The Jamie Watton Fund

Ensuring Jamie’s legacy for future generations of dance artists

Our late Artistic Director and Chief Executive Jamie Watton was a passionate champion for the UK dance sector and, especially for the many artists who make dance such a vital part of our cultural economy.


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Jamie Watton

Shortly after Jamie’s premature death in July 2018, and with the blessing of his friends and family, we launched a fundraising campaign in his name to help us complete The Dance Space, South East England’s new home for dance.

Jamie’s vision for The Dance Space was not only of a place where everybody could come together to experience and celebrate the joy of dance, but also a place where dance artists could flourish and thrive.

Since we established the Jamie Watton Fund, nearly £30,000 has been given in his memory. Mere words cannot truly express our gratitude to the many individuals and organisations who have helped make Jamie’s vision for The Dance Space a reality.

And, now that The Dance Space is well and truly open, we will continue to honour Jamie’s legacy by directing donations to The Jamie Watton Fund towards our annual bursary programme, Flourish.

Flourish provides artists at any stage of their career with a bursary of up to £300, which they can use to cultivate and enhance their practice. A small cash injection is often the key that unlocks critical assets at a decisive time in an artist’s career. 

“Flourish allowed me to work with a dramaturg for the first time, supporting the development of my new piece ‘Sea Story’. It was an invaluable opportunity to strengthen and develop my practice and allow the work to reach its full potential. Having that all-important "outside eye" encouraged me to question and challenge myself, and ensured that every step of the process developed not only the piece, but me as an artist. When you have a tight budget this extra support can easily be squeezed out - Flourish gives essential space for growth and development.”

Rachel Birch-Lawson, previous Flourish Bursary recipient

So, if you’re passionate about the future of dance, please consider making a regular donation to The Jamie Watton Fund. A commitment of £3 every month - roughly the price of a decent coffee - could make all the difference at a critical moment in an artist’s career. Ultimately though, every donation, regardless of size, will continue to honour Jamie’s memory and create a lasting legacy in his name. 

If you have any questions or would like more information, please call Andrew on 01273 696844 or e-mail: andrew.whitlaw@southeastdance.org.uk.

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