The Jamie Watton Fund

Following Jamie’s untimely death in July 2018, with the support of his friends and family, we launched a fundraising campaign in his honour to help bring his vision for The Dance Space – a new home for dance in South East England – to life.

Jamie saw The Dance Space as more than just a venue; he saw it as a place where people from all walks of life could come together to experience the transformative power of dance. It would be a sanctuary where dance artists could experiment, create, and elevate their craft.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, The Jamie Watton Fund has raised nearly £30,000 to date. These contributions have been instrumental in realising Jamie’s vision. Mere words cannot convey the depth of our gratitude for every donation that helped open the doors of The Dance Space.

Now, as The Dance Space flourishes, Jamie’s legacy lives on through our continued support of dance artists through our Flourish bursary programme, funded by The Jamie Watton Fund.

Flourish offers artists at any stage of their career a bursary of up to £300 to propel their creative practice forward. For many, this small but vital grant can provide the breakthrough needed at a pivotal moment in their artistic journey.

"Flourish allowed me to work with a dramaturg for the first time, advancing the development of my new piece, ‘Sea Story.’ It was a critical opportunity to push my practice further and help the work realize its full potential. Having that invaluable outside perspective encouraged me to challenge myself, ensuring every aspect of the process elevated both the piece and me as an artist. On a tight budget, this kind of support can easily fall away—Flourish created the space I needed for growth and exploration." Rachel Birch-Lawson, previous Flourish Bursary recipient

If you share our belief in the power of dance and the importance of nurturing future generations of artists, we invite you to help us continue Jamie’s legacy. A regular contribution of just £3 a month—about the cost of a coffee—could make all the difference at a critical moment in an artist’s career. 

Every donation, no matter the size, will help build a lasting legacy in Jamie’s name and shape the future of dance for generations to come.

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