I was a shy teenager so public situations were not my forte. That said I did want independence so, from 16 to 24 my first jobs were in bars and restaurants, which did wonders for my confidence and social skills. In Liverpool, (where I was at university) I pulled pints at the Casa Club, which is a bar that emerged out of the political heat of the 90s Dockers strike and is a space that supports grassroots, workers, socialist activity and the odd salsa night! A filmmaker friend introduced me to the management and I remember the interview vividly – what football team do you support? Red or blue? Stupidly, I said Manchester United. Big mistake!

Alongside this I also ushered at the Unity theatre, Liverpool, which at the time was the venue for avant-garde theatre, live performance and community productions. This was the easiest of work experiences and the most educative as I watched a kaleidoscopic mix of plays from Molière to Harold Pinter and by the time I left, I not only knew every fire exit in the building, but also could memorise lines having watched productions for weeklong runs.

After university I took a different trajectory feeling isolated by the clickiness of the art and film world, which seemed harshly impenetrable to people starting out. I worked as an archivist for social services and learning disability centres and was committed to this for a whopping four years. I think it was the beginning of a perverse fascination with technology from expanding beds and Stannah Stairlifts, which I glamorously modelled on various occasions.

I could only take working for a local authority for so long when I became aware of a new multipurpose arts centre, which opened in Liverpool, called FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology). Having studied visual arts and film it was my dream place to work. I applied four times for different jobs and as the tale goes I finally got a job in time for the Liverpool Biennial, in 2004 when I became Gallery Co-Ordinator. The first exhibition I worked on featured the Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, who coincidentally I would later work with on the inaugural launch of AND festival in 2009.

Within five months I got promoted at FACT and moved off the gallery and into the programme team, where I worked with the collaborations team on their public programme and it was there that I learned everything from programming, to commissioning and publications. I then started curating and developing larger scale outdoor events and fundraising. FACT was a real catalyst for my career, it was full of opportunity and, with a steady influx of inspiring artists through their doors, it was a fantastic springboard for where I am now.

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We’ve asked professionals in creative industries what jobs they have had in the past to get their foot through the door (or at least pay the rent). For more in the “My First 5 Jobs” series look here.

The pursuit of success can have us going around in circles, travelling far but getting nowhere. We accept that whenever we strive for something new, there is always the chance we will fail.

With the hyper-competitiveness of the Olympics upon us, we are seeing moments of striving and failing played out in front of us again and again. AND 2012 is about the subtlety, humour, vulnerability and tenacity of such moments.

Mobile Republic: Digital Caravans | The Center for Genomic Gastronomy | Friday 10 August – Sunday 09 September

During a kaleidoscopic five days, unlikely monuments will be inflated, failed technological dreams will be resurrected and extinct industries will be salvaged and rebuilt. A mirror will be held up to celebrity culture and the shirked responsibility of the financial crash.

Alongside this are a number of events that focus on self-improvement, be it workshops to enhance your charisma, makeovers to prepare you for the world post-2012, or participatory work – live and online – ready to solve all your problems.

Empire Drive-In | Todd Chandler and Jeff Stark | Wednesday 29 August – Friday 31 August

Overall, the programme is as much about finished exhibitions as it is about work evolving over time. It is about artists experimenting and setting ambitious parameters. It is about creating the kind of cacophonous late-night actions and events that AND has striven for since its inception.

We want to offer rich counterpoints to perfection, undermine accepted logic and find alternative ways of being.

Only the question remains: Are you big enough to fail?

MASTER-SLAVE INVIGILATOR | Jeremy Bailey | Thursday 30 August – Sunday 2 September

Abandon Normal Devices runs from 29 August – 2 September across various venues in Manchester, Liverpool, Lancashire & Cumbria.

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See more festivals we’ve featured here.

The Contemporary Performance Practice degree at the RSAMD has provided cohorts of students and graduates willing to pursue deeply personal and radically experimental actions. This groundswell then attracts other performers from across the world, as well as graduates from Glasgow University’s well respected drama department.  It’s fair to say that Jackie Wylie at The Arches has given considerable support to the scene: September’s Arches Live is a fortnight of young artists grappling with the meaning of performance.

Due to the nature of the work, the subjects and approaches are startling diverse, and it is difficult to categorise. However, certain key themes emerge. The spoken monologue is often subjected to scrutiny, and stretched over animation, video footage, choreography and puppetry. The tight social dance of Goat Island is an influence, Forced Entertainment’s deadpan nihilism lurks menacingly. Intimate details are revealed, the barrier between private and public challenged. The RSAMD graduates are particularly influenced by feminism, and the programming of Tramway, especially in its concentration on European dance and theatre, is an important inspiration.

Certain artists have come from this scene to greater attention, working with the National Theatre of Scotland in their Allotment series or social outreach, or embarking on national tours. Nic Green’s Trilogyis a fine example: equally, Glas(s) Performance– who also lead the youth theatre based in Tramway, Junction 25 – have gained a reputation for working effectively within communities and with people who are not usually expected to be found on stage.

Key Performers

David Overend. This University of Glasgow post-graduate embarked on a project to examine how the Arches’ multi-platform uses impacts on theatre, and deconstructs both the venue and the performance. His Post-Show, with Rob Drummond, took apart the mechanics of the after-show chat and the myths of director and writer. 

Gary McNair. King of the personal is political monologue, McNair has covered nuclear destruction, the credit crunch and, officiating at recent Sunday Sermons, the place of religion in a non-religious community.

Glas(s) Performance. Also teaching at the RSAMD, Glas(s) are best known for their ability to discover the latent talents and stories of people outside of the drama community. An emphasis on revealing hidden and personal narratives is combined with a sophisticated stage-craft and inclusive creative process.

Nic Green. Increasingly the icon of the scene, Nic’s enthusiasm for feminism, ecological thought and relentless self-questioning has come to national attention, and her pieces are capable of gently holding an audience without compromising her hard messages.

Fish and Game. A sort of New Work super-group, starring Eilidh MacAskill – Glasgow’s ukulele queen and RSAMD lecturer Robert Walton. Their Otter Pie was a brilliant examination of Scottish identity. Work in progress includes an angular look at Abraham Lincoln.