inhabitants to its arts oriented environment. The theatre acts as a mediator between the newcomers, who like to come to the theatre and drink organic beer, and the remaining original population who share the edge that the theatre had maintained since before property prices swelled. Taking pride in its status as a welcoming place, the theatre boasts a variety of groups for different crowds, including 50+ groups, Turkish & Kurdish groups, youth and writers groups.

Green Sundays are one of the many examples of local projects the theatre has organized. The monthly open house welcomes ecologically interested supporters of the theatre to share their ideas on environmental issues. This is done through film screenings, poetry readings and discussion, and also includes a “swap shop” for books and clothing, drum circles and DIY workshops (past topics have included cake decorating and home-made toiletries). Green Sundays show that environmental issues don’t have to be uninteresting; instead they aim to get people involved in their community and invoke the questions that will lead to a hopeful future.

I reckon this is something you could do with an arts degree. I know everyone wants a sweet job and creative stuff like this doesnt come along so often. But elbow grease (and a few proper blowjobs) are certainly not to be underestimated. I look at all my friends in Arts and Contemporary studies and I'm amazed at how inspirational(and attractive) everyone is. I'd say we all have something to offer the world. If worst comes to worst, I'd have no qualms with scrubbing toilets at this magnificent establishment.
I cannot guarentee, however, that I wouldnt be drunk while this was happening, nor can I guarentee that I wouldnt throw the scrubber directly at my managers face on occasion. For some reason I picture myself in this career with lots of colourful chest tattoos and cornrows.

OK I take it back, I wouldnt scrub toilets at the Arcola theatre.
But the point is, I applaud the soul who does.