Royal Court in London launches £1m package to support theatre directors

Royal Court artistic director David Byrne has announced a package worth more than £1 million to nurture theatre directors, described as a "complete ladder of support" and backed by leading figures including Marianne Elliott and Katie Mitchell.

The London theatre said the support focused on the "craft, skill and careers involved in bringing new plays to the stage", and will cover entry-level access to "structured career progression".

It includes two paid year-long trainee director roles and a doubling of paid assistant director opportunities, which will all be recruited through open public applications.

The scheme has been hailed by Mitchell, who said it had the potential to "fundamentally change how directors graduate through the industry, by offering them the chance to observe varying directorial practices, train in the craft and benefit from the mentorship and guidance of those with experience and expertise”.

Byrne said: “We want the Court’s directors programme to be the most open and transparent offer for directors from any national institution. There’s real momentum at the Court right now. If you’re part of the new generation of directors wanting to bring brilliant new voices to the stage, it’s never been clearer how you can join us and be part of it.”
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Overseen by Royal Court resident director Aneesha Srinivasan, the programme includes the relaunching of the Royal Court’s Trainee Director programme for the first time since 2023. The scheme launched the careers of many directors and artistic leaders such as Rufus Norris, Roy Alexander Weise and Lyndsey Turner.

Beginning with recruitment in summer 2025, the new programme will double the previous number of placements, offering two year-long salaried trainee director roles annually.

The directors will join the venue’s artistic team, gain access to directing opportunities and work across departments.

For the first time, each trainee director will also now receive a dedicated artistic budget, on top of their salary, to develop their own directing and creative projects. 

The theatre has also announced it will now invest in assistant director roles on all full productions in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs – with the promise of at least 10 paid assistant opportunities each year across its stages.

In a move to enable open access, the venue will launch a new Assistant Directors’ Pool, comprising six early-career freelance directors who will be selected via open applications. They will form an annual cohort who will receive first access to apply for paid assistant directing roles, plus bursaries, mentoring and career guidance throughout the year.

Meanwhile, hundreds of bookable places will be offered throughout the year in a new programme of free events, including observing technical rehearsals for productions in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, beginning with Elliott’s production of The Unbelievers this autumn.

Elliott said: “Directors learn best in the rehearsal room. This programme provides unprecedented access to process, giving emerging directors the chance to find vital tools they can use in their own practice.”

In addition, early-career directors making their Royal Court debuts will have access to paid professional and artistic mentoring from next year, matched with established directors from the Court’s programmes.

Srinivasan said: “When I applied, the trainee director role was the only opportunity that existed for directors like me. Every day, directors are giving up because they can’t sustain their careers or work out how to get their next job. This programme is my offer to my peers and those coming up. A ladder of support – for those who are just beginning and learning the craft; those freelancing who’d like to work alongside exceptional directors in our programme; and those who’d like to learn about running a building – so they can be running their own someday.”

Applications are now open for the first round of recruitment for the Trainee Director programme and the Assistant Directors’ Pool, via the Royal Court’s website.

The programme is supported by the Foyle Foundation, the Katie Bradford Arts Trust and the Fenton Arts Trust.