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Departing boss of Eden Court Theatre in Inverness reveals how a Christmas Eve phone call saved staff jobs as he talks about the pandemic, racism and THAT public artwork


By Val Sweeney

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Outgoing Eden Court chief executive James Mackenzie-Blackman.
Outgoing Eden Court chief executive James Mackenzie-Blackman.

Since arriving in Inverness to take up the post of chief executive of Eden Court, James Mackenzie-Blackman has been a vocal champion on issues from racism to gay rights.

As he now prepares to return to his home town to head up the Theatre Royal Plymouth, he reflected on his sense of responsibility of using his voice from the start of his four-year tenure.

Just days after his husband and their two children joined him in Inverness, he made newspaper headlines after publicly denouncing a gang of youngsters who racially abused his mixed-race baby son while out in his pushchair. Despite feeling vulnerable, he took to social media asking his followers to “stand shoulder-to-shoulder against ignorance and hate”.

“You have to call out this stuff,” he said this week.

“Clearly, that was not a very nice welcome for my family. What was so touching was from that one incident I had so many emails and letters of support from the community saying that is not the Highland way, this is not the Highland spirit or welcome.

“There have been a few moments like that at Eden Court where I feel I have jumped off a cliff face and put myself or the organisation really out there and there has been a big community response.”

He cites a display of artwork, posters and banners left on Ness Bridge following a peaceful protest in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

With splits among the public about whether they should be removed and Highland Council caught up in the furore, the theatre stepped in and they were turned into a stunning exhibition in the windows of its restaurant which was closed due to the pandemic.

The Black Lives Matter exhibition was staged during lockdown.
The Black Lives Matter exhibition was staged during lockdown.

It led to some “horrendous” emails from people saying the theatre was taking a political standpoint and they would not be returning – but he maintained there were so many more people who agreed with the venue’s course of action.

“I have to remind myself in these moments that often the most vocal section of a viewpoint is actually the minority,” he said.

“You never expect to get an email saying you are doing a good job.”

He believes it is the case with the new public artwork, the Gathering Place, a short walk from his office which he feels must be the best in the city with its view over the River Ness.

He says it easy for people to say they hate the artwork while those who like it or find it sympathetic do not necessarily speak up.

So what of his opinion of the Gathering Place?

While hoping to avoid creating more headlines, he said: “I think it is sympathetic to the river bank. I think it is in keeping. I think it is discreet. I think everyone needs to calm down.”

The inaugural ProudNess march makes its way to Eden Court Theatre.
The inaugural ProudNess march makes its way to Eden Court Theatre.

An important moment in his tenure was in 2018 when the inaugural Proud Ness event hit the headlines after a 700-signature petition unsuccessfully called for the parade to be banned on religious and moral grounds.

Police predicted 300 people might turn out but an estimated 6000 supporters marched through the city to the theatre in a show of solidarity for the LGBT community. So great were the crowds, the gates of the Northern Meeting Park were opened.

“I learned so much that day about the place this building has in the Highland community and how brilliant the building is to host events and how alive the building was that day. It is about civic space.”

He talks about his passion in bringing the world to Eden Court, and Eden Court to the world.

Eden Court plays a key role in bringing people together.
Eden Court plays a key role in bringing people together.

His first two years were a difficult time of significant funding cuts and restructuring the business but as 2020 began, he was looking forward to delivering a programme he wanted – then the coronavirus pandemic struck.

“Towards the end of 2020, I knew we needed to secure some significant investment to keep Eden Court solvent so we didn’t have to make the entire staff redundant which we might had to have done.”

The theatre joined forces with Aberdeen Performing Arts and Capital Theatres in Edinburgh to lobby Scotland culture secretary Fiona Hyslop for emergency cash while others including politicians Drew Hendry and Fergus Ewing and the Inverness Chamber of Commerce helped.

A lifeline £800,000 grant was officially announced in January this year but Mr Mackenzie-Blackman had been told he would he would get the decision before Christmas.

“Thinking every civil servant would have gone home, I spent Christmas Eve morning thinking I would be going back in January to make everyone redundant,” he said. “Then the telephone rang at 3.30pm.”

It was the news he needed to hear.

The theatre has faced huge challenges as a result of the pandemic.
The theatre has faced huge challenges as a result of the pandemic.

Asked about the role of Eden Court, he replied: “We are in the business of bringing people together and a shared experience is a special experience.

“It takes a pandemic for people to realise how much they enjoy shared experiences.

“It could be sitting in the café and having a coffee or panini. It could be sitting in the theatre and watching a show, or sitting in the cinema and watching a film or being in the studio and taking part in a workshop.

“It could be any of these things and through the pandemic people were not able to do that.”

He believes people do have a sense of ownership of the building.

"I love how teenagers wonder around like they own the place," he said.

"We have another group which comes and knits on a Tuesday evening and they sit and gossip. We have another group of people who come and play board games.

"Where else in the city do you get such a mix of people?

With Eden Court being important to the local economy, in recent months he has represented the cultural sector in drawing up Inverness 2035, a vision which aims to make the city a welcoming, business-minded, cultural, green and sustainable city.

"I hope the city is able to be ambitious for itself," he said.

"If you look at the world's best cities Melbourne, London, Paris - they all have rivers running through them.

"We have this strong river running through the city with Eden Court on one side and the castle on the other, there is so much potential to be realised."

Pride defeats prejudices


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