Despite the new lockdown in the UK we’re doing everything we can to draw down from some new year energy for 2021 and are more committed than ever to keep reaching you our audiences, the young adults we create unique cultural projects for and our wider community of 15-25 year olds. 2020 was a year we’re not keen to relive in many ways but there was also so much we achieved and are proud of. Just before we closed the virtual office for the Christmas break we asked members of the team, our Advisory Group and our Board to help us reflect upon the year that was and over the coming days we’re going to be sharing those with you here.
Whatever 2021 has in store for us all, we know that we’re going to get through it and so from all of us at Boundless here’s to everything we can achieve together.
#BigBoundlessEnergy
Natalie is a Boundless Advisory Group Member and here she is at the Digital Fundraising Gala that she produced at work
2020 has been a year, what’s it been like at Boundless, what are you proud of?
What a year 2020’s been and I am honestly not sure where to start. At Boundless, I am proud that it has provided a safe heaven for its advisory group. I’m Natalie, and I am an innovative and passionate arts producer and fundraiser, I work for organisations as well as produce my own projects independently. Being in the earlier part of my career, I am very used to “begging, borrowing and stealing” from others, from rehearsal space, to getting a shoutout on Twitter in order to make finite resources stretch. Because of this very reason and my own personality, I am tactful and careful of the professional relationships I hold with others, and in particular during the pandemic, a very sensitive time where difficult decisions are made, more than ever. I have made mistakes when starting-out and I am careful to test the waters when we are still figuring what our relationship might look like.
I am proud that Rob and staff at Boundless have done their very best to break down this barrier for us, and in a way, because I am contributing my ideas through advisory group meetings, voluntarily, the relationship felt more equal and I feel safe to send any thoughts, or anything at all I need help on, or anything I need a sounding board for at Boundless – so thank you so much. I am so grateful to know this safe space is here for me at anytime.
But to conclude, my proudest moments of 2020 are:
Personally: re-connecting with people that I have lost touched with, using the lockdown as an excuse to break the ice/get through awkwardness
Professionally: I started 2020 as Development (Fundraising) Assistant for an arts venue, and ended as Fudnraising Manager for a different arts charity, with 8 months of complete unemployment in between which I spent time writing over 20 successful grant applications independently, both for myself to survive and to initate projects! (Of course, there are many many many more unsuccessful ones behind that…I’ve lost count)
What does 2021 have in store for you at Boundless
So…I am going to be 25 in 2021, which means my relationship with Boundless might gradually progress from being on the advisory group and transforming into something different, I don’t quite know what that means yet, but we’ll see.
Finally, give us a new year’s resolution
Change your “To Do List” into a “Ta Da List” – write down everything you’ve accomplished that day at the end of day instead of making a list at the start of day and then feeling sad when you haven’t finished it all (obviously still find a way to keep track of things you need to do!)
I am a big fan of Trello, and I have a specific list called “Natalie’s Completed Items” – seeing a sea of green ticks is wonderful, and I am going to continue building this system into the new year, so I encourage you to find something that works for you
Natalie is the master of the Ta Da list - here's a (content blurred but still amazingly impressive) screenshot of the lists that she keeps daily!
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There are lots of amazing people who make Boundless, including the team, our Advisory Group of 15-25 year olds and our board of trustees. You can find out more about them here and get in touch by dropping an email to hello@boundlesstheatre.org.uk
We know that Covid-19 is presenting a great number of challenges to young adults and we’re here for you. Through our work, creative initiatives or just as a supportive space to listen we want to hear how we can better serve you. Now isn’t a time for standing on ceremony and we’re going to be rolling out more ways to connect with our community through 2021.
Read 2020: The Year That Was by Boundless Advisory Group Member Fin Ross Russell