Meet Louise Dingwall, Press & Marketing Officer

What does your role involve?

As the Press and Marketing Officer, my role is incredibly diverse. I’m part of the Marketing team, working to promote our shows, workshops, and creative opportunities. This includes everything from helping to coordinate media relations and organising advertising, to helping plan full-scale campaigns.

If you spot eye-catching Citz posters around town or engaging posts on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), that’s us—I’m one of the people behind them. The Marketing team makes sure everyone knows about the exciting things happening at the Citz and how to get involved.

Could you briefly describe a typical working day?

There’s no such thing as a typical day here! One day, I might be collaborating with the team and a designer to craft artwork for a new show poster and flyer. The next, I could be at my desk booking ad space across the city. Some days, I get to attend rehearsals (which is the best!), chaperone photographers during production shoots, handle press tickets, or write blogs and briefs. It’s fast-paced, varied, and I love it!

Most rewarding and most difficult things about your job? 

I love being involved in a project from start to finish.

It often begins with our Artistic Director, Dominic Hill, sharing his ideas for the upcoming season’s shows. We’ll read the script, attend a read-through, and then sit down with him to discuss his vision for the production. From there, the real collaboration begins. Our team, along with designers and artists, work together to create vision boards for the poster and flyer artwork, crafting copy that evolves into assets for the website, social media, and more.

Seeing that artwork come to life across the city is such a thrill. There’s nothing like knowing you’ve been part of a process that brings a production to life and draws audiences in, encouraging them to buy tickets and engage with the theatre.

The trickiest thing about my job is often how quickly things can change. You need to be able to think and react quickly in theatre – but that’s part of the fun. You never know what’s going to happen!

Do you have a favourite show that you’ve worked on at the Citizens Theatre, and why?  

Shows are like babies – you really shouldn’t have a favourite. They are all unique and special. However… working on Cuttin’ A Rug was joyous. It was such a fun show with a brilliant cast and we had lots of freedom around the campaign for it.

Our Christmas shows are also a highlight – Dominic strikes a great balance between being able to capture the magic of Christmas whilst offering something different for audiences. There is a real buzz around the building when a Christmas show is in rehearsal and on stage – it’s my favourite time of the year.

The Christmas shows also do a brilliant job of showcasing just how talented all of the Citz departments are – from wardrobe to carpentry to sound and lights – everything is created under one roof!

What experience, knowledge or qualifications do you need to do your job? 

Qualifications are valuable and can certainly help open doors but I don’t believe having a degree is essential. Sometimes you end up in a job that has absolutely nothing to do with your degree!

My path to marketing wasn’t traditional. I have a degree in Community Arts, and for years, I worked with learning and participation teams in various cultural organisations across Scotland. Throughout my career, I was always fascinated by what draws people to engage with creativity and culture—and the barriers they face. This curiosity led me toward roles in Audience Engagement and Development, before eventually transitioning fully into marketing at the Citz. It’s not your typical marketing job, which is what I love about it. There’s so much room for creativity, and we really take the time to understand our audiences and how to support their connection to our work.

I think it’s really important to have a genuine passion and love for what you do. There are long days, unsociable hours and definite ‘down sides’ to working in the cultural sector, but I bloody love it.

In terms of ‘skills’ that I think I have that suit this job, I’ve always been able to think quickly on my feet (definition: winging it!), I thrive on planning and organising, and I perform well under pressure.

Do you have any advice for someone interested in a career in Arts Marketing?

The best advice I can offer to anyone looking to work in the cultural sector is to immerse yourself in it. Go to shows, join workshops, network with people, volunteer, read industry articles, find an entry-level job that lets you learn from the ground up. We work in a field that celebrates creativity and individualism, so there’s no reason why that shouldn’t extend to how we recruit.

It’s a competitive industry, and breaking in can be tough. Don’t be discouraged by rejection – seek feedback, ask questions. Your journey to your dream job doesn’t need to be a straight line. Sometimes, taking a step sideways or even backwards is part of the process.

We’re getting ready to return to our building in 2025. What are you most excited about for when the building reopens? 

Literally everything!

• Walking past the rehearsal room and hearing ‘action’.
• The smell of the paint from the workshop and seeing random props and bits of set in the run.
• Sitting in the auditorium again waiting for a show to go up.
• And getting to finally take my little boy and girl for a tour backstage and getting an updated family photo!