BBC Performing Arts Fund Feed

How we found our Fellow

2014-05-01T06:00:14+00:00

Still getting get your head around how to find a possible PAF Fellow? We asked Ric Watts, Producer with Unlimited Theatre, to talk us through their selection process for last year's Theatre Fellowship.

"For Unlimited, the BBC Performing Arts Fellowship is a great opportunity to take a proactive approach to something we see as a real issue facing the contemporary theatre sector – a lack of experienced producers to support all of the brilliant artists making work at the moment. As a company making new work that tours nationally and internationally, we’re well placed to give direct hands on experience and valuable mentoring – but often find it challenging to properly resource such opportunities given the demands of our work.

From my own experience starting out as a fledgling producer, the most valuable experiences I had were when I was thrown into the deep end (albeit with armbands on and an experienced coach standing behind me) and asked to work with experienced artists on ambitious projects that pushed me out of my comfort zone. So we wanted to use the Fellowship opportunity to invite a promising young producer to work with Unlimited as Assistant Producer for six months during the busiest point of our year – touring an existing show, while making two new ones. Our Fellow would hit the ground running, taking responsibility for key areas of our busy programme while being well supported by key members of the Unlimited team.

The most challenging part of the process of securing the Fellowship opportunity was the actual recruitment of the fellow, given the scheme asks that the potential fellow is in place at the point of application, and that you’ve gone through a fair and transparent process. We essentially had to interview for a job that didn’t yet exist – which felt unusual and a big ask of potential candidates.

We sought the advice of peers and colleagues, asking them to recommend budding young producers from Yorkshire who would benefit from the opportunity. We approached a number and asked them to informally apply for the scheme if they were interested – a CV and a short letter expressing what they might hope to get out of such an opportunity*. From seven applicants, we interviewed 3. The interviews were informal discussions – about the candidates current work, their career ambitions, their development needs, as well as the work of Unlimited. The interviews weren’t about fulfilling a set criteria, but identifying an individual who felt like they’d benefit greatly from the Fellowship, and would fit in well with our team.

After we selected Christie Hill, who was our first choice, we came across the second issue we encountered. As a fairly recent graduate trying to get a proper footing in the arts, Christie was – like most recent graduates – in need of work. Our application was made in September 2013, but the Fellowship wouldn’t begin until April 2014. This meant us asking for a real leap of faith from Christie, and to keep herself potentially free for the Fellowship while the application was assessed, despite needing to start earning income. Brilliantly, Christie managed to find a short-term maternity cover contract which allowed her to begin work in an admin role for a large organisation straight away and we rejigged the dates of her Fellowship to accommodate this new contract.

While the recruitment process itself felt unusual, and at times high-risk (what if Christie had been offered the perfect full-time role during assessment, or while waiting for the role to start?), we now feel that we’re in a strong place. Christie only begins her Fellowship next month, but we’ve had a conversation ongoing for close to a year and she’s regularly been to see the company’s work during this period. As such, it feels like she’ll start the role already part of the team. I hope this will allow her to make the most out of this unique and valuable opportunity, and use the next six months to really develop her own skills as a highly promising young producer."

Find out a little more about Christie's fellowship here.
Follow Unlimited on Twitter.
Visit Unlimited on Facebook.

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*Please note that the selection process has changed slightly from last year and you must go through an open call to find your potential Fellow. Read the Terms and Conditions of the scheme to get the full details.

Terms and Conditions, FAQs and the application form can be found on the PAF Fellowship grants page. The deadline for applications is 18 August 2014.

The 2014 BBC Performing Arts Fellowship Scheme

2014-04-09T10:28:34+00:00

This year we are excited to announce a new version of the Fellowship scheme. Over the past three years we have offered Fellowships in dance, music and theatre. Now we are opening up the scheme so that organisations from across the world of the performing arts can apply to host an emerging talent for a year.

We are looking for applications from organisations that can offer development opportunities, support and training from all genres of the performing arts. From dance, music and theatre to opera, spoken word, circus and puppetry, we are interested in hearing from organisations across the UK and Northern Ireland.

You can be a theatre, a dance company, an orchestra, a venue or any not for profit arts organisation. You may be a large institution with a host of contacts or resources to share. Or you may be a small team willing to open up your organisation to give an opportunity to someone that you haven’t worked with before. And the Fund will provide £10,000 per organisation to make this happen.

We are asking organisations to look around at creative talent that are new to your organisation. The Fellow should have a track record and be ready to make the jump to the next level, whether that is a directing, choreographing, producing, writing, composing or performing. The organisation will help them realise their ambition and provide the resource, support and opportunity to make that happen.

Find the Terms & Conditions on the PAF Fellowship grant page, where you'll also see some useful resources like tips and FAQs. You might also find this blog about how Unlimited Theatre found their Fellow for last year's Theatre Fellowship scheme useful.

Step Up Mimbre

2012-12-17T10:00:02+00:00

The Step Up group were recipients of a Community Dance grant in 2011. They put their grant towards developing a new piece of work 'Origin: London' which explored ideas about identity and heritage. The Step Up group's young members developed their performance from taking photos for the stimulus of the choreography right the way through to the costume design. Mimbre, the organisers of the project, tell us a bit more about the group's achievements:

Our Youth Work

This summer the Step Up group, one of Mimbre's more advanced youth groups, had a fantastic time performing in different arts events across Hackney and London. They created a show called 'Origin: London' , which turned out to be a huge success. It premiered at Chats Palace and started the summer tour on the Big Dance Bus at Woodberry Down Estate. The show went to the London Youth Dance Shoreditch Festival, Big Dance - a Mimbre Event, Torch Relay, and The National Theatre, plus the group was part of an Australian film promoting England and the Olympics to Australia.

This was a very intense project. Before we could start the programme we had to ensure that the group worked well together and that the young people were dedicated and committed to the rehearsals and performances scheduled. The Step Up group was created from committed or talented members who were passionate about performing and were made up from all of Mimbre's youth groups.

The best advice that we can offer to a director or choreographer working with young people, is to create a performance that can be adapted to suit different numbers of young people and situations. It was impossible for the entire Step Up group to make it to every performance, so we had to adapt the show, often at the very last minute. Teaching the young people free styling skills and making sure that they were confident to improvise was very important too.

Getting family members involved in the shows and events really supported the group and meant practitioners could focus more on the performance rather than behaviour. It also meant that the young people were more likely to come along, as their parents were engaged in what they were doing.

The best day by far for the young people was when Mimbre teamed up with local charity Immediate Theatre and took part in the torch Relay parade. Wearing 'I love Hackney' costumes the group danced from Hyde Road N1 to Church Street N16. The parents didn't get away either! Through the parade the young people and their parents celebrated the Olympics in London and promoted the spirit of the games through dance, acrobatics and a lot of screaming. And to top it all off after the march, the young people were introduced to an official torch bearer and were all invited to take pictures holding an official Olympic torch. They loved it.

The group have come a long way from the start of the summer tour. The once shy group of young people, most of whom were too shy to dance in class, performed in front of thousands of people throughout the summer and even began to look up at the audience, enjoy themselves and smile.

Can't wait to do it all again next summer."

The Arts Apprenticeship - hints, tips & pointers

2012-12-06T10:10:00+00:00

As part of the wider London 2012 Festival, the Greater London Authority offered five full-time NVQ Level 2 paid apprenticeships to work on producing events, specifically outdoors. Ella Samoles-Little earned her place with the Barbican as Culture Squad Apprentice Producer and reflects on how you step from your education to your profession in the arts.

"I have always been fascinated with the arts world, and am constantly influenced by the world around me. Since the rise in degree fees, I think the best advise I can give towards getting into the cultural sector, would be to go out and seek opportunity. Be involved in any way you can and if you have the right attitude, it will get noticed.

My path started by exploring photography and film at A-level, I loved experimenting with the visual messages you can create in both mediums. This pushed me in the direction of filmmaking. I studied a HNC in media practice, which had a focus on production. Although I enjoyed specific areas of the degree a lot - scriptwriting and directing were always my favourite - I did feel that some of the creative degrees now stop you tackling what you have passion for in your own way. Not everyone who is interested in making films - from the horror head, to the documentarian - will learn and take information in the same way.

I didn't finish my degree as I wanted to explore different routes and I came across Changemakers, a charity that focuses on the development of young people and helping ideas grow. I was fortunate to became part of their year scheme which developed my campaign skills, presentation and speech as well as giving me access to a personal mentoring scheme to help develop projects of my own. It was inspiring to be amongst like-minded people that wanted to make a difference.

That is where I got the chance to curate a community project with a £350 grant. Working with the people around me, I wanted to capture 'The London Life' through young people from 18-25 using Film, Photography, Music and Poetry. The project was a great success, and it was really interesting to see what people had to say. Also, the amount of support and involvement that was on offer was amazing.

The scheme was over and the buzz was fading from the night we pulled off. "Where to next?" was my biggest question. So, to answer this question, I turned to the internet and found the following websites useful:

- Arts Council Arts Jobs is a great way to see what work is out there

- Networking sites such as LinkedIn will help you to meet the right people.

Then to find spaces that aren't being used or on offer to use as a work space/ office/ rehearsal space for any project you have in mind somewhereto is an organisation which can help. See more information on their website.

Apprenticeships are now becoming widely available which is great to see. It's not only the increase in university fees that makes me a firm believer in all apprenticeship schemes. Participation on a scheme allows you to work and learn in a professional environment and really gain an insight into working within the arts. The Independent Theatre Council offer great short courses to help develop any areas you wish to know more about.

If there is any advice I can give, and what I urge you to do, is: Get out there! Speak to people with the same interest, combine ideas, get networking and get involved. Do some research into companies that produce the kind of work you are interested in and approach them about work experience opportunities. Meet people within the industry and be pro-active. And don't forget that networking tools such as twitter and blog pages are a great way to communicate with the world and follow people that inspire you.

Find your drive, and hit the road because the opportunities are out there!

Think IdeasTap, Think help for emerging talent

2012-10-26T13:35:37+00:00

We get a lot of questions about where else you can find funding opportunities outside of the BBC Performing Arts Fund, so we thought we'd invite our friends at IdeasTap to introduce themselves and give you a bit of in insight into the support they can offer emerging talent.

"IdeasTap is an arts charity set up to help young, creative people at the start of their careers. Whether it's funding, career development, advice or creative collaborators you need, we can help - whatever field you work in.

We help in a number of ways:
• We offer funding
• We let you know about opportunities we have on offer
• We keep you posted on any jobs in the arts
• Through our online magazine, IdeasMag, we offer advice

We try to make the application process for our fund and opportunities (such as live briefs and showcasing opportunities) as simple as possible. You can find out more about how we judge our briefs here.

We also offer a number of different bursaries through our funding stream IdeasFund. They look like this:

Ideas Fund Innovators
Open all year, with four deadlines for submissions, this Fund offers £1,000 awards for projects from any creative discipline. In the past we've funded everything from performances to photography collectives, visual artists to filmmakers.

Ideas Fund Edinburgh
Normally open for six weeks from October, the Edinburgh award provides two winning companies with £10,000 each, along with expert mentoring, to take a show to the world's largest arts festival. For the last two years, Ideas Fund Edinburgh winners have gone on to secure Fringe First awards for their productions.

Ideas Fund Shorts
Open for six weeks from February, Shorts offers young filmmakers £5,000 to create a five-minute short film. Entries this year included documentaries, conceptual pieces, trailers for features, music videos, fashion films and animated shorts.

Top Up Fund
The Top Up Fund is managed by a changing panel of IdeasTap members, who decide the theme and award the funding. This Fund offers 20 projects a £500 cash injection, based on a particular theme.

In addition to the funding outlined above, we also partner with Sky Arts to offer the Sky Arts Ignition: Futures Fund. The fund aims to help five young artists (aged 18-30) to take their creative practice to the next level through £30,000 each and expert mentoring. It's currently open to the following categories:

• Performing arts: theatre-makers including playwrights, spoken word artists, directors, puppeteers and live artists
• Dance: dancers and choreographers
• Music: musicians, composers, songwriters and conductors
• Visual art: fine artists, sculptors, photographers, animators and video artists
• Creative producing: do you bring together disparate parts of culture in exciting and innovative ways? This category is open to creative producers working in visual arts, theatre, film and performance/dance.

For further information on the Sky Arts Ignition: Futures Fund visit www.ideastap.com/futuresfund

Membership is free and only takes a couple of minutes to sign up. So you see, there are loads of reasons why you should visit us and keep an eye on what we are up to".

Be our guest: What it's like to host a Fellow

2012-07-26T09:50:00+00:00

On the 13th August, the next round of this year's funding will be on offer through our Music Fellowships scheme. This scheme will be open to organisations who hope to host a Fellow in the early stages of their career.

Music companies, organisations, venues and festivals from across the UK will need to have a Fellow in mind when they apply so we asked Marie McCluskey MBE, the Artistic Director at Swindon Dance, what her experience has been since receiving a Dance Fellowship in 2011.

Marie McCluskey smiling with choreographer Fellow James Wilton. Photographer: Jeremy Freedman

How did you go about finding your Dance Fellow, James Wilton?
It was quite an organic process; Swindon Dance is always on the lookout for new dance talent, especially choreographers and companies. I had started to pick up on James' name and reputation from various sources and partner producers and finally met him through a meeting set up by Ron McAlistair at South Hill Park to explore the possibility of a joined up approach to nurturing James' work and company development. The runes were stacking up and so by the time the opportunity to apply for the Dance Fellowship came along it seemed like a fortuitous next step and I approached James with a view to nominating him.

How did you come to decide on the structure of the Fellowship?
Swindon Dance has for many years offered a range of Associate Artist opportunities of varying lengths to choreographers - the PAF application process and guidelines encouraged me to revisit previous frameworks and, following initial discussions with James, to rework one to suit Swindon Dance, James and the Fund's requirements.

How collaborative was the process? How much involvement did you have will your Fellow?
I think we had just the right amount of time and collaborative working together. James is at an exciting point in his development as a choreographer and of James Wilton Dance Company; his work is generating a real demand. In addition he is proactively developing new links all the time and so we worked in a flexible way in order for him to fulfil his commitments at Swindon Dance whilst also responding to new opportunities .We used a mentoring process to agree upon these choices - both myself and Sue Davies (freelance dance consultant) are working with James as mentors.

What is the plan for the final performance or experience?
James has created a 15 minute solo as part of his Fellowship and this will be performed on November 30th in Swindon Dance Studio Theatre. This will be part of an evening called Simply Solo - which will present solos created by four different choreographers and followed by a facilitated Q&A which will look at the solo form in dance and how and why each choreographer has been inspired to make and develop their solo.

Have you had to adapt parts of the original plan?
Yes - that was the realisation / discovery that we made - The PAF funding gave James and Swindon Dance the opportunity to respond flexibly to certain new opportunities or changes in creative ideas. For example, James initially thought he would make a new group piece as part of his Fellowship. In the end he realised he wanted to work in a more reflective and rigorous way with a solo performer and the time and space he had (a luxury for a choreographer) meant that he could engage in meaningful research and development as opposed to meeting a deadline for a finished piece e.g. process led versus product led. Also we changed some initial planned activity in Swindon to enable James to take up exciting opportunities e.g. performance in Dies De Danza in Barcelona.

What has been the highlight of working with James so far?
The fresh energy and ideas he has brought to Swindon Dance - a 'get up and go now' attitude and sharing risks. For example he decided at quite short notice to change the layout of his performance at Swindon Dance - the right decision which resulted in a fantastic evening of dynamic dance - and threw a complete new perspective on his work. It is refreshing to witness his 'nothing is a problem' approach to his work and to solving problems through a creative approach. James also encouraged (politely) that we engage more fully in social networking and was confident in making suggestions to us too.

Any final bits of advice for an organisation thinking of taking on a Fellow?
Make time to listen to your Fellow - they have the fingers on the pulse of the future! Build in some flexibility to respond to creative twists and turns as they emerge. Do have an agreement and budget and make sure you review them both during the placement.

Would you apply for the scheme again?
Yes it has been an amazing scheme for dance - commissions for chorographers and the time to enable a rigorous period of process driven research and development are a luxury in today's world, especially time for reflection! I sense that the PAF Fellowship provided James with the space and funding to begin planning his future pathways and for personal and choreographic reflection and growth.

Thank you Marie for the insight!

More information about the Music Fellowship scheme is nowavailable on our website where you can read the Terms and Conditions and FAQs. And you can also learn more about the Dance Fellowship scheme here.

Corali Dance: Bethan's experience

2012-07-03T14:20:17+00:00

Corali Dance Company - one of our Community Dance Scheme winners - put the funding they had won in 2011 towards a stimulating opportunity for some of its dancers. Members of their Company were able to undertake an intensive personal development workshop with a host of professional performing artists.

Photographer - Samuel Dore

Bethan Kendrick, one of the company dancers who participated in the project, shares her story:

"For the workshop we worked with Luke Pell. He was from Candoco Dance Company and the workshop was based on photographs. It was interesting and I enjoyed it. We had to close our eyes to think about our dreams and we had to say how it felt inside yourself. Then we had to hold something and say what it feels like. Then we looked at photographs and described our photos and we had to use different journeys to describe our stories and by travelling from one side of the room to the other. We had to use torches with our journey to describe our story.

For the next workshop we worked with a choreographer called Rosemary Butcher and it was based on printing your bodies into the floor. It was interesting and it was good. We lied down on the floor thinking about how you roll, and rolled back into place. We then printed our body into the floor using different levels and also by connecting with another person. Then we did drawings. We had to draw the view from our own bedroom windows and we used it in the space and did improvisations. We used different journeys.

For the clowning workshop we worked with Jaya and the workshop was based on clowning ideas. It was very interesting and very funny. We walked around when using our voices and we used different activities like using hula hoops and buckets and we had to wear red noses - that was funny.

In another workshop, we worked with Daniel Weaver and the workshop was based on music and he likes music and it was good. I enjoyed it. We warmed up our voices and played a game of Chinese whispers and then we looked at different sounds and we looked at different technology objects and we listened to them and then we started to improvise with the objects, it was good.

I liked working with Samuel Dore the filmmaker, he is brilliant. I liked being on camera and I thought it was good. The lighting was nice and it helped me focus a lot. I liked working with Samuel, he is very good at filming and he is fantastic.

I found filming interesting and it was good. I felt happy and confident. I enjoyed filming - it was a great experience for me. I thought filming was brilliant. And I am glad I did it. Filming was a great success and it was fantastic."

Aimee's Dancing World

2012-06-25T11:36:43+00:00

BBC Performing Arts Fund Dance Fellow, Aimee Williamson, recently had her premiere with Ballet Cymru. Still fresh out of her studies, Aimee reflects on her first professional experiences so far and how the support of the company has helped her develop.

"When I started the Fellowship with the company, we had begun rehearsals for Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Pigs as well as for The Tempest. Little Red Riding Hood is a completely new production and we started with creative work to build on each character. Darius (Artistic Director) had a strong idea of what he wanted and everyone was free to chip in with suggestions on steps, shapes and ways of moving. I felt it made the end product very rich, with so many different inputs, which resulted in a twisted Grimm Brother's style piece.

On the 5th May, the opening night for the piece, we were accompanied by the Welsh Symphony Orchestra, which was very exciting. The last week before the opening night was busy, and there was plenty to be nervous about. There were ups and downs in the run up but, when it was finally show-time, it couldn't have gone better. I find that the more you put in to what you do, the more you enjoy it. It is now onwards and upwards, and taking the production on tour, along with The Tempest.

Looking back at the start of this process, I realised how much I needed to improve. Darius and Amy (Assistant Artistic Director) were giving me lots of corrections; I'm very lucky, most companies just let you get on with it, so there's not much time for improvement. At the end of each week I felt I had progressed. When it comes to class each morning and time to focus on technique, I have good days and bad days, and there's not much predicting what each day is going to be like. For some reason, no matter how hard you will it to, your body just won't do what you want it to! But Darius and Amy are very patient with their corrections. Improvement requires patience and concentration on the right areas when you are working. My advice would be to stay focused and single-minded on corrections. Even when you feel it's not working, still keep that in mind and it will, slowly but surely, get into your muscle memory.

Choreography and creative work have not been my strongest areas so I was slightly uneasy before we started creating Red Riding Hood, but I found Darius very encouraging. This made me feel more open to trying new things. For example, one of our tasks was to create a motif of movement for the opening scene, when we are in a forest. Amy and Darius were clear about what they wanted which was very helpful.

In the past I have experienced vague instructions about creative work, or simply been told to choreograph something. I think if you are ever in that kind of situation (in an audition, workshop etc.) where you have been given little inspiration, create your own! Pick something that you like, for example a book or a cartoon character you could emulate, an object you could base the movement around or an emotion or motive that could inspire you. If you choose movement and ideas you like, it will give you confidence, and which will result in something you can be proud of.

Up until now, I never really got the knack of creative work. I still have much to learn and most of it is probably experience and confidence, but I have really started to enjoy thinking up and playing around with different ideas. I think I have taken a big step forward.

Three or four weeks into rehearsals Donald Sturrock, author of Roald Dahl's biography and writer of our narration for Red Riding Hood, came to watch the rehearsals. It was exciting to meet him; he had great enthusiasm for what we were doing and has a clever, dry sense of humour. I enjoyed showing Donald what we had made, and was curious to find out what he thought of it. He also came to the opening night on 5th May; I hope it was exciting for him to watch the end result after having a glimpse into the creation of it.

More recently, we have been informed of the educational work that we will undertake throughout the year. We will be working alongside Rubicon, who teach community dance, and using all kinds of styles, we will work in schools and hospitals with a variety of people, from those with disabilities to the young and the elderly. We will also be shadowing a teacher in some of their classes to learn how to work in these environments. I can't wait to see what it's like and hope it will open my eyes to the wider dancing world.

On 22nd April I attended a catch-up meeting with other Dance Fellowship winners, where we all shared what we have been up to. We were also given training in how to hold workshops and carry out community projects. I was overwhelmed with the experiences everyone shared, and that the people in the room brought dance to the lives of children who suffered from learning disabilities or domestic abuse. The workshops I will be taking part in with Ballet Cymru will be for children who want to dance, whereas the role of encouraging people who do not see dance as an outlet for themselves would be very different challenge from my perspective. When you are in a company it is easy to create a bubble around yourself and forget about everything else that is going on, so I definitely learnt a lot about the wider world of dance from that meeting.

I feel so lucky to be part of this company and am enjoying this production so much. I am enormously grateful to the Performing Arts Fund for making this possible."

All tour dates are available on the Ballet Cymru website.

Dancing with balletLORENT

2012-05-17T12:39:57+00:00

John Kendall -2011 Dance Fellow with balletLORENT - has been working with the company on tours of two distinctly different shows. Over the duration of the Fellowship, John will be involved with the creation of new work and performing on tour while also delivering an education programme.

John tells us what life on the Fellowship has been like so far.

"My first involvement with balletLORENT was as a dancer in the reproduction of La Nuit intime which was toured in Newcastle and throughout Scotland. The show itself is set in nightclubs and music venues where the audience are invited to drink and relax and lose themselves in the dance. La Nuit was such a brilliant show to be involved in as a new dancer with the company as it was definitely a steep initiation and at times felt as if I had really been thrown in at the deep end. I think this was due to the nature of the work which demands a great deal of emotional and physical commitment from the performer as they bear all under the close scrutiny and proximity of a watching audience. The effect this creates is a beautiful sense of vulnerability that surrounds the performer. This sort of commitment is common in Liv's (Liv Lorent - Artistic Director) work.

I was also involved in 'Esmerine', which was a section in La Nuit that contained some nudity. I had to approach a turn table, stand on it and undress. I was then met by another dancer who did the same; we then both lowered to our side and curled into a sort of Ying Yang position. Now, while I knew from the beginning of the rehearsal period that I would be involved in this scene, it was still something that I found fairly daunting even though I was fully committed to doing it. It was to be the first time I had been naked on stage so it was pretty big deal. In the end though I actually really enjoyed doing it and found it very liberating. I also had huge faith in Liv's artistic vision and knew that it would be done in good taste and be totally in keeping with the intention of La Nuit.

Another interesting part of La Nuit that makes it so special is its live element. Each show is never exactly the same and you never really know what to expect before you begin. As a performer this is such an amazing experience as it makes it so real, true and uncontrived.

Following La Nuit I was an understudy for Underneath the Floorboards. Underneath the Floorboards is a children's show for the under 5's that tells the story of a young boy called John who, when moving house, finds himself lost in a magical world underneath his floorboards. While down there he meets his trusty companions Fawn, Guffy and Mimic who help and guide him back to his bedroom. The show is very similar to La Nuit in the sense that it is totally interactive. The children in the audience are allowed to wander the space amongst the performers and really immerse themselves in the story and the magical world created by Liv.

I worked as an understudy on this tour having to learn both the roles of John and Guffy - who I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to perform as in Bath. I realised when watching the show and then performing it that it's so much more complicated and skilled than you'd first expect. The energy has to be maintained throughout and nothing can be faked as you quickly realise that if it drops then the illusion of a magical world drops with it and you quickly become people moving around in funny suits as opposed to embodying this mythical creature or being.

The children are also in the space throughout so you have to concentrate extra hard and be careful not to bump or bang into any of them. In the same vein, the size of the movement is important. If it becomes too big or sharp then there's a danger that it could frighten the children and put them off coming into the space; it has to be more detailed and considered.

My experience with balletLORENT so far then has been one of two extremes starting with the emotional rollercoaster that is La Nuit to the charming magic of Underneath the Floorboards. I've learnt so much so far and hope to carry on with the company for as long as possible. It really is a special place to work and a special bunch of people to spend time with."

Life as a BBC PAF Dance Producer Fellow

2012-05-03T09:43:20+00:00

Yassmin Foster - one of our 2011 Dance Fellows - is working with the Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD) on producing a three day conference. Yassmin answers that very first hurdle: where do you even begin?

"I am well into my Dance Producer Fellowship at ADAD. There is a buzz of dance throughout the office and the building (we sit next to Dance UK and the Urdang Academy), as the hallways are usually full of students stretching, warming their vocal chords, or teachers and visitors of musical theatre.

As the Assistant Producer, my main role is to support the planning of a project called Re:Generation 2012 - a major gathering of artists, academics and students focused on shaping the future of dance of the African Diaspora. The three day event, which will be hosted at The Place in London, will include performances, talks, discussions and dance workshops. With delegate numbers likely to reach 100, and with such an enlightening, informative and interesting programme, I have had to ensure that ADAD is moving towards the same goal as any other potential partners.

To manage this, I have had to pull apart the three day schedule, and rebuild the programme under prioritised headings. The planning so far has consisted of firming up the programme, sending out invitations and applying for funding which we're currently awaiting a decision for.

I have a big red file that sits on the desk which houses the beginnings of;

1. The programme
a. Proposed schedule
b. Breakdown of activity
2. Finances
a. Budget
b. Questions on funding / income
3. Logistics
a. Notes on the venue
4. Marketing
a. Notes on branding
b. Merchandise
5. Data analysis
a. Previous attendance reports
b. Notes on performance indicators
6. Planning / meeting notes
7. AOB

This has led to me thinking about the best advice I would offer to other producers: work with a budget that is transparent, self-explanatory and does not shy away from where savings can be made, but instead shows a complete picture of what the project will cost.

My motto is that you need to be aware of your funding sources and any restrictions on spend, monitoring and follow up reporting. Monies such as donations and in-kind support which can be quantified should be regarded as an added bonus and nothing but, for they cannot always be guaranteed!

Cultural influences from Gran Canaria

Outside of my work in the office, my enthusiasm for dance jetted me away to the sunnier climes of Gran Canaria and the festivities of the Las Palmas carnival in late February.

From the outset I thought it was bonkers! The costumes had no consistency and I soon noticed that people wore their costumes for the entire day. I would see people dressed as animals, flamenco dancers, action heroes and Grimm's Brothers fairy-tale characters casually walking down the street. Gradually it all began to make sense; the carnival is inclusive and moves with the times. It is dripping with tradition but allows for media, migrant cultures and global influences to be celebrated.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Las Palmas carnival. The welcoming environment, enthusiasm and vibrancy of the people created an infectious atmosphere, especially the live Afro Cuban Salsa and Afro Brazilian Samba music and dance of the day that so easily transcended into popular, digitally composed music by night.

It was amazing to see how the whole island got involved, from the youngest to the eldest member of the family. Such inclusivity is a particular memory that I have taken away. To me, this experience has reinforced the mission for Re:Generations - The Next Generation.

The event is still developing in size, reach and significance for 2012 and I can't wait to see what it brings next."

Not Quite an Accident

2012-03-12T13:36:43+00:00

Ben Weatherill, Director of Development for Central School of Speech and Drama's The Accidental Festival gives his thoughts and advice on the organisation and challenges that go into running a semi-professional festival.

"I think every single person on the team at The Accidental Festival is passionate about what we're doing which is great. For me, it's about providing that free platform for artists at all different kinds of stages in their career and allowing the exchange of varied experiences to happen. The festival particularly resonates with me as I see fellow artists reach the point in their career where they need that next step, and the festival can provide that.

Since its creation at The Central School of Speech and Drama in 2005, The Accidental Festival has welcomed over 200 international guests and artists. It was initially conceived as a project to give students practical experience in creative producing, teaching essential business skills that simply cannot be learnt from a textbook.

Each year a new student team take charge of their own team structure, budget, brand identity, artistic programming, presentation of the festival space, marketing, ethos and community, and education programme.

Madaleine Trigg in 'the moment I heard' by Daniel Somerville

The Accidental Festival has previously been hosted at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), the Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) and this year, the festival returns to the Roundhouse with the aim to be bigger, bolder, and to reach more people than ever before.

It's a fantastic thing to be involved in, especially at 19! It's a real world scenario and a project you have to sink your teeth into. You certainly can't be passive about it.

So, based on my experience what's the best advice I could give?

I think the following things are really important to think about when you're involved in an event on any scale. I don't think that this applies exclusively to work in festivals, but to everything you present. These questions are always good to come back to in times of a crisis, they give you focus!

When your event is complete, what would you like to be the thing that is most easily remembered about the event for those who attended?

The same question as above, but for yourself. What would you like to be the most memorable thing about the event?

Who would you like to attend and why?

Who are you making it for and why?

Thinking about other similar events, what do you think the aims of your event should be? A Unique Selling Point is vital - really get to know your audience's wants and needs.

What would you most like to do within the project? Is there something special you would like to bring or contribute?

What, if anything, are you most worried about with the project and do you have any ideas about how to overcome those concerns? Identifying the potential risks and problems at the start prevents from any surprises later on!

What should the image of the event be? What should it look like, sound like, smell like? Atmosphere is the most important thing! It's the lasting impression your audiences are going to leave with.

In terms of my role in development, I guess the best piece of advice I've been given is fundraising isn't just about getting money! We all know that there is very little money these days for funding the arts. However, getting things in kind and receiving good will gestures are what really have helped us to achieve the festival. Form relationships, get out there talking to people, and create positive relationships with companies that last.

Finally, be brave and bold! That way you'll end up with an event that is fresh, exciting and far better than anything you could have imagined."

To find out more the Accidental Festival visit their website or follow @accidentalnews

Life on tour

2012-02-06T15:54:59+00:00

Aimee Williamson was awarded a BBC Performing Arts Fund Dance Fellowship with Ballet Cymru last year. Before becoming a full-time company member in March 2012, Aimee was invited to join the company on tour with their popular production of 'Beauty and the Beast' in the UK and Italy.

Aimee kept a diary of her experience and has shared some useful observations and tips about a dancer's life on tour as she takes her first steps in the professional world of dance.

UK Tour: 29th November - 4th December 2011

"This week the company is going on tour, and I am joining them to get a feel for what it's like. We are going to Stroud, Ilfracombe, Runcorn and Stourbridge, performing one night at each place. I'm looking forward to learning what it's like to tour as I've never done it before. I feel that things like different theatres and stages - not to mention all the travelling - is something that will be exciting and tiring at the same time.

4th December

Yesterday afternoon I found out I was performing that evening! I was so excited there was barely space in my head to feel nervous. I've been over the steps so many times in my head I wanted to see what it was like to do it on stage, and I was curious to see if I could pull it all off. I still didn't know two scenes so I quickly learnt them before the show. I never thought the first time I'd be dancing my part would be for a performance! Everyone was helpful and encouraging and even whispered to me about where I was going next when I wasn't sure.

I've performed it again tonight, and I enjoyed it so much. The stage at the last place was raked (slanted forwards). I had never danced on a raked stage before but Amy (Assistant Artistic Director) said the only thing that is made more difficult is pirouettes. So if you ever find yourself on a raked stage you just need to raise your eye line a bit, and for pirouettes hold your arms a bit higher.

Aimee Williamson

Italy Tour: 13th December- 21st December

13th December- Trieste

The theatre is beautiful here. I never thought I would get a chance to dance in a place like this. It's a big opera house that seats over 1000 people and we are sold out!

I feel quite stiff after the travelling so I will make sure I do a good warm up before class. As it is easy to be caught out with so many other things on your mind, I have made the following checklist:

NEW THEATRE CHECKLIST

• Raked stage:
This is more commonly found in the older theatres and can make pirouettes tricky.
• Wings:
Make sure you run through all your entrances and exits.
• Space around the back of the stage:
What is your route from one side to the other? Do you have any fast changeovers? You can't always go behind the curtain.
• Lights:
Check to see if there are any stage lights that might dazzle you and ruin a step.
• Size of auditorium:
If it's a big audience, you will probably need to raise your eye line and make mime movements bigger and slower.
• Temperature:
Some theatres are freezing so always be prepared, bring plenty of clothes to keep you warm.

16th December - Como

Maybe it was the mood I was in but when I entered the theatre it was, in its own way, quite magical. There were technicians shouting at each other in Italian, there was someone playing a violin behind a closed door just off the stage and there was a ballet class going on in a studio upstairs. If you asked a child to draw a picture of the perfect theatre, this would be it! It was all red and gold with lots of royal boxes - it looked very regal. A view like that could never get old.

17th December - Padova

When we got to Padova we learnt that the theatre had just recently opened and that we would be the first to perform there, which is quite an honor.

PERFORMANCE DO'S AND DON'TS

• Don't talk, whisper if you have to. I know it is obvious but it's easy to forget when you have other things on your mind.
• In the wings, if you can see the audience, they can see you… and you don't want that!
• Don't look down on your exits offstage - carry on the ballet!
• Keep out of the way of any technical or prop manoeuvres.
• Help with any quick changes etc. where you can.

19th December - Alessandria

You can sometimes, for no reason at all, suddenly feel like you have no energy. It's bound to happen every now and again so I think the best thing you can do is eat something good, have plenty to drink and have a moment to yourself with some music or a book or something. Forget that you're dancing for a moment and it'll clear your head. If you relax and remind yourself that every night is going to be different, then you will see each performance as a different experience and will be more open to learning from it."

We will catch up with Aimee again over the coming months to find out how her Fellowship is going and about her experiences as a full-time company member.

The unique dance landscape in Northern Ireland

2012-01-27T11:59:04+00:00

In 1996 Sandie Fisher co-founded Assault Events, a performing arts company in Northern Ireland and one of the winners of our Dance Fellowship scheme last year. Over the past 15 years the company has helped to shape the dance scene in Northern Ireland but as Sandie explains, there is still a lot left to do.

"Assault Events applied for a Fellowship grant because we felt that there were limited opportunities in Northern Ireland for emerging professionals to gain experience and work in contemporary dance practice. There are a number of reasons for this which all add up to a very unique dance landscape for Northern Ireland, a landscape which presents many challenges for the dedicated dance professional. To give you a snapshot…

Sandie with Dance Fellow Claire Mullan
Photographer: Jeremy Freedman

Irish dancing and ballet are the most common forms of dance in Northern Ireland with street dance and musical theatre making up some of the more popular and easily accessible forms of dance practice. Contemporary creative dance is less common and more difficult to access and experience. We have one dedicated dance resource organisation for the whole of Northern Ireland and there are no national dance agencies. There is no dedicated dance space or venue as yet with professionals relying on dance studios in local arts centres or church halls. Dance in schools is very limited with only a handful of specialist status schools offering GCSE dance and even fewer offering A Level dance, and there is only one dedicated undergraduate dance programme in Northern Ireland. There is no formal network of dance promoters in Northern Ireland and very few full time, dedicated community dance artist posts. We have one major arts festival a year that can accommodate large-scale dance work from mainland UK and Europe. Northern Ireland based companies will typically tour annually or biennially performing work to a circuit of approx 6 - 8 venues across Northern Ireland.

So, what kind of things are happening to help make a change?

The companies and the support agency all have their own unique strategies, but what I can talk about with confidence is what Assault Events do.

As a company we emphasise work for social environments and alternative venues but this has become even more important since we have been based in Northern Ireland. We are developing work that collaborates with other art forms to enable accessibility and we have begun to address making professional work for younger audiences to help build audiences for the future and enable exposure to contemporary dance from a younger age.

In particular, this year we have developed an apprenticeship programme called the Graduate Acceleration Programme (GAP) which is funded by ACNI and delivered in partnership with the University of Ulster. GAP sees Assault working in partnership with 3 other dance companies to enable apprenticeship opportunities for young dance graduates based in Northern Ireland to work within a Northern Irish professional dance company from anything between 3 months to a year. In addition we work closely with the University to enable opportunities for dancers in training.

Other wider strategic initiatives currently emerging from other companies working in Northern Ireland are related to communication and raising awareness. For example, initiatives that bring together venue programmers and companies to enable a more strategic approach to programming work and initiatives that look at more co-ordinated marketing ventures to help build a more visible profile of the dance that exists in Northern Ireland.

The university dance course has also committed to working closely with professional practitioners and companies across Northern Ireland to help foster an understanding of the dance workplace in a Northern Irish context. This has helped students to become more connected with the professional community and enabled the professional community to begin to work with, and make links with, the new generation of dancers emerging into the profession.

So, what else could make a difference? Here are some of my thoughts:

• More dance in schools - exposure to creative dance from a younger age is needed and more consistent opportunities across the school years.
• Nurturing young artists - for example greater funded opportunities (like GAP) for recent graduates to work in dance in Northern Ireland or to receive further training so that once they have graduated they don't have to leave to further their career.
• A touring network or co-ordinated programmer/artist network.
• Greater performance opportunities with tiered levels e.g. performance platforms for emerging choreographers, performance opportunities for Northern Irish based established companies, and opportunities for Artists and International companies to perform in Northern Ireland.
• Greater strategic links between Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to enhance touring opportunities for companies.
• More dedicated community dance officer posts.
• Support for a dance focused venue that can offer training, performance opportunities, strategic dance development work and support for artists similar to the type of services a National Dance Agency can offer.

Dance artists working here are very committed and dedicated to making a difference. I think it is fair to say that there is a common recognition that widening participation and enabling greater access to professional and community dance practice is key to changing the landscape and that we need to work together to enable this. To sum up, I think that the dance community in Northern Ireland is moving forward with a positive outlook and complete commitment and dedication to flying the flag for dance but with a very envious gaze at the resources, facilities and support for dance in mainland UK."

Through our Dance Fellowship scheme Sandie was able to give Claire Mullan - an emerging dancer - the chance to be involved in a series of projects at Assault Events, allowing her to gain experience in a wide variety of contexts in which a dancer may work.

Stepping into dance

2011-12-15T12:37:38+00:00

Central Youth Theatre - one of the winners of our Community Dance scheme - have been encouraging its members to step out of their comfort zone. Having taken on a dance project for the very first time this year, the experience has been both challenging and rewarding.

Jessica Collings, Marketing Assistant, reveals how they made a project a success and the ways they got the whole community involved.

"Central Youth Theatre is a Wolverhampton based youth theatre which has been providing opportunities for young people for over 28 years. Up until this year however, those experiences have mostly involved drama with a little backstage. In 2011 we undertook a challenge: dance. Our goal was to engage a group of young people in dance with no previous experience or interest.

We were originally inspired to focus on dance by our involvement with Dancing for the Games, which is part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands. What followed was a year-long journey, during which both the youth theatre and its members learnt a whole lot about dancing.

On the 18th December, with the help of the BBC Performing Arts Fund, members of Central Youth Theatre will be staging an event called "Glamour and Romance & Swingtime Sweethearts". Taking place in Wolverhampton's Wulfrun Hall, the event will feature original performances based on local memories of dancing, an exhibition and a tea dance for the performers and audience alike.

As an almost exclusively drama based youth theatre, how did we succeed in getting over 100 young people interested in dancing?

In the end, we stuck to what we know best - the strength of drama comes with a good story, human interest, and something that inspires emotions. So we sent the young people off collecting memories from local people who danced in the 1930s up to the 1970s. We looked at social dancing where the idea is to enjoy yourself with friends, rather than concentrating on technical expertise or competition. The young people instantly found a connection with the dancehall stories - many of the popular venues no longer exist but we were able to build a vivid picture from pure description. The tales of getting ready, arriving at the dance, and catching the eye of the girl you fancy were both familiar and completely different to the experiences of our own young people.

By bringing these stories to life on stage, the youth theatre began to engage with the dances of the time from ballroom through to rock'n'roll and the lesser known Northern Soul. Before we knew it the whole group were taking dance lessons and embracing the challenge. It was especially pleasing to see those young people who were able to discover a real love of dance, often completely unexpected.

These shows, a mix of dance and drama, were first performed during the Everybody Dance Now festival in August 2011. It is an honour to be able to keep the dancing alive, especially in an event designed for those people whose stories inspired the whole project. The group are currently in rehearsals - polishing their lines and learning new dances - and in just a few days time they will be taking to the floor once more.

We were able to encourage our young members to try something new by working out what they were already interested in. Just as drama can be found in dance or music, so their rhythms and beats can be found in other art forms from painting to acting.

Our advice? Don't be afraid to try something new."

Central Youth Theatre will perform Glamour and Romance & Swingtime Sweethearts this Sunday 18th December at Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.

Phoenix Dance Theatre turns 30!

2011-11-21T14:15:26+00:00

Phoenix Dance was formed in 1981, making this November their 30th Birthday. For Daniel Corfield - BBC Performing Arts Fund Producer Fellow at the Phoenix - this was a great opportunity to kick start his placement. With a moment to reflect, Daniel tells us how he got involved with the celebrations.

"If there's one thing I've learnt while working at Phoenix Dance Theatre thus far it's that they love a good reason to celebrate, and what better reason than the company turning 30!

My role in the celebration was to arrange the parts of the event that accompanied the performance; basically making sure that everyone had a drink, a nice meal and some music to dance to! I also managed the invitation list, helped track down some old friends of the company, and liaised with the building staff to make sure everything ran smoothly on the night.

The most challenging task I was involved in was arranging the music for the performance. Many pieces that were performed hadn't been worked on in quite some time so most of the music was only available on cassette tape, not the easiest format to work with in this digital age! With some help from the performers and a lot of time with some editing software, the music was soon ready to go and in a slightly more convenient format.

Seeing some of the former members of the company was a great experience - a rare insight into what makes a company like Phoenix special. The whispers outside the studio of "is so-and-so here? I haven't seen him in 20 years!" and the excitement of reuniting with old friends showed a passion for the company that never leaves you. I also got the chance to sneak in and watch some of the founder members teach a class with the current company and other past members, something I never thought I'd get the chance to see. It was an opportunity for the former members to show that they definitely haven't lost it!

After the preparations were almost over it was time for the party to begin. The staff looked great dressed up in our finest (if I do say so myself) and I felt incredibly lucky to be working with such a hard working bunch. Everyone played their part and made sure the event went well and without any last-minute hiccups.

The performance was a brilliant selection of some of the key pieces from Phoenix's 30-year history performed by past dancers, the current company, and Phoenix's youth academy. Opening the night was a performance by the founding members of the company, a piece that proved that 30 years on they can still have an audience both entranced and in fits of laughter, eventually bringing the entire audience to a standing ovation. The performance featured extracts from some of the earliest pieces of Phoenix's repertoire including - a personal favourite of mine - The Forming Of The Phoenix, which gave a light-hearted look at how the company came together. Phoenix's Artistic Director Sharon Watson took to the stage during the evening to perform a rendition of Covering Ground, a performance that featured captivatingly intricate movements and a charming back and forth dialogue with current company member Genevieve Watson. Closing the night was Melt, a piece from the current Phoenix repertoire, choreographed by Sharon. With a soundtrack by local favourites Wild Beasts, Melt shows the current company at their best, featuring spectacular aerial work that perfectly enhances the performance of the dancers.

After the performance came the party! Music, food and a chance to catch up with some old friends… oh, and a brief rendition of Happy Birthday while Sharon and David Hamilton (Phoenix's original Artistic Director and founder member) cut the cake! For me it was time to breathe a sigh a relief, have a glass of champagne and enjoy the evening.

This was easily one of the most rewarding projects I have worked on and having the opportunity to work on an event like this after such a short period of time with the company was a great way to start my Fellowship with Phoenix."