Izzie Smith
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I'm Coming to Bradford Lit Fest!

10/6/2025

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Lost Mills is coming to @bradfordlitfest on Friday 27th June!

Join @509arts as we celebrate our two-year oral history project, Lost Mills and Ghost Mansions, documenting the stories and experiences of Bradford's last generation of textile workers.

Alan Dix (509 Arts' Artistic Director) and I will be sharing our favourite extracts from the interviews, screening our digital multimedia experience - Unspun Stories, and exploring the Lost Mills Learning Zone. You don't want to miss it!
Book Tickets!
After enjoying all the events and workshops Bradford Lit Fest has offered over the years, it's a huge honour to take to the stage to host a talk myself. Opportunities like this don't come around every day and it's a real pinch me moment! 
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New Radio Show: Creative Frequency

28/5/2025

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So this is a project I've been developing behind the scenes for over a year now, and I'm so excited the day is finally here to share it!

I'm producing and hosting a new radio show for BCB Radio (106.6FM) celebrating unconventional routes into creative industries. Each 30 minute episode will feature a local artist sharing their career journey, warts and all. I hope to amplify unheard voices and demystify the process of building a creative career from the ground up. As a full time performer reliant on cleaning in the early days of her career, I want to use this platform to destigmatise 'survival jobs' and imposter syndrome prominent in the arts, especially for working class creatives.

Any form of creative vocation is welcome to apply! This includes, but is not limited to:
- Actors, Dancers and Singers
- Filmmakers and Photographers
- Directors, Choreographers, Intimacy Coordinators, Producers
- Writers and Poets
- Visual artists
- Musicians
- Textile artists
- Potters and Sculptors
- Makeup Artists, Props and Costume Designers

The show will deep dive:

- Invisible barriers in creative fields
- Imposter syndrome
- Obvious and not so obvious routes in
- Realities of networking and industry connections
- Real 'days in my life' for different art forms
- Realistic, achievable actions aspiring creatives can take to pursue their creative vocations
- The many different roles creatives play to sustain a business
- Celebrating those feeling the fear and doing it anyway!

Please note: you do not have to be earning full time from your creative vocation to be considered for this show. I recognise the time, commitment, and individual circumstances that affect career progressions - and this is a huge focus for the show too. This is a safe, supportive space to shine a light on how any form of professional work, regardless of percentage to other income streams, qualifies a creative as professional. I want to champion everyone regardless of their current career stage, asking only that guests are open and transparent about how they got to where they are today. 

To register your interest in featuring on an episode of Creative Frequency, please complete the form below and I'll be in touch!
Apply for Creative Frequency
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Producing Debut...

25/5/2025

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I'm so proud to share that after working with 509 Arts on various projects since 2021, I am producing their latest theatre project!

We can't reveal too much at this stage however can tell you it's commissioned by Bradford 2025 for UK City of Culture and will be performed in their pop up theatre venue, The Loading Bay, in the centre of the city. 

The piece focuses on the wonders and challenges of ageing and includes a Community Chorus, performers and musicians all aged over 60. 

Building on the award winning success of Calderland and the Batley Variations, the new show will be composed by UK Theatre award winner Richard Taylor (Royal Opera, Chichester Festival Theatre, Leeds Playhouse, Sheffield Crucible and much more - details here.) 

The piece is written by Alan Dix (Artistic Director of 509 Arts) with Olivier Award winner Mike Kenny (The Railway Children, York Theatre Royal, National Theatre of Greece, Derby Theatre, Graeae and more). Directed by Alan Dix.

Our Community Chorus will be led by Chorus Director Em Whitfield Brooks (Hull Freedom Chorus, Hull Jazz Festival, PRS New Music Biennial and others).

Working alongside such an experienced, talented team is a real pinch-me moment and I'm grateful to be developing my skills as a theatre producer on such a cool project. Stay tuned for more updates!

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Unspun Stories Digital Experience!

19/5/2025

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Unspun Stories was a big hit at the Loading Bay in Bradford earlier this year. Created by 509 Arts and the Colour Foundry, the multimedia exhibition revealed Bradford’s textile heritage in a new and exciting immersive format, with translucent gauzes, projectors and a compelling soundtrack. 

Audiences loved Unspun Stories, and now it can be viewed on screens at home! The full 20 minute version together with 5 short digital tracks have all been reformatted for video and are free to view and enjoy anywhere, anytime!
Unspun Stories celebrates Bradford's textile heritage from the 1970s onwards. Its creation stems from 509 Arts’ two year research programme, Lost Mills and Ghost Mansions, blended with footage from the Yorkshire Film Archive and the voices of textile workers. An original digital design and specially composed music create a unique perspective on a very special time in Bradford’s recent history.

Audio of the music tracks are also available via SoundCloud and Spotify.
Unspun Stories Playlist
I've been lucky enough to be involved in Unspun Stories behind the scenes since it's R&D at Salts Mill in 2024 for the Saltaire Arts Trail and I'm really proud of its evolution into a second immersive exhibition and now digital experience. Please go give it a like and share with anyone interested in Bradford's textile heritage, multimedia art or cool new music!
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Service with a Smile: Sold Out Scratch Night!

10/3/2025

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Play Test was a score! On Wednesday the Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, was fully booked with the most supportive and engaging audience for the venue's first scratch night. It was a busy day involving a couple hours rehearsal in the space with my director, Emily Susanne Lloyd, before meeting the other creatives to perform, so I'm looking back with such gratitude for the smooth running of the event thanks to the OJS team (Liam, James and Emily). 

This was such a special evening sharing new theatre and I met the most talented bunch of actors, writers and directors. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to chat afterwards.

Here's some examples of the generous feedback Service with a Smile received from the audience:
  • Great moments of humour and emotion balanced and explored well
  • The detailed description of interactions with each character and the main character going into detail about how she truly feels. Real, heartwarming, reminds you that everyone's lives have as much depth as yours. Offered a heartwarming familiarity. 
  • INCREDIBLE - All of it resonated as an actor. So smart and incredible writing. 
  • I thought that the ending was particularly beautiful. Had equal elements of humour and heartfelt commentary. 
  • Good character depth and understanding of the character written in the material
  • The staging really worked well, great interaction with the whole set and props. 
  • I love the work of the director, always such interesting choices
  • The range of the piece, theme and content was engaging and entertaining. 
  • Loved the writing and acting too. There were so many parallels I especially enjoyed. 
  • Absolutely beautiful writing & acting 10/10
  • Absolutely BEAUTIFUL (I thought the writing was brilliant and the performance was stunning) ​
  • This was so beautiful & special! The personal and raw writing was such a wonderful thing to experience! Loved it!!

I won't forget this night in a while! I just wish I'd been able to record the performances or at least remember to take more photographs!

I'm feeling another funding bid in the works... 👀
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Play Test Scratch Night - Birmingham!

25/2/2025

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Buzzing to share an extract of my solo show, Service with a Smile, is selected for Birmingham's Old Joint Stock Theatre's first scratch night, Play Test! On 5th March, audiences can support six new pieces of writing and give feedback! Tickets are Pay What You Can and can be secured using the button below. It's my first time performing in Birmingham and I'm directed by childhood friend and incredible director, Emily Susanne Lloyd! You don't want to miss this!
Buy Tickets!
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Sound & Vision

17/12/2024

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I am the new presenter for the National Science and Media Museum's monthly broadcast on BCB Radio, Sound & Vision! Our first show aired in November and is available to catch up with here:
Sound & Vision Shows
This Thursday we record the final show of 2024 ready for its Christmas Day broadcast and I can't wait for the reopening of the museum in January 2025 so we can see the redevelopments in person. Very grateful for the team at the National Science and Media Museum for welcoming me so warmly!
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Both Feet Live

29/9/2024

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I was so honoured to be chosen to represent the Leeds division of Both Feet in September for their Both Feet Live event at Leeds Playhouse. We shared the behind the scenes process of the Meisner technique with the audience, ending with improvised and scripted scenes to show the variety of work we are capable of as a result of the training. Steph was a generous and patient director and it was a fantastic evening!
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Both Feet's Actor Spotlight!

28/6/2024

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Steph very kindly selected me as June's Actor Spotlight in the Both Feet newsletter. Here's a poor quality screenshot of the feature:
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Short and Sweet Festival Yorkshire

28/6/2024

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Exciting news! Last Friday, I was in short play, Curtains, in the first heat of Short and Sweet festival Yorkshire in beautiful Harrogate. We were somehow selected by both the audience and judges for the final which is taking place this Saturday 29th at the same venue. To bring this script to life with the talented Abdul Rahman Chunara and Meg Terzza has been so much fun and we can't wait to see everyone else's work onstage! The event is sold out so fingers crossed we get lucky :) 
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Izzie smith
Actor. presenter. dog lover.

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