By Lucy Neill | 9 October 2026
Two young creatives from Suffolk are being offered the chance to gain practical experience, advice and industry insight through a new mentorship scheme through Suffolk Community Libraries.
The mentorships are part of One Seat Cinema, a new immersive digital theatre experience coming to Suffolk’s libraries. Open to young people aged 17 – 26 from Suffolk, there are two structured creative-career mentorships available.
Mentees will work directly with the creative team behind One Seat Cinema, Tom Hobden and Phoebe Stapleton, and can choose to be mentored in digital arts, production, or community engagement, with further support available from Suffolk Community Libraries.
Mentees are also encouraged to bring their own projects and practice to the table, gaining valuable advice and support on getting started in the sector. The offer is built to give each mentee a genuine map for their next steps: regular one-to-one check-ins at the start, midpoint, end and three months on, and space to reflect through conversation, observation and hands-on practical experience.
One Seat Cinema is an intimate, photobooth-style digital experience designed for one or two audience members. It’s a miniature cinematic experience, small enough to hold in your hands, yet vast enough to hold incredible moving stories.
Mentees will receive:
- At least six hours of dedicated one-to-one time with the team
- Genuine insight into how a creative studio operates
- Real networking opportunities
- Honest, practical advice and feedback on bringing your ideas and projects to life.
This is an unpaid opportunity and expenses are not covered.
Anyone interested in applying for this mentorship opportunity can email libraries.arts@suffolk.gov.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 14 October answering two short questions:
- Tell us about yourself – a short bio
- What would you most like to gain from this experience?
About the filmmakers:
Tom is a multi-hypenate artist and his career has taken on diverse roles, including community dance artist, choreographer, filmmaker, digital artist (projection mapping) and educator. In 2024, he started Tom Hobden Studio to encompass his new creative strands of film and interactive digital projection pieces.
Phoebe is a Movement Director and filmmaker for stage, screen and digitally immersive worlds. She merges physical expression with storytelling to craft visually striking performances. Phoebe’s inclusive practice celebrates the uniqueness of every individual. Growing up neurodivergent, she discovered movement as her first language, believing it transcends words and offers a universal form of expression.
This project has been funded by the Suffolk County Council Culture Fund and Suffolk Community Libraries.
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