In this insightful episode of The Spotlight Podcast, we sit down with Jack Sargeant, the Welsh Labour Party's Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership. A strong advocate for inclusivity and Welsh industry, the Minister dives into the heart of the performing arts, offering a perspective crucial for every working actor.   Never miss an episode: subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Join Spotlight to be discovered by casting professionals working in theatre, film, tv, voice over, commercials and more! Find out about our membership options and start looking for auditions today. Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Apply today.

For performers, the decisions that shape their careers often feel distant, made behind closed doors by policymakers. In this episode of The Spotlight Podcast, we sit down with Lord Chris Smith, the UK’s first Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and a lifelong advocate for the performing arts, to pull back the curtain on how cultural policy is made and why your voice is critical. Never miss an episode: subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Join Spotlight to be discovered by casting professionals working in theatre, film, tv, voice over, commercials and more! Find out about our membership options and start looking for auditions today. Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Apply today.

Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Angus Robertson, joins us to discuss supporting homegrown talent, the magic of the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe, and how Screen Scotland and Outlander helped the screen industry boom in Scotland.  Angus talks about creating new opportunities for performers following the cancellation of iconic BBC soap River City and his priorities for culture in the year to come. He also shares his insight into the new multi-annual year funding for major cultural organisations aimed to support creatives building sustainable careers in the sector. Whether you’re a performer, a cultural enthusiast, or simply curious about the future of the arts in Scotland, this conversation offers invaluable insight into how culture and creativity are being nurtured. Never miss an episode: subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.  Join Spotlight to be discovered by casting professionals working in theatre, film, tv, voice over, commercials and more! Find out about our membership options and start looking for auditions today. Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Apply today.

In this episode of the Spotlight Podcast, Business affairs consultant and professional coach Kelly Andrews joins us in the Spotlight studio to shed light on all the work agents do behind the scenes to look after their performer clients and find them work. With 30 years of experience in the industry, Kelly previously worked as an agent and was the Co-Chair of the Personal Managers’ Association (PMA). Join us as she discusses everything you ever wanted to know about how agents operate. From researching new production rumours to maintaining relationships with casting directors, take a listen to Kelly’s insight into the working life of an agent. Plus there’s advice for establishing an effective relationship with your own agent.   Never miss an episode: subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.   Join Spotlight to be discovered by casting professionals working in theatre, film, tv, voice over, commercials and more! Find out about our membership options and start looking for auditions today. Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Find out more at https://www.spotlight.com/join-us 

Spotlight’s Managing Director Matt Hood answers your questions about Spotlight and the wider creative industry. From making the most of your Spotlight profile and new platform features to membership costs, auditions, and advice for performers, Matt covers a wide range of topics to help you navigate your performing career. Tune in for insider insights and practical tips straight from the top!   Show Notes How Spotlight looks and works for casting directors How Spotlight looks and works for agents Information about the membership discount for deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent performers can be found under the ‘join now’ button on this page. The Spotlight bursary scheme Audition advice and tips Spotlight Contacts - agents listings Wellbeing in the Arts Renting Spotlight’s Voice Booth Full list of questions submitted   Never miss an episode: subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.   Join Spotlight to be discovered by casting professionals working in theatre, film, tv, voice over, commercials and more! Find out about our membership options and start looking for auditions today. Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Find out more at https://www.spotlight.com/join-us

Stefan Szwarc from 2020 Recordings offers a wealth of practical advice for actors and voice performers aspiring to break into audiobook narration. Get an insight into the audition process, the importance of preparation and knowing your vocal instrument, and how to tailor voice reels and your Spotlight profile to help be discovered.

We’re joined in the Spotlight Voiceover Booth by Adam Bambrough, founder of Wellbeing in the Arts, to talk about mental health in the creative industries.  Spotlight has partnered with Wellbeing in the Arts to offer free mental health and wellbeing support as part of Spotlight membership for performers who are 18+ and reside in the UK and Ireland. Spotlight members can access a range of services from counselling to financial advice for free, and in this episode we talk more about what those are and how to access them. Adam also shares his own mental health journey and talks about self-care and dealing with rejection. Show Notes Contact Wellbeing in the Arts Find out more about Spotlight’s Member Assistance Programme   Never miss an episode: subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to your podcasts. This podcast is brought to you by Spotlight, supporting the careers of performers since 1927. From our beginnings as a printed directory where talent displayed their headshots, Spotlight quickly became a cornerstone of the performing arts industry. Today, our cutting-edge software service takes our directory online and empowers performers to showcase their talents by creating dynamic profiles, making them accessible to a vast network of casting directors and independent project creators. It’s our mission to simplify the discovery of new talent and ensure the continued vibrancy of stages and screens worldwide. Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Find out more at https://www.spotlight.com/join-us

The Rt. Hon. Stuart Andrews MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, joins us in the Spotlight studio to discuss how cultural policies impact performers. He talks about engaging with industry professionals to help inform policy development and his role as a “constructive opposition”, raising issues that are important to our sector, supporting the government's efforts to bolster the creative industries while also challenging them to do more.  Stuart shares his enthusiasm for the performing arts, from high-profile events like Eurovision to local community productions and discusses why the availability of grassroots training is essential. He explains the importance of finding a balance between supporting the industry and being realistic about public finances and also touches upon the significance of protecting intellectual property in the age of artificial intelligence and maintaining the UK's reputation in the creative industries.  This episode is part of a series of interviews with politicians who shape policies that affect all of us working within the creative industries.  Take a listen.   Never miss an episode: subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to your podcasts.   This podcast is brought to you by Spotlight, supporting the careers of performers since 1927. From our beginnings as a printed directory where talent displayed their headshots, Spotlight quickly became a cornerstone of the performing arts industry. Today, our cutting-edge software service takes our directory online and empowers performers to showcase their talents by creating dynamic profiles, making them accessible to a vast network of casting directors and independent project creators. It’s our mission to simplify the discovery of new talent and ensure the continued vibrancy of stages and screens worldwide. Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Find out more at https://www.spotlight.com/join-us  

We’re joined by injury prevention consultant, Tome Levi, to talk about the stark findings revealed in the Impact of Injury report about the human toll and economic impact of injury for performers and crew working in film, television and theatre. The report highlights the reality of cast and crew injuries caused whilst working on production and calls on the industry to improve safety at work and create safe spaces for concerns to be voiced. Tome talks through the key findings in the report, what can be done to challenge the operational norms of production so we can create inclusive work environments and better conditions for performers to do their jobs safely.  Show Notes Impact of injury report   Never miss an episode: subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to your podcasts.   This podcast is brought to you by Spotlight, supporting the careers of performers since 1927. From our beginnings as a printed directory where talent displayed their headshots, Spotlight quickly became a cornerstone of the performing arts industry. Today, our cutting-edge software service takes our directory online and empowers performers to showcase their talents by creating dynamic profiles, making them accessible to a vast network of casting directors and independent project creators. It’s our mission to simplify the discovery of new talent and ensure the continued vibrancy of stages and screens worldwide. Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Find out more at https://www.spotlight.com/join-us

Casting Director Kharmel Cochrane joins us to talk about her three year casting journey for ‘Bob Marley: One Love’, with a search spanning the UK, USA and Jamaica to find the 70+ cast members. Kharmel also took questions from Spotlight members and covers topics like: What to expect in an audition with Kharmel Cochrane. Adding your skills and accents to your Spotlight profile. How casting directors work with agents. In person auditions versus self-tape. Advice for performers auditioning for TV, film and commercials. Take a listen! This podcast is brought to you by Spotlight, the Home of Casting.  Using Spotlight’s cutting-edge service, performers can showcase their talents by creating dynamic profiles that are discoverable by the world’s most successful casting professionals and independent project creators. Whether you're looking for a role in film, TV, theatre, commercials or voice over, our service can help you achieve your professional goals. Join Spotlight today.

Esteemed casting director Kate Rhodes James discusses her process for assembling the stellar cast we see on screen in Gladiator II. Listen to Kate answer questions from Spotlight members about the intricacies of casting a blockbuster film, self-taping and the importance of making connections through work.

Tips for making your Spotlight profile the best it can be to help casting directors discover you.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) takes an increasing role in the creative arts, we look at what a performers legal rights are and how performers can safeguard their likeness and their work.

Tips and advice for making the most of your time at drama school, including common mistakes students make and how to avoid them, and how to keep improving your acting skills after you graduate.

Why diversity is important in the entertainment industry, and more information about MAC Cosmetics’ collaboration with Spotlight and the Diverse Squad.

What you need to know before applying for drama school, including different types of training, advice for auditioning and the importance of inclusivity.

We explore what interactive film is, how to break into it, and what work opportunities exist for actors in this exciting new genre.

How to navigate the world of performing when you don’t have an agent, and how to make the most of Spotlight as a self-represented performer

Zoë Alba Farrugia shares her story about moving to the UK as a Maltese performer to follow her acting dream, the challenges she faced and how they inspired her to co-found female-led theatre company Prickly Pear Productions. Prickly Pear Productions champions underrepresented stories and artists and we discuss how that work comes about and the importance of telling stories that are inspired by different cultures and human experiences. In this hour-long episode, we also talk about: Who Creative Edinburgh are and what they do within the creative community The importance of the artistic community Opportunities for creatives in Scotland Creating a theatre company and making work Representation and opportunities for women, particularly migrant women, in the performing arts industry How the industry can be more inclusive and open itself up to better represent different nationalities and cultures The similarities and differences of actors' experiences across the world. Never miss an episode - subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. This podcast is brought to you by Spotlight, the home of casting, which has been helping professional performers find roles in TV, film and theatre since 1927. Over 90% of UK television work is cast on Spotlight and now joining us is easier than ever! If you have professional training or professional performance credits or a recommendation from an agent or casting director, you can sign up to become a Spotlight member. As a member you’ll get access to our jobs board, and exclusive members-only benefits like workshops, career advice, events, discounts and more!  Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Join us today!

Voice coach Nic Redman gives tips for keeping your voice on top form over the winter and shares advice to help your vocals recover after a cold. Never miss an episode - subscribe to The Spotlight Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. This podcast is brought to you by Spotlight, the home of casting, which has been helping professional performers find roles in TV, film and theatre since 1927. Over 90% of UK television work is cast on Spotlight and now joining us is easier than ever! If you have professional training or professional performance credits or a recommendation from an agent or casting director, you can sign up to become a Spotlight member. As a member, you’ll get access to our jobs board, and exclusive members-only benefits like workshops, career advice, events, discounts and more!  Ready to take the next step in your performing career? Join us today!