Peter Jorgensen gives talk at Vancouver Public Library

Taking risks and adopting an entrepreneurial approach is key to succeeding in the arts, theatre producer and director Peter Jorgensen told his audience in a lecture last week.

Also, it is important “to be your own boss,” said Jorgensen, the director behind Studio 58’s recent production of Grease.

In a lecture with fellow producer and wife Katey Wright at the Vancouver Public Library downtown, the couple talked about their own successes, risks, and failures as artists.  Instead of waiting to be accepted for a job, the pair said artists should take matters into their own hands and build their own success.

“For so many artists in theatre . . . especially actors, they are waiting for someone to bestow the opportunity upon them and that can be just so defeating,” said Jorgensen.

Creating opportunities and evaluating risks 

Both Jorgensen and Wright have been successful for many years in theatre arts. They made breakthroughs simply because they created opportunities for themselves, they said.

“I didn’t have to wait for anyone else to come up with a show for which I can possibly audition, and maybe get cast,” said Wright. “It’s too much maybe for me.”

There are certain risks to being an entrepreneur but working in the arts industry makes it all worth it for the couple.

“At least if we go down in flames, we would have gone down doing it our own way,” said Wright.

Finding solstice in Fine Arts

Despite considering culinary education a practical choice, fine arts student Camilla Barker left culinary school because she felt food was not a good outlet to channel her creativity.  She enrolled in Langara to find which art suited her.

“That’s what I like about Langara,” said Barker. “I never had done sculpture before and I am finding the opportunities that it provides really great.”

Even though she does not know what she will do in the future, she said that she is happy in fine arts.

“I’m having the time of my life,” Barker said.

Reported by Edrick Dudang