Fundraising news: We’ve done it!

In the month when we commemorate three years since the death of Jamie Watton, our late Artistic Director and CEO, who for many years was the driving force behind The Dance Space , it is an absolute joy to be able to announce that we have finally met our fundraising target to open the space!

Looking up at The Dance Space

We are able to make this announcement thanks to a further grant from the Garfield Weston Foundation, and our heartfelt thanks go out to them and to every single individual and organisation that has believed in and supported our vision for a new home for dance in the South East over the last 10+ years.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that we can put our fundraising feet up. Far from it. The arrival of The Dance Space opens a brand new chapter in South East Dance’s story. And now, with a very visible and shiny public presence, we are more committed than ever to supporting more artists and bringing dance into more people’s lives, especially those who find it harder to take part in creative activity.

We are especially delighted to announce that we will be naming our main studio – The Jamie Watton Creation Space - in memory of Jamie Watton, who died unexpectedly in 2018 before seeing his vision for The Dance Space become reality.

We are also naming our studios The Weston Research Space, in recognition of the support we have received from the Garfield Weston Foundation; and The Aldridge Community Space in honour of our long-term supporter Sir Rod Aldridge.

Of course, we plan to continue to honour Jamie’s legacy, and from July 2021 will be directing all new donations to the Jamie Watton Fund into Flourish, our annual programme which provides small bursaries of up to £500 to artists at any stage of their career who are looking to develop and enhance their practice. To support artists through the Jamie Watton Fund visit our donation page here