As a producer Jon was central to Made In Brighton Ltd (2003 – 2006) an organisation established with ACESE funds to help enhance Brighton’s ability to produce theatre in all it’s forms. Jon joined to develop outdoor, site specific and non-text based theatre within the city and worked with a number of companies developing work, infrastructure and strategy to help create opportunities and partnerships both nationally and internationally.
Jon is currently Producer for Caravan:Assembly www.farnhammaltingscaravan.com, an initiative that aims to strengthen the international networks and expand the range of opportunities for performing artists and companies in south east England to work abroad. The Assembly takes place during Brighton Festival 2008
As a Production Manager Jon has over 15 years experience in outdoor theatre, and is currently Head of Production for Winchester Hat Fair (the UK’s longest running street theatre festival: www.hatfair.co.uk Production Consultant and Safety Advisor for Norfolk & Norwich Festival www.nnfestival.org.uk and Head of Production for Inside Out Festival www.insideoutdorset.co.uk a series of 'extraordinary events in extraordinary places' staged across the county of Dorset in September 2007 for which a future strategy is in preparation. Jon has a long association with Stockton Riverside International Festival; and was Production Manager for ‘STICKY’, Improbable Theatre’s large scale outdoor show which toured throughout the world. (http://www.improbable.co.uk/show_example.asp?item_id=6); and was Production Manager for ‘Elemental’ the largest showcase of UK talent ever presented at Chalon dans la Rue (Europe’s leading street arts festival).
Jon also spent many years working as a theatre lighting designer, lighting shows in the West End, at all the subsidised London venues (Almeida Theatre; Royal Court; Stratford East etc) and for most of the UK’s larger regional theatres (West Yorkshire Playhouse; Plymouth Theatre Royal etc). He was also resident lighting designer for Kenneth Branagh’s Renaissance Theatre Co. during it’s most prolific period of national productions and a world tour.
He is member of Brighton & Hove CC Arts Commission (http://www.brightonandhoveartscommission.org.uk/) and occasional lecturer/course leader for University of Brighton; Independent Theatre Council; Visiting Arts and Independent Street Arts Network
Robin Morley has a career of founding companies that have been influential in the development of outdoor arts and events.
Robin was a founding director of ZAP Productions in Brighton which was for 16 years a major influence in the producing and distribution of outdoor street arts across the UK. The company developed a national partnership network of annual street arts festivals which combined with a strong commissioning programme was a key factor in the development of the outdoor arts sector. He was commissioned in 1994 by Eurotunnel to manage the public Inauguration Celebrations for the Channel Tunnel with an Ango-French programme of outdoor arts and in 2002 he developed and produced in Surrey the “Rhythm Cultures” programme for the 2002 Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival.
In 1994 he and Zap partner Neil Butler were invited by Glasgow City Council to set up UZ Events www.uzevents.com as an independent Scottish organisation to create large scale cultural events for the City. UZ produced “Shine On” the city’s large scale Winter Festival and Hogmanay Celebration. Robin also produced Aberdeen’s Hogmanay celebrations in 1999 & 2000.
Between 2001- 2004 he produced Bradford International Festival with Neil Butler, introducing many new & innovative programme strands as part of the city’s bid to become the UK European Capital of Culture. With the festival team he produced
Bradford Mela, the largest South Asian outdoor arts festival in Europe and in 2003 raised £735,000 of EU funding for the festival.
Since 2004 he has worked as an independent consultant working for arts organisations, strategic agencies and high education institutions on fundraising, public arts development, organisational and programme development, before launching Magnetic Events with Jon Linstrum in 2006.
He has previously acted as an advisor on policy and programme to the Arts Council England, National Office www.artscouncil.org.uk on Street Arts, Carnival and Circus development.
He is an executive board member of the Independent Street Arts Network (ISAN) www.streetartsnetwork.org.uk and the National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) www.noea.org.uk
Website photography credits
Colin Davidson
David Gray
Louise Strickland
Magnetic Events
Peter Atkinson
Ray Gibson
Roy Riley
