How a Creative Arts Organization Brought Clarity and Coordination to Its Creative Operations

Mats Eldøen, Artistic Director @ Det Andre Teatret

10+
concurrent productions tracked in one platform
70+
volunteers scheduled weekly across production
6
departments consolidated into one platform
“SmartSuite has become our central nervous system. It gives structure to our creative chaos—and helps us deliver productions on time, every time.”
Mats Eldøen, Artistic Director @ Det Andre Teatret

Problem

From Chaos to Cohesion

As Norway’s leading improvisational theater, this creative arts organization runs dozens of projects and productions across multiple departments—artistic programming, external gigs, volunteer coordination, classes, and bar operations. Despite the team’s creativity, operations were fragmented:

  • Trello was used by the external team but lacked structure for managing high-volume gigs and workshops
  • A custom scheduling app built by an external developer handled performances but was hard to evolve
  • Volunteer and class scheduling, production management, and team communications were all disconnected

The artistic director, realized that without a centralized system, key details were falling through the cracks—especially when project leads were absent or deadlines were missed. Weekly project meetings lacked a consistent source of truth, and there was no clear way to reassign tasks or maintain continuity across departments.

Q1

Solution

Unified System for Cross-Team Operation

The artistic director implemented SmartSuite to unify all of the theater’s operational processes into a single digital workplace—while preserving the flexibility needed for creative workflows.

  • Project Management Hub: A form-based intake system feeds a centralized project tracker, with linked marketing plans, production schedules, and contact lists. Tasks are automatically created based on input criteria and assigned to the right team members.
  • Department-Specific Views: Each team—from external gigs to volunteer coordination—uses filtered views tailored to their daily operations, simplifying onboarding and usage.
  • Volunteer & Bar Scheduling: 70+ volunteers and 8 bar employees are scheduled with SmartSuite views and checklists, replacing manual coordination.
  • Permissions & Privacy: Sensitive project and personnel data are restricted via SmartSuite’s granular permission settings, ensuring only designated users can edit or view key records.
  • Internal Feedback Loops: A dedicated feedback form lets team members request changes or report issues with workflows—fostering continuous improvement.

SmartSuite's visual and relational model allowed him to replicate the flexibility of spreadsheets while adding structure, automation, and cross-department alignment.

Q2

Results

Powering Creative and Operational Growth

SmartSuite has transformed this creative arts organization’s behind-the-scenes operations. The weekly project meeting is now guided by real-time data, ensuring that nothing is overlooked—even when team members are absent.

With intuitive dashboards, relational records, and automated task generation, departments that once operated in silos now collaborate with ease. Tasks are visible, responsibilities are clear, and volunteers are engaged through a transparent, documented process.

What began as a project management initiative is now expanding into every operational area of the theater—including box office, class registration, and performance reviews. And with the artistic director leading the buildout, SmartSuite is enabling a new level of creative collaboration—backed by data and operational discipline.

Download Customer Story PDF

Customer

Improv Theater – Norway

Industry

Art, Culture and Humanities

Team

Artistic Programming, External Gigs, Volunteer Coordination, Ticketing

Region

Europe

Company size

Small Business

Pain point

Disconnected scheduling, project tracking, and team collaboration

Products replaced

FileMaker, Spreadsheets, Trello

About the company

Norway’s largest improv theater offering performances and courses known for their creativity and community spirit.