Just For You: Black & Global Majority artists' commission

As organisations dedicated to nurturing artists’ resilience, we’re offering one mid-career artist, or small company comprising three artists maximum, a package of support to help you develop an indoor or outdoor work, including: 

• Commission seed funding of £2,000
• Rehearsal / residency space at The Dance Space in Brighton
• A production week (Mon–Fri, approx. 10am–6pm, flexible to your needs) at The Dance Space. This includes use of the sound system and lighting rig – and the support of a technician for an amount of time across that week (technician hours to be mutually agreed between artist and South East Dance),
• The opportunity to share your work with an audience of industry professionals and local artists and audiences
• Mentoring and critical friend support from Joseph Toonga, Artistic Director of Just Us Dance Theatre and Cath James, Artistic Director of South East Dance and/or dramaturgical support
• A final performance opportunity in the Just Us Dance Theatre Festival, scheduled for September 2027

We know that Black and Global Majority artists face more barriers when it comes to making and sharing work. With this residency, we want to offer time, space, financial support, and a friendly advisory ear to help break down some of those barriers and enable artists to centre their artistry and creative vision. 

Key information:

The work should be completed by September 2027 for performance in the Just Us Festival. The work doesn’t have to be fully completed for the Festival performance and can be presented as a work in progress if needed. 

On completion, work should be a minimum of 15mins long

This opportunity would suit a solo artist or small company comprising three artists maximum

This opportunity can be used as match funding for a larger grant application

How to apply: 

Apply by Friday 27 February, 9am, here.
 

Alternative application option:

If you prefer, you can apply by sending us a biog and short video or audio recording instead of completing the form. Just respond to the following questions in your own words and you can upload it via the google doc application form here.

Tell us about your creative practice and a short overview of your performance-making experience in your career so far, and what your connection to the South East region is. (max approx. 500 words)

What is the idea you want to create or continue to develop as part of this commission, and where do you see it being presented? (e.g. indoors or outdoors, gallery/museum, libraries) (max approx. 500 words)

Tell us how you will make your work accessible and inclusive. (max approx. 500 words)

Tell us why it will be important to receive this commission now. (max approx. 500 words)

Video or audio files must be no more than 10 minutes long.
 

Eligibility criteria:

This residency is open to Black and Global Majority dance artists who can demonstrate that they have been working professionally for 5 years or more and who have made at least one full length work 

Artists who have a performance-making practice with dance at its heart.

You should have an idea for a new work, or are in the early stages of research and development. 

Artists should be based in the South East or London - with demonstrable strong ties to working in the South East
 

Access information:

If you have an access rider, please feel free to share it, so we can best support you.

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.

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

Application timeline:

w/c 2 March: Applications read and shortlist created 

w/c 9 March: Artist interviews, with a panel made up of artistic staff from both companies alongside an external freelance dance professional with appropriate lived experience. 

w/c 16 March: All applicants notified of the outcome of their application, whether you have been selected or not.  
 

Questions? Email us at programming@southeastdance.org.uk

* The South East includes the following counties: Bracknell Forest, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Medway, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Reading, Slough, Surrey, Sussex, West Berkshire, Windsor & Maidenhead and Wokingham.

Photo: Elliot Banks