Lizi has a remarkable ability to make everyone in the room feel heard and valued — something our artists continued to talk about long after the sessions had ended.
James Fogerty
SIN Cru Co-Director
Welcome
I am an experienced artistic leader, writer, director and mentor with a long-standing commitment to inclusive, socially engaged practice.
With a passion for artist development, I have spent over three decades creating and delivering impactful programmes that connect people, challenge inequality and foster wellbeing and resilience through the arts.
I thrive when working in collaboration with other people who understand that creativity should underpin everything we do as humans and simply makes us better people.
Lizi Patch is one of the most inspiring, dedicatedand visionary professionals I’ve encountered in the arts and cultural sector. Lizi is defined not only by artistic excellence, but also by a profound commitment to community, education, and inclusive leadership.
Dawn Holgate, Creative Arts Leadership,
Choreographer and Movement Director, Dance Producer.
Lizi Patch
Director | Playwright | Dramaturg |Artist
I originally trained as an actor (Rose Bruford School of Speech and Drama), going on to do a Masters in Directing at the University of East Anglia a few years later. I started writing shortly after - originally to develop material for predominantly female youth theatre casts - but I got the bug and since then I have written and toured work for stage and Radio 4. This led onto working as a dramaturg for a range of artists, which is probably one of my favourite things to do as it has introduced me to stories I would never have known or been able to tell myself.
I am passionate and highly experienced in delivering accessible and high quality actor training and artist development. As freelance Artistic Director for Leeds Heritage Theatres Young People's Theatre programme I head up the 60 strong Leeds Grand Youth Theatre (8 - 18yrs, co-founded in 2012) and the Leeds Actors in Training (18 - 26 yrs, a passion project of mine, founded in 2018). I contribute to the development of the company’s artistic vision, amplifying the voice of artists, supporting the creation of new opportunities and strengthening connections between LHT’s venues, workforce, audiences, partners, and the wider community.
I am a writer, director, dramaturg, and collaborator on work across theatre, digital and BBC Radio 4. My plays tackle subjects around identity, parenting, aging and personal growth and have toured across the UK and been produced in venues including Soho Theatre as part of A Nation’s Theatre, Alphabetti Theatre (Newcastle) and Etcetera (London).
My most recent work as a mentor and critical friend to various artists and companies explores intersectional, cross-cultural and interdisciplinary methods and themes. My dramaturgy for projects like Valoris and the Expansions (the Sin Cru), and I’m Muslamic, Don’t Panik! (Bobak Champion) help to develop bold, hybrid projects that celebrate identity, challenge stereotypes, taking the work to non-traditional performance spaces and reaching brand new audiences.
As a visual artist I have led multiple public art projects in collaboration with (amongst others) Electric Angel Design, Newcastle City Council and Junction Arts. These projects such as The Echo Funnel in Gateshead (which engaged over 15,000 multi-generational visitors in Saltwell Park) and Walker Wall in Newcastle (working with 2 local secondary schools in an area of high deprivation to produce artwork to rejuvenate a huge wall in their community) delivered high-impact, site-specific work through collaboration with schools, artists, and communities.
Enjoy looking round and don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to discuss one-off projects, long term collaboration or just for a preliminary chat about an idea that just won't go away...
Testimonials
Lizi Patch is one of the most inspiring, dedicated, and visionary professionals I’ve encountered in the arts and cultural sector. Lizi is defined not only by artistic excellence, but also by a profound commitment to community, education, and inclusive leadership.
Her understanding of how art contributes to broader society is rooted in hands on experience, whether through her role as Artistic Director, her educational outreach as an Animateur and Education Officer, or her leadership as a Project Director/Producer. She has consistently used these platforms to empower others, particularly young people/young adults, nurturing creative confidence and fostering meaningful dialogue through theatre and theatre practices.
What truly distinguishes her is her rare ability to balance visionary thinking with pragmatic delivery. She is exceptionally well networked across the UK’s creative communities and I have witnessed her use this to influence decision makers at both local (in house), regional and at national levels. She brings clarity and purpose to complex situations, consistently demonstrating sound judgment under pressure and a calm ability to take critical decisions when they matter most.
It is rare to find someone who combines artistic brilliance, organisational rigour, and genuine heart.
Dawn Holgate, Creative Arts Leadership, Choreographer and Movement Director, Dance Producer.
