HOME ARCHES - FIND OUT MORE
Applications to use the Arches spaces are now closed. To be kept informed about future application dates please sign up to our Artist Newsletter - details below.
What are HOME Arches?
Since opening in 2015, HOME has been committed to supporting the professional and creative development of artists from all backgrounds.
Situated under the railway arches behind HOME’s main building, the HOME Arches are three unique studio spaces developed in close collaboration with our Artist Panel.
Every year, we will provide 5,000 hours of studio space to artists, completely free of charge. At least 50% of this time will be dedicated to artists from groups currently underrepresented in the industry.
A space to rehearse, develop and experiment, the use of the Arches will be spread between residencies, workshops, and the Open Bookings now being piloted. We know that finding the space to make work can be one of the barriers to creation and hope that this scheme will help ease the financial burden on creatives looking for space to develop their practice.
Who are HOME Arches for?
HOME Arches is a creative hub dedicated to supporting professional artists at different stages of their careers. We particularly welcome applications from those who feel their practice would benefit from dedicated time and space to further explore and develop.
To book this space, you/ your group must be:
- Practicing artists
- Over 18
- Based in the North West
- Not currently in full-time education
- Focusing on at least one of HOME’s main artforms: Theatre, Film or Visual Arts
We especially welcome applications from:
- Global Majority artists
- d/Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent (DDN) artists
- Artists from lower socio-economic backgrounds
At least 50% of the time available is reserved for these groups.
WHAT CAN THE SPACE BE USED FOR?
Only you know your idea or project, so we will always try to accommodate your needs based on what we can offer.
Arches 1 and 3 can be used by creatives from any discipline. Some equipment, such as a large TV, projectors, and a selection of workshop tools may be made available in either space, subject to availability.
Here are some examples of what previously hosted artists have used HOME Arches for:
- Meetings (with stakeholders, other collaborators, to discuss the early stages of a project)
- Rehearsing shows (plays, choreography, cabaret, circus, shows that combine several disciplines)
- Script readings
- Devising artwork (clay, painting, banners, vinyl designing…)
- Recording and photography (for example of existing plays for promotional reasons)
- Editing video and or film
- Public sharings of works in progress
- Small exhibitions
- Workshops with a clear developmental focus for artists (note that these must be aligned with our priorities and might require a separate conversation)
Arch 1
Arch 1 is a custom-built rehearsal and development space with black-out capability, a modern LED lighting rig, a professional sound system, projection, and sprung dance floor. A Bluetooth speaker is available in this space.
If you require a black-out space or the use of technical equipment in the form of lighting or PA system, you will need to book for Arch 1.
Arch 2
Arch 2 is our shared space, used by all artists in HOME Arches.
It contains a social space with a long table, sofas, computers and a printer. This is also the main access to the building and where the bathrooms and shared kitchenette are. Typically used for desk working, meetings and activity that can be interrupted intermittently.
Arch 3:
Arch 3 is a double-height studio space with a sink and worktop. A Bluetooth speaker is available for this space.
For measurements and technical specifications, please refer to the Technical Specifications document on the bookings page.
Key information
Dates available for booking: Weekdays (Mon – Fri) between Mon 2 Jun and Fri 29 Aug, 10:00 - 17:00.
You can book between 1 and 5 days. They do not need to be consecutive.
Applications close: Tue 22 Apr, 23:59
All applicants notified: Fri 25 Apr, no matter what the decision. If your application is successful we will also let you know what your booking dates are.
In order to fully confirm your booking, you must provide us with a Risk Assessment, agree to sign our Code of Conduct and provide us with any technical or equipment requests for your time in the space.
Please be aware that during an artist’s first use of the space, they will need to complete the HOME Arches Induction, which will take the first 20 minutes of their visit.
How to apply
Please complete the form below.
Submissions close on Tue 22 Apr at 23:59. All applicants will be contacted with the results of the lottery by Fri 25 Apr.
Throughout the form, "you" may refer to you as an individual, or as a collective if you are applying on behalf of a group.
We reserve the right to remove applications from the lottery system if they do not meet our criteria.
If you would like to discuss your application before submitting, or need help filling in the form, please contact us at artistdevelopment@homemcr.org or by phone on 0161 212 3400.
Please allow three working days for a reply.
If you would like to prepare before filling in the form, you can download the list of questions below.
Request to book
FAQS
How bookings are allocated
Once the deadline for booking requests closes, we will review all bookings received and allocate space on a first come first served basis.
We will firstly allocate space to artists who have indicated facing barriers in the creative industries. After that, all remaining requests will be allocated. The process continues until all available slots have been allocated.
Will everybody who request a booking be given a space?
Free space is very scarcely available and we tend to be over-subscribed. We are therefore unfortunately unlikely to be able to accommodate all requests.
Can I ask for space again if I don't manage to be offered it this time?
Absolutely, please do submit another booking request when we open again.
I'm applying for funding to develop some work and want to mention using HOME Arches during the process. How can I do this?
HOME Arches is offered to artists for free. You can state that you are receiving in-kind making/rehearsal space for the following equivalent cost:
1 day of rehearsal in one of the Arches = £400
1 day of technical support from our resident technician = £150
I would like to run a public-facing activity that audiences would pay to attend. Can I do this at HOME Arches?
All activity taking place at HOME Arches must remain free to access, so although you can have some audiences, we are unable to accommodate activity that people need to pay for.
I run regular workshops with a local group. Can I use HOME Arches for my sessions?
We know how important creativity is for everybody and acknowledge that finding space for creative activity can be challenging. However, the focus of HOME Arches is to nurture development and exploration for practicing artists, so we are unable to offer the space for non-professional creatives or those without a professional ambition.
Do you support artists working in every artform?
We are committed to supporting artists working across our main programming priorities, which are:
Theatre (in the widest sense of the word)
Film/cinema
Visual Arts
If your project combines any of these with others (eg exploring ideas for a show that includes music, theatre and dance), you can request booking the space.
Where counts as the North West?
The North West comprises of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. You can check if you are in the North West on this map.
Can I book both Arches?
For this pilot project, you can only book one. Feel free to give us feedback either by emailing us or in the “any other comments you would like to share” box in the form. If you project requires both Arches get in touch with Artist Development and we can talk about whether we can accommodate it outside of the Open Booking Scheme.
What do I do if I want to use the Arches to host a sharing?
f you would like to show your finished work to a public audience who can book ticket, this would not be done via the Open Booking process or the Artist Development team but via the relevant programming team, using the spaces in HOME’s main building.
If you would like to share you work with a small invited audience of peers or industry for the purpose of getting feedback on your work in development, this is absolutely fine. Please make sure you mention this in your form, in the section under "Detailed Information" where you explain how you plan to use the space. We will then discuss with you what is feasible when we call you to sort out the practicalities of your booking.
What if only some of my group meet the criteria, for example if 2 people live in Manchester but a third member lives in London?
This is fine, as long as the majority of your group lives in the North West.
What if only some of my group meet the criteria for those currently underrepresented in the industry?
This is absolutely fine, as long as the majority of your group meet these criteria.
Is there technical support available?
Our Arches Technician Lilly Menear is there to support artists using the Arches. The level of support they will be able to provide depends on what you need and their availability and we will discuss this with you when we confirm your booking. To help this process you can detail what ideal support you would need in the “Detailed Information” section of the form.
What tech is in the HOME Arches?
You can find out the full list in the downloadable tech spec document. If you still have questions after reading it, you can email our Arches Technician Lilly Meanear on lilly.menear@homemcr.org.
Can I work evenings/weekends?
For this pilot project, the bookable hours are only weekday during the day. We will review the whole process at the end of the pilot run. Feel free to give us feedback either by emailing us or in the “any other comments you would like to share” box in the form.
How do I risk assessment?
We will go through this with you once we confirm your booking and can assist if you need help. You can provide us with your own Risk Assessment or we can provide you with a template.
What address do I put in if I’m part of a collective?
Please use the address of the main point of contact for this project. They would need to be currently living in the North West of England.
What do you mean by lower socio-economic background?
We recognise that it may be difficult to determine your socio-economic background for this purpose. We found Jerwood’s Socio-Economic Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts: Toolkit helpful.
The following questions and answers may help in making this judgement.
Were you eligible for Free School Meals? Yes
Did you attend a fee-paying school? No
Did your main carer(s) access higher education? No
Did your main carer(s) work in a Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupation(s)? No