Jessica O'Brien

She has since studied and worked a wide range of arts roles, taking a multidisciplinary approach towards understanding the current theatrical climate and perspectives on management. For her undergraduate degree, Jess studied Theatre: Writing, Directing and Performance at the University of York. During this time she held the role of Student & Production Liaison for Platform, the in-department production company, where she oversaw student productions, scratch nights and curated workshops in directing, scriptwriting and design. She has worked in multiple stage management roles across productions, both in university and externally. Jess also collaborated as a dramaturg with theatre company, Northern Broadsides, and held a position as a theatre and arts reviewer for The Reviews Hub. She directed a series of monologues for a digital theatre festival for her final production, which took place during the Covid pandemic.

Jess joined the Academy as Assistant Company Manager in 2021, after graduating from Kings College London with a Distinction in Arts and Cultural Management. She has championed student wellbeing, becoming a First Aider and Mental Health First Aider and assisting the Mental Health First Aid Network to deliver events on site. Jess’ commitment to arts management is fuelled by a passion for integrating therapeutic aspects of the arts within creative experiences, and a focus on wellbeing in and amongst her work with different communities. More recently, Jess accepted a short sabbatical contract with Cameron Mackintosh on the Mary Poppins National Tour.