Dance City, Gillian Dickinson Trust and Northumberland Dance Development Fund Residency and Co-commission 2025

An open call out and invitation to be at home in the North East

The Gillian Dickinson Trust, Dance City and Northumberland Dance Development Residency/Commission invites an artist or company to embed their practice within the thriving dance community in the North East of England. During the residency period, the commissioned artists will not only take advantage of Dance City’s studios and theatre to develop new ideas and present new works, but also engage with our communities, including professionals, students, audiences and participants across the region

Dance City’s Vision:

Believing in the power of dance to invigorate people and communities, and for dance to hold a special place in people’s hearts.  

Dance City’s Mission:

For the North East to be the best place to dance and experience dance.  

The Gillian Dickinson Trust supports charities in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and County Durham and aims to promote creativity in young people.  

Northumberland Dance Development is an initiative of Northumberland County Council, Berwick Maltings, Alnwick Playhouse and Queen’s Hall Hexham.

The Offer-Spring 2025:

The artist/company will be provided with funds, space and staff support to work with students, connect with the artistic community and to develop their work to be ‘presentation ready’ by the end of the commission at Dance City. Workshops or performances will also take place in collaboration with three Northumberland venues, The Maltings, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnwick Playhouse, Alnwick and The Queen’s Hall, Hexham.

The commissioned artist will be awarded £24,000 and the following in-kind support:

• Producing support
  to assist with the community and workshop activity.
• Marketing support to assist with the community and workshop activity.
• Up to four weeks of rehearsal space, including at least one week in Dance City’s Theatre (Monday – Friday, or as arranged). 

• Marketing support for the final presentation of the preview performance or premiere. 
• Technical support for up to two weeks to support the presentation of the premiere performance and subsequent performances in Northumberland.

The commission fee is inclusive of this work and all expenses incurred by the artist/company during their stay and inclusive of VAT.

Dance City can support in finding appropriate travel and accommodation options.

The different departments within Dance City are working closely together so the residency enables an artist to spend time working with the Centre for Advanced Training Programme (CAT), the BA (Hons) Professional Dance Programme and the Professional Artist Development Programme across 4 – 5 weeks, as detailed in the schedule below.

‘Working with Patricia Okenwa/Fertile Ground for the GDT commission was great for making connections, gaining industry experience with the comfort of an educational structure, and acclimating me for professional working experience. With it being 3rd Year, it felt affirming to understand my personal movement style, and then be able to offer that to a professional context, bringing a lot of pride and commitment.’ – Kieron Wilson, Year 3 BA Hons Professional Dance Degree

Who we are looking for:

We are seeking a total of one artist or company for 2025. The artist/company will have the following attributes:

• You are an artist/company and your practice is based in dance, movement or choreography.
• You are aged 18 or above.
• An artist/company with a track record of offering quality learning experiences

• An artist or company with producing support.
• An artist/company that will take this opportunity to further develop a work which has already undergone a research and/or development period. We expect the work to be in its final phase toward presentation by the time you arrive at Dance City

We welcome applications from all dance artists, in particular we welcome applications from:

• People of marginalised genders including women, non-binary people, and trans men and women
• Artists living and/or working in North East England
• LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual +)
• Global Majority Heritage
• Neurodivergent
• Disabled

Dance City wants to work with artists to ensure that what is created here has a life beyond Dance City, and relationships with us are ongoing. The commission will be suited to an artist or company who have existing networks on which to build partnerships; Dance City is also able to support with brokering partnerships if required.

Dates and Details:

Residency/Commission – Spring 2025:

• Weeks Commencing 3, 10 and 17 February 2025:
  BA Residency working for three weeks with final-year undergraduate students to realise a minimum 15-minute work suitable for theatres and school settings.
• Week Commencing 24 February 2025: CAT Intensive with Contemporary students 10am – 5pm. Daily technique and creative sessions culminating in a new dance piece that is no longer than 10 minutes to be performed in the CAT End of Year Show in July 2025
• Week Commencing 3 March 2025:
   Bespoke activity that engages the Public and the Professional Artist Community via workshops, talks and/or professional classes designed and agreed upon between the artist and the Dance City Producer in Newcastle and Northumberland*
• Week Commencing 10 and 17 March: 
  Rehearsals of artist/company’s work in the studio.
• Weeks commencing 24 March and 31 March:
  Development and production of artist/company’s work in the Theatre with a Preview Performance or Premiere of the work on the 4 April 2025.*
  *Any performances in Northumberland will be arranged by mutual consent during the final creation window above with Dance City, Northumberland Dance Development Fund and artist/company.

We have set out these dates to provide structure for work internally and for applicants to consider. Detailed conversation can take place with artists interested in this opportunity and/or the successful applicant to ensure that these dates work for both Dance City and the artist/company.

Get to know Dance City better:

Please take a look around Dance City’s purpose-built building by taking this 3D tour, click here.

There is also lots of information about the organisation and each of the departments on our About Us page. We sincerely want this to be the right opportunity for applicants as well as for us. 

If you would like to apply:

Please click on this link below and complete and submit the application form by 10am on Monday 2 September 2024. You will be notified about your application by Monday 9 September 2024. Interviews will be on Thursday 12 or Friday 13 September 2024. and the outcome of these interviews will be shared week commencing 16 September 2024.

If you prefer to complete a word version of the application form, please email anand.bhatt@dancecity.co.uk.

If you prefer to create a video or audio to answer the questions please send via WeTransfer to anand.bhatt@dancecity.co.uk. Please cover all of the questions in the form in 15 minutes.

If you have any questions or need support from a member of the Dance City team please contact Anand Bhatt via email anand.bhatt@dancecity.co.uk or via telephone 0191 269 5586.