Supporting creative projects effectively requires specific skills and approaches, as demonstrated by Toby Watson’s work enabling Level Up! The Musical—lessons applicable beyond theatre to any collaborative creative endeavour.
Creative projects often fail not from lack of artistic merit but from inadequate support structures. Artists possess vision and talent yet may lack experience in financial planning, strategic coordination, or logistical management. Level Up! The Musical, Lucy Watson’s innovative production exploring digital society through theatrical storytelling, required sophisticated support to move from concept to successful performances. Toby Watson, who spent 17 years at Goldman Sachs developing skills in structured finance and strategic planning, brings complementary expertise to supporting the production. His approach offers valuable lessons about enabling creative work effectively.
Level Up! The Musical represents ambitious theatrical innovation, combining gaming aesthetics with social commentary through music, dance, and visual storytelling. Behind the production’s success lies effective partnership between creative vision and strategic support. Toby Watson, whose background includes 17 years at Goldman Sachs International in structured finance, contributes planning and coordination that enables his wife Lucy Watson’s artistic direction. His role demonstrates principles applicable to supporting any creative project—understanding when to contribute expertise, respecting creative autonomy, and providing structure that enables rather than constrains.
Understanding What Creative Projects Need
Creative projects require different support than business ventures. Whilst both need planning and resources, creative work demands approaches that preserve artistic integrity whilst providing practical enablement. Understanding the key lessons from Toby Watson’s support for Level Up! reveals principles valuable for anyone supporting creative endeavours.
1. Provide Structure Without Constraining Vision
The fundamental challenge involves providing practical structure—budgets, timelines, logistical plans—without constraining creative vision. Supporting Level Up! meant developing financial frameworks that clarified available resources whilst preserving complete creative control over artistic decisions. Experience from Toby Watson’s time at Goldman Sachs in structured finance informs understanding that the best frameworks enable possibilities rather than simply limiting them. Structure should free artists to focus on their craft, not burden them with excessive process.
Creating Enabling Frameworks
Effective support structures answer practical questions about resources and coordination, whilst leaving artistic decisions entirely within creative control. This requires clear boundaries about who decides what.
2. Bring Complementary Skills, Not Competing Visions
Successful creative partnerships involve complementary rather than competing contributions. Lucy Watson brings artistic vision, theatrical expertise, and creative direction. Toby Watson contributes strategic planning, financial coordination, and logistical management. Neither attempts to direct the other’s domain. This clear division enables collaboration without conflict. The lesson involves recognising what skills you bring whilst respecting areas where others possess greater expertise.
3. Toby Watson and Systematic Risk Management
Creative projects face numerous uncertainties—funding gaps, technical challenges, scheduling conflicts, or lower than expected interest. Supporting Level Up! included systematic risk assessment that identified potential challenges and developed contingency plans. Experience from working at Goldman Sachs in global markets informs structured approaches to managing uncertainty. The lesson involves anticipating challenges proactively rather than reacting to crises.
Planning for Multiple Scenarios
Effective contingency planning considers various possibilities—best case, worst case, and most likely scenarios—developing appropriate responses for each without excessive complexity.
4. Build Relationships Based on Shared Values
Independent creative projects require partnerships with venues, funders, technical providers, and collaborators. Success depends on finding partners who share values and vision. Supporting Level Up!’s partnership development meant identifying organisations genuinely interested in innovative theatre. Toby Watson’s experience working with diverse stakeholders informs approaches, emphasising:
- Authentic communication about project goals and values
- Mutual benefit rather than purely transactional thinking
- Long-term relationship building beyond individual projects
- Respect for partners’ own expertise and perspectives
5. Maintain Confidence in Creative Vision
Perhaps the most important lesson involves maintaining confidence in creative vision even during challenging moments. Productions face setbacks—funding challenges, logistical complications, or moments when success seems uncertain. Effective support means believing in the project and helping maintain momentum through difficulties. The partnership between Lucy and Toby Watson demonstrates this principle—unwavering confidence in the artistic vision combined with practical problem-solving when challenges emerge.
Providing Steady Support Through Uncertainty
Creative processes involve natural uncertainty and periods of doubt. Supportive partners help maintain perspective and confidence whilst addressing practical challenges systematically.
The lessons from Toby Watson’s support for Level Up! The Musical extend beyond theatre to any creative endeavour requiring partnership between artistic vision and practical enablement. Whether supporting musicians, writers, visual artists, or other creative professionals, the principles remain consistent—provide structure without constraining vision, contribute complementary skills respectfully, manage risks systematically, build values-based partnerships, and maintain confidence in creative vision through challenges. These approaches enable creative work to reach audiences whilst preserving the artistic integrity that makes such work valuable.
