January Newsletter

Arts at the Old Fire Station - Lights UP round 2 Call Out

The 'Lights Up' commission is an offer of £500 to artists working in any medium to create a work that can be shared online. Read more here: Lights Up Commission Round 2 Deadline 10am, Monday 1 February. (Thomas Page was one of the artists commissioned in round 1)
 

EXHUBERANT TRUST - Small grants for people under age of 30

The Exuberant Trust is a local charity which supports young people (under 30) in Oxfordshire who are developing their interest in the arts: music, drama, dance, art & crafts, multi-media, etc. and who are in need of a small one-off grant (maximum £500) for a specific project or activity.

The Exuberant Trust raises funds by organising concerts throughout the year and from donations received from its supporters. Successful applicants are encouraged to take part in concerts and other activities in support of the Trust. To find out more and apply go to www.exuberant-trust.org.uk


Oxford City Council business support during lockdown. 

Oxford City Council Additional Restrictions Grant - This scheme will enable local authorities to pay discretionary grants of up to £2,000 to the following types of business, if eligible:

• Closed businesses that do not have a rateable value
• Business which are severely impacted rather than closed

More information on this and a range of support for businesses is available via the link below: https://www.oxford.gov.uk/supportforbusiness


Oxford City Council is relaunching the #WeAreOxford grant funding for community activity. Grants will be available for up to £5,000 per project. For full details and how to apply email Claire Thompson

"Our aim is to help build bridges between residents from different national, cultural, economic and social backgrounds from across the city and support the cultivation of a shared sense that Oxford is a city of tolerance, belonging and community.

We will fund organisations up to £5000 to create projects or activities that help achieve this goal. We will prioritise proposals that focus on building lasting friendships, likely through ongoing activity or projects rather than one-off activities."

Deadline for initial proposals is 10am Thursday 28 January 2021


Arts Council England

Who can apply: Individual artists and practitioners, community and cultural organisations, museums and libraries.

What you can apply for: Arts, museums and libraries projects that engage people in England with creativity and culture. Key dates: National Lottery Project Grants is open all the time, there are no deadlines. 

Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP)

The fund supports creative practitioners thinking of taking their practice to the next stage to research, have time to create new work, travel, training, develop ideas, network or find mentoring. £18 million of National Lottery funding will be awarded between October 2020 to October 2021, over four rounds. 

Funding activity: Research and development opportunities, building new networks, creating new work

Grant range: £2,000 - £10,000

Eligibility: Individual artists and/or creative practitioners. You can find full eligibility criteria in the guidance for applicants. Organisations cannot apply.

Round 9 opened on 11 January 2021 and closes on 12pm (midday), 18 February 2021.

Sign up here for monthly newsletter with the latest from the Arts Council and the arts and culture sector. 

Sign up here for the Arts Council weekly Arts Jobs and News e-newsletter

South East Dance also offer 1-2-1 artist support and can read your ACE application before you submit. Email Pip Sayers to book a slot.


Theatre Community Fund

The Theatre Community Fund has been established to support the theatrical artists and professionals whose livelihoods and creative futures have been threatened in the wake of Covid-19. The Theatre Community Fund has currently raised over £500,000 for creatives and artists in need.

HARDSHIP grants in partnership with the The Fleabag Support Fund will open on the 1st of the month for 5 days for the foreseeable future. 
 

Who can apply: Professional dancers. Support given to freelance dancers across genres including ballet, contemporary, Black and Asian dance and hip hop including those with portfolio careers, e.g. choreography, who whose work would normally include employment in the subsidised dance sector. The emergency Arts Council support grants have now ended but you can still apply for support from the Dance Professionals Fund 
 

Equity & Equity Dance Network 

ODF were joined by several representatives from the Equity Dance Network at our open meeting on 3 Dec. Sara Wookey and Genevieve Say. It was great to hear their news and updates. If you missed the meeting and want to know more about joining Equity you can contact ODF Chair and Equity member Susie Crow or the local Oxford Equity Branch.

For advice/information follow Equity Dance Network on facebook and instagram

Since being set up the dance sub committee have been advocating for better rights for dancers including the right to holiday pay  - watch their film about this here
 

South East Dance

Mind The Gap is a free-to-access programme which helps dance graduates to transition from higher education into the professional dance industry. Piloted in 2018 as a face-to-face programme delivered in partnership with Hofesh Shechter Company, for 2021 they are running the series of support and advice sessions online, allowing many more new graduates to take part. 

Kicking off in January and running for four months, the programme will consist of online talks and lectures from industry experts on topics such as creating budgets, mental health, staying healthy while on tour, how to work with a dramaturg/producer, and where to look for and find work. 

To find out more and apply to take part click here.


Freelance Task Force Dance working group - 

FTF Dance formed an extremely proactive and creative sub-group within the wider Freelance Task Force. Read more and follow the FTF Dance working group here or write to danceftf@gmail.com to join the mailing list. Next online events:

Clod Ensemble - Reboot

Reboot is our free artist development programme for emerging and established practitioners.

We provide a space for performers and performance makers, teachers and academics to explore ideas and develop their practice. We encourage artists to broaden their skills and collaborate across disciplines.

We facilitate environments where performers can take risks and learn from each other whilst feeling valued and supported.

Workshops may involve dancers, actors, scientists, musicians, artists and researchers. You can sign up to receive updates on their professional development opportunities on their website. 


MOTUS MK

MOTUS DANCE in Milton Keynes are expanding their network of freelance artists and companies they work with. Get in touch to find out more information info@motusdance.co.uk

The MOTUS website also has a fantastic Artists Insights page for an insight into different dance creators process and research process to create work. Featuring work and interviews from and with Vincent Dance Theatre, Thomasin Guülgecç, Alleyne Dance, Tamzen Moulding from InVerted, Urja Thakore from Pagrav and Katie Dale Everett. 

Swindon Dance is creating a digital space where artists can share their work for audiences to enjoy. The online platform will give artists a stage to perform and the opportunity to share aspects of their work.

The site will be launching on the 28th of January 2021. Once live keep revisiting the platform for new performances, classes and footage. Read more
 

Watch Thomas Page Dances new film for Lights Up  commissioned by AOFS

London International Mime Festival -
FREE events/talks to watch online  Jan 17th -  31st

Watch The Guardian recommendations for dance films online

Rent a variety of English National Ballet shows via their website

DANSOX events can be watched on the JdP YouTube channel (Dansox Playlist)

TORCH 'Moon Viewing' - A Postal Poetry Performance by Alice Oswald - Professor of Poetry find out more and watch online (includes a duet with 2 dancers)

For your diary DANSOX Summer School Fri 9th - Mon 12th July 2021 This will have an interdisciplinary theme focussing on "notation" 

Dance Umbrella - you can still watch lots of the festival events on their website.

Sadlers Wells Digital Stage: Sadler’s Wells presents a programme of full-length dance performances, films and workshops online. They are also beginning live performances with socially distanced audiences.