Dance Diagonal Paid Residency for Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent artists

This residency is open to dance artists at any stage of their career, who are currently making work - whether you’re just starting an idea or are mid-process.

We know that Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent artists are facing more barriers than ever when it comes to making and sharing work. With this residency, we want to offer time, space and financial support to help break down some of those barriers.

We know that systemic barriers and ableism can limit Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent artists’ opportunities to create and share work. With this residency, we are committed to providing time, space, and financial support to enable artists to centre their artistry and creative vision.

The residency provides:

Studio space: 2 x 5 day weeks in a clean, warm studio at The Dance Space in Brighton (Mon–Fri, approx. 9am–5pm, flexible to your needs)

Fee: £2,000, with an additional budget available for access costs.

Sharing opportunities: the option (with no obligation) to share your practice with the South East Dance team, the wider dance sector or our local community.

Access at The Dance Space

The Dance Space is an accessible, three-floor building in central Brighton (10 minutes from the train station). You can find more about our accessible features here Access | South East Dance

Deadline: Mon 13 Oct, 9am
Apply here: Application Form
Questions? Email us at: programming@southeastdance.org.uk

We will read all applications w/b 13 October, and select an artist alongside an arts worker with appropriate lived experience. You will hear back from us w/b 20 October, whether you have been selected or not. 

Selection Criteria

Demonstrates a clear artistic interest or intention

Demonstrates how the residency will contribute meaningfully to the artist’s creative practice.

Clearly articulates how they would use the time and space offered

Alternative application option:
If you prefer, you can apply by sending us a CV with a short video or audio recording instead of completing the form. Just respond to the following questions in your own words and send your file to programming@southeastdance.org.uk:

Your name, pronouns, postcode, and whether you identify as Deaf, Disabled and/or neurodivergent

How you would best describe your choreographic practice

What you would hope to achieve during the two-week residency

Any accessibility requirements or your access rider

Practical information

The residency is space only (with sound system provided) and doesn’t include accommodation, travel or other expenses.

We’re offering 10 x days use of the Weston Research Space which is available 9am–5pm daily from Mon-Fri (but not weekends). Shorter days are fine.

Studios need to be cleared at the end of each day for evening classes, but the Jamie Watton Creation Space may also be available depending on need and availability.

The two weeks can be used consecutively or separately, subject to studio availability. We can also consider splitting the residency across shorter periods of time to support access and energy needs, as required.

Artists are asked to self-identify as Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent and there will be no requirement for proof, diagnosis or disclosure.

If you have an access rider, we’d welcome you to share it, so we can best support you.

We have a small budget available for access support, this might be able to cover things such as 

£2,000 is a total fee. This opportunity may best suit an artist based locally, but we welcome applications from further afield if travel / stay in Brighton is possible.

We encourage artists to pay themselves fairly. Given the size of the fee, this residency may be best suited to a single artist, but we are open to groups if other funding is in place to support multiple artists.

If you apply and include your access rider, it will be stored securely and shared only with relevant team members. Should your application be unsuccessful, we will safely erase them.

We will always do our best to meet the needs on artists’ access riders, but there may be times where this isn’t possible, and we’ll have open and clear conversations about what we can offer. 

We use Disabled in the social model sense, to include neurodivergence, chronic illness, learning disabilities, living with physical or mental health conditions, and other impairments. We use Deaf to refer to people who are culturally Deaf, as well as those who are deaf or hard of hearing. We understand that language is personal and evolving. Our chosen terminology may not fully represent everyone, so we encourage you to use the language you feel most comfortable with.