Equity Bristol & West General Branch invites you to this open event to join a discussion on how we can ensure the inclusion and well-being of the entertainment industry's new workers.

This will be a conversation on networking members, especially students and recent graduates, with a focus on representation for those from diverse backgrounds, as well as discussions around producing and directing as they enter the industry.

We welcome as speakers the following fantastic guests:

Michael Kodi Farrow is a classically trainer actor, writer, producer and director from Bristol. He worked hard to self-fund and put himself through the professional conservatory at Stella Adler. Michael is the co-founder of The Working Theatre Company.

Zahid Fayyaz is an actor and writer. His journey started in Bristol, where he grew up in the inner city & stumbled upon acting at college. He then moved to New York to study at the Lee Strasberg theatre & film institute. Whilst studying, he fell in love with the whole theatre process, from writing to directing to acting. Since returning the UK, he has been involved in creating a space for BAME performers, including himself, by writing and setting up events to support artists who normally wouldn't get a chance to perform. He has worked in theatre, film and tv, as well as commercials. He is one of the co founders of the Working Theatre. He is currently working on writing for theatre and film, focusing on stories from British Asians.

Kerry Irvine is a Producer, Director, Senior Lecturer and consultant with over 25 years of experience of working in the Arts. Since 2011 Kerry has worked at Bath Spa University; as Bath Spa Productions' Producer, producing over 25 full scale theatre productions, numerous co-productions and 9 major festivals of dance, theatre, music and outdoor- as well as site-specific performance. In response to Covid 19 she produced SparkFest Digital. She is a Course Leader for the Masters programs in Creative Producing and Directing. Kerry is the founder and director of ProducerWorks, an organisation committed to creating new theatre performances and supporting producers and their work.

Further speakers to be announced.

The event will be chaired by actor and Equity Bristol & West General Branch's branch secretary Gerard Cooke.

The event is open to entertainment industry professionals, graduates, and those engaged in professional training (Equity members and non-members alike). It will be held on Zoom, and will be limited to 100 places.

The event will begin promptly at 7:00pm (please log in early) with an introduction and talk from the guest speakers, followed by a general Q&A session; running until 8:25pm.

After a comfort break, this will then be followed by a 30 minute Equity branch meeting (still open to non-members as observers), where ideas for further action can be discussed, including a draft motion to Equity Council on the representation of students within Equity branch committees.

The host can be contacted on bristol-west-general-branch[at]equity.org.uk

Next Generation: Inclusion and well-being in the entertainment industry