8 Nov 2022
This month, we kicked off our brand-new Campfire project in Doncaster. Partnering with Mind, we are working with service users to create a brand new piece of performance which doesn't require rehearsed performers to be performed...(more on that next month!) We have a brilliant group, and have already started developing characters, themes & settings, and came to the collective decision that carving faces in Pumpkins was unnecessarily violent when a Pumpkin may well have friends, family & a life of their own!!
The LIVE: Bradford artists have also been working hard on their shows for 24th November at the Thornbury Centre. We can’t tell you too much, but we can tell you that there’s going to be a HUGE range of work, from drag to Punjabi folk music, and (nearly) everything in between. Tickets are being snapped up fast, so head to this link to reserve your spot (you can Pay What You Decide on the night).
And don’t forget – if you’re an artist yourself and fancy trying out some new material, applications for LIVE at Barnsley Civic close this Thursday. In-person slots are reserved for artists based in South Yorkshire, but we also have digital slots for artists from elsewhere, if you’re interested in exploring a hybrid medium.
We are still recruiting for our Company Producer to join our team on a long-term basis. If you’re a principled, collaborative and innovative individual with experience running projects and budgets, we want to hear from you! We’re really excited for this to be a real “boots-on-the-ground” job, and so look forward to receiving lots of applications from people who want to get stuck in to help make change in the world.
More information about all our recruitment (including for new Trustees!) – are available on our website by following this link.
And lastly, on Friday, we received news that we weren't successful in our application to join Arts Council England's National Portfolio for 2023-26. With dozens of projects in the pipeline, we were excited by the possibility of growing our organisation and reaching even more artists, participants and audiences across the country. It was not to be, but the work continues, we keep going and have learnt and grown an awful lot through the process of applying. We only became a charitable organisation earlier this year and you can't miss what you've never had, so we will keep working to find our core funding in other ways (psst, there's a 'donate' button below).
Things aren't quite that straightforward, of course, for companies who have had their funding cut or lost it altogether. And at the same time, some brilliant organisations we adore are entering the portfolio for the first time. It's complex, isn't it?
One thing we know for sure: the Arts Council, we believe, does pretty damn well considering the cards it is dealt by the powers that be. Let's remember none of these decisions happen in a vacuum, and direct our rage towards the right places.
But enough of that. There’s plenty to be getting on with in the meantime.