OCCUPIED: Associate Artist Scheme

Photo: HandsON show from Hawk Dance Theatre and Briggsyproduces – photo credit: Peter Yankowski – a project supported in 2017 by Ludus Dance with space and time in kind.

Time, space and expertise from Ludus Dance

Occupied is an individually tailored careers support and professional development scheme, led by Ludus Dance, for dance artists based in Lancashire and the North West.

Our newly reframed artist support programme will see local dance professionals occupy our building for 12 months with the aim of developing one or more aspects of their work.

What you get

• Space – Up to two, hours of free studio space per week (or 15 days), either for self-practice use or a bespoke project
• A desk – Access to hot desk space for emailing, taking telephone calls, writing and printing
• Hosting – Room to host meetings with partners, peers and other professionals
• Mentor Support – Professional mentoring throughout the year from Ludus Dance’s Artistic Director/CEO &/or Business Development and Fundraising Manager
• Advice & Guidance – Additional ad hoc mentoring/support from the Ludus Dance team as and when required (Dance Development, Administration, Marketing)
• Sharing – Opportunity to share works-in-progress and finished pieces at Ludus Dance platforms and festivals e.g. slapdash and BIG UP North
• Hires – Use of our equipment
• Funding dependent – Free access to professional training, advice surgeries (producing, business development, bid writing and making)
• Funding dependent – Seed funding to enhance professional development opportunities

What we are looking for

We encourage applications from dance artists situated within a variety of forms and contexts, and are particularly excited to hear from artists that share our vision for promoting dance in all its facets, especially with children and young people from communities where arts and cultural activities are lacking, and/or facing significant challenges; and artists that have a significant LGBTQ or disability aspect to their work.

How to apply

You can complete a general online application form https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/OCCUPIED however we will accept proposals in a number of other formats (e.g. film, visual, written proposal).

Completed bespoke proposals can be sent to zoe.chambers@ludusdance.org

To help with your individual approach, please see the prompts below:

• Tell us about you, your professional practice (community, performance, making) and pathway taken to get to where you are now e.g. degree, vocational, commercial routes (why not show us some footage of your work?)
• Tell us about the things that excite you – your current ideas and/or the type of work out there that gets your juices flowing
• Talk about who you have already worked with – peers, collaborators, professionals and who you would like to work with in the future
• Your initial ideas or areas of your practice you envisage working on whilst at Ludus Dance (you don’t have to know it all now, starting points are fine)
• How would you utilise the space, time and expertise provided? E.g. a bit each week, in blocks? And tell us your ideal timescales
• It would be great to also know why you want to be considered for this opportunity?

Please keep written proposals to 1000 words max, and filmed versions to 2.5 minutes.

Deadline for applications – Sunday 17^th June

Applications will be shortlisted on Tuesday 19^th June.

Successfully shortlisted applicants will be then asked to attend an informal interview with the Artistic Director/CEO the w/c 25^th June. For successful applicants, the 18/19 programme will run from July 2018 – June 2019.

About us

As a socially engaged arts charity within the specialist field of dance, we are committed to ensuring that exceptional art is conceived, delivered and experienced by communities across the North West. Nurturing talented people from all sections of the community means that we are able to reach those that would not normally engage with contemporary practices. No matter the age, ability or background, we use dance to empower individuals to take hold of their own futures, providing access to experiences for personal growth, health and enjoyment.

Our approach to developing innovative high quality artistic experiences in our own back yard underpins our commitment to creating life-changing experiences for people. Our work empowers and inspires by noticing and celebrating the individual in terms of referencing past learning and future potential.

Since 1975, a team of experienced dance and arts professionals have delivered bespoke creative projects in communities and schools, providing new experiences for developing regional dance artists and audiences and a wide range of opportunities to take part in, create and watch dance.