Mark & Penny Makin established makin projects in September 2005 to work with outstanding theatre, dance and comedy companies of all scales who produce high quality, accessible, entertaining and stimulating work. makin projects handle the national and international tour booking for these companies along with co-producing several new touring productions each season as well as acting as agents for a number of our comedy clients.
makin projects also offer day training and consultancy sessions to a range of emerging and established theatre and dance companies, giving an insight into how to book sustainable UK and International tours and is the regular leader of the tour booking course for the I.T.C. (Independent Theatre Council) www.itc-arts.org
Mark and Penny are the founders and co-directors of Cheltenham Spa Comedy Festival, Leamington Spa Comedy Festival, and book the comedy line ups for a number of UK festivals including The Wychwood Music Festival as well as booking for a number regular comedy clubs (one that we hold in a secret bikers club that’s accessed via a fridge).
Mark is freelance touring associate at www.housetheatre.org.uk and has worked on this ground breaking arts initiative since its inception over 10 years ago.
Prior to makin projects Penny worked extensively in the bespoke travel industry and Marks ‘arts’ CV below:
Before setting up makin projects Mark enjoyed a year with Birmingham-based ACE dance and music as their General Manager www.acedanceandmusic.com and from 1999 – 2004 Mark was tour booker and then the head of tour booking for UK Arts international. www.ukarts.com
At UK Arts he oversaw the running of the tour booking department along with actively booking UK and International touring for a diverse range of UK and International theatre and dance companies. Companies included Kneehigh Theatre Company, Steven Berkoff, Phoenix Dance, English Touring Theatre, The Birmingham Stage Company, Company of Angels, Linda Marlowe, Circus Oz, Leikin Loppu, Earthfall, Bangarra Dance Theatre, DynamO Theatre, The Market Theatre Of Johannesburg and Glynis Henderson Productions amongst many others.
During this time he worked closely with many artists in a creative role advising on all aspects of touring as well as representing UK Arts International at the Adelaide Arts Market (Adelaide, Australia), CINARS (Montreal, Canada), APAP (New York, USA), The Western Australian Indigenous Arts Market (Perth, Australia) and various UK festivals and networking opportunities.
Prior to UK Arts International Mark enjoyed extensive international work and travel which included tour managing comedians Lee & Herring and merchandising for a wide variety of bands and comedians including Lee Evans, Boyzone, The Wedding Present, Lee & Herring and Harry Hill.