We are delighted to announce that this year we will be working with Trafalgar Entertainment on a major new commissioning opportunity for theatre makers wanting to expand their practice.
The HOME 2020 Commission aims to bring the next generation of the UK’s most visionary and acclaimed artists to our main stage. It’s an opportunity for pioneering theatre makers to make new work on a bigger scale, with a bigger budget, and for a bigger audience.
We want to hear from theatre makers with a strong track record of working in studio spaces, who are looking for an opportunity to scale up their practice and ambitions. The HOME 2020 Commission will provide a bespoke 12-month residency including intensive periods of R&D, to create a new production for our 500-seat Theatre 1 stage.
The first HOME 2020 Commission is specifically for theatre makers who make musicals or plays with music. This will build on our previous T1 Commission, which will see cabaret duo Bourgeois and Maurice open a new show in our Theatre 1 next year.
There will be a further HOME 2020 Commission announced later in the year, which will be delivered in partnership with English Touring Theatre.
What are we looking for?
For this year, we are specifically looking for proposals from artists or companies who create new musicals or plays with music.
Applicants must:
- Have been creating work professionally for a minimum of five years (not including full-time education).
- Have been lead artist(s) on at least three productions which have run for at least 1 week in studio scale venues (70-150 seats). This does not include student productions.
- Have not yet worked as lead artist(s) on a fully realised production in a mid-scale (500+ seat) venue.
- Be excited about the possibility of extending practice to make a piece of work for larger spaces.
- Consider their practice and work to be in line with HOME’s ambition and mission.
- Be able to make a commitment to be resident in Manchester for periods throughout the residency.
- Be resident and eligible to work in the UK.
How do we support you?
Over the course of 12 months, you will be supported by a bespoke residency which will include training, shadowing, practical R&D opportunities and mentoring from our creative team alongside a team of industry professionals.
The residency will include:
- A flexible 12 month period of development (part-time planned around artist(s)’s commitments and development needs).
- Budget and support for a new commission.
- Access to shadowing and mentoring opportunities.
- Dedicated rehearsal space to play and experiment with practice alongside opportunities for critical feedback.
- Producing support throughout the residency.
- A small budget for ticket and travel costs to see and engage with a range of work across the UK.
We strive to present a vibrant, diverse programme that is reflective of the city that we live in. We believe that this can only truly be achieved if the artists we work with at HOME encompasses a broad range of beliefs and vantage points. We particularly welcome applications from theatre makers from a BAME background and/or those who are Deaf or disabled, as we are keen to work with people from a diverse variety of backgrounds.
We also believe that opportunities like this should be as open as possible, and we wouldn’t want circumstances beyond your control preventing you from applying for this opportunity. If you need support with transport, translation, childcare or any other costs we haven’t thought about, we have an access fund to support your involvement. Please do let us know in your expression of interest how we can help.
How do you apply?
Please email jennie.mccusker@homemcr.org with an expression of interest (this can be in written, verbal or visual format) no more than 2 pages of A4 for written submissions, recorded/filmed applications no more than 10 minutes.
Please include in your expression the following information:
- Please tell us about the project you would like to propose. This should be an overview of what you would like to do, you don’t need to include scripts etc at this stage.
- Tell us who you are, a summary of your practice to date and how this opportunity would help you.
- Tell us about a moment in your career to date that you are most proud of and why.
- We would also like to see examples of your work, please send us whatever you think best illustrates your practice. This could be a scrap book, photos, a show reel, essay, flipbook, blog, video etc. Please limit supporting information to up to 5 images, 3 web links and 2 additional content items (blogs, video etc).
Shortlisted proposals will then be invited to a conversation with a panel of industry professionals to talk about your expression of interest in mid June 2019.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your proposal please contact Head of Talent Development, jennie.mccusker@homemcr.org.
We will also be holding Talent Development Surgeries during May, where you can talk through your proposal with one of our HOME team. Surgeries will be held in both Manchester and London. If you would like to book a 30-minute slot please email jennie.mccusker@homemcr.org.
Timescales
- Applications open Wed 15 May
- Advice surgeries available from Mon 20 May to Mon 3 June
- Applications close Mon 10 June at 12noon.
- Shortlisting w/c 10 June & 17 June
- Interviews from w/c 1 July (Manchester)
- Commissions announced – July
- Residency to start from end of Sept 2019
About HOME
At HOME, we work with international and UK artists to produce extraordinary experiences, creating an exciting mix of thought-provoking drama, dance, film and contemporary visual art with a strong focus on international work, new commissions and talent development.
Our ambition is to push the boundaries of form and technology, to experiment, have fun and take risks. We want to explore what it means to be human today, and to share great new art with the widest possible audience. We are keen to hear from theatre makers who are excited about working with us to achieve our vision and feel their practice is inline with our artistic policy.
About Trafalgar Entertainment Group
Co-founded by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire in 2017, Trafalgar Entertainment is a live entertainment business and home to Trafalgar Studios, Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Trafalgar Releasing (formerly Picturehouse Entertainment) and Stagecoach Performing Arts.
The production arm of the company, Trafalgar Theatre Productions, is producing a group of new shows and classic musicals in London and internationally including the Lincoln Center Theater’s award-winning production of The King and I at the London Palladium and now worldwide, The Rocky Horror Show worldwide; The Wardrobe Ensemble’s Education Education Education, Joshua Harmon’s Admissions starring Alex Kingston, new British musical Tom Morris’ The Grinning Man and Apologia starring Stockard Channing at Trafalgar Studios. Other co-productions include transfers of the two sell-out ground breaking and Olivier nominated new British productions: the Bush Theatre’s Misty and National Theatre’s Nine Night.