Like everyone else, we at HOME are currently reeling from the ongoing impact of Covid-19 around the world. Amongst the tragedy of lives lost, livelihoods jeopardised, and societies isolated, we are searching for practical responses that the artistic community can make – not only to ensure employment for the freelance workforce, but also to celebrate and create live art in a moment where public gatherings are impossible.
The Homemakers Open Call is a series of three new £1000 commissions, for North West based theatre or live art-makers to create work at home, for an audience who are also at home. It is part of the Homemakers series that was announced at the end of March.
For accessible versions of this information, please refer to the Opportunity Information box to the side or bottom of this page.
What we are looking for:
- Proposals for new work that can be made within a £1000 budget and created at your home for an audience who are also at home. Please note that you can use some pre-existing material – your own or others’ (as long as you have permission) – but it needs to be work that is new to the public (e.g. not a recording of a previous show, or a reading of a previously performed/published text).
- Work that can be made available to audiences online through HOME’s website, on a pay-what-you-decide basis.
- Work that is of any length, and in whatever form you like – video, audio, text, visual, a PowerPoint presentation, instructions for a game, a live-streamed performance, a personalised phone call… whatever you want to do. We will then figure out a way to make it happen to the best of our abilities.
- Work that can ideally be delivered to us within a two-week delivery deadline so we can start making work available to the public as soon as possible. We appreciate that everyone is dealing with very different circumstances, so we are happy to discuss this with you individually.
Who can apply?
- Artists living in the North West or studying at a University in the North West.
- Artists working in any artform that can be delivered within the brief.
- Individuals or companies, of any level of experience – though you will need to demonstrate some experience.
- We also welcome proposals from those who are under-represented in the arts.
How it works:
- Artists should apply through the open submissions process – see details below.
- The £1000 commission fee is fixed and covers development and delivery of the entire project. You are free to use it as you wish, whether that is for purchasing resources, paying other people to work with you, or paying yourself for your time and work.
- Selected commissions will be developed with support from HOME’s Talent Development team and hosted on our website for audiences to pay-what-they-decide. We believe that this is the best model for encouraging audiences to value the work they access online, but without creating financial barriers.
- Income from each work will be split equally between HOME and the commissioned artist.
Access:
- We want to make all work as accessible as possible. HOME will provide audiences with captioned and audio described versions of each work as required and we will supply content warnings where appropriate. Our team at HOME will discuss any interpretation or modifications needed with you.
- We encourage proposals for work in British Sign Language.
- If you have any access requirements, please let us know and we will be happy to provide whatever you need.
To apply:
Ensure that you meet the criteria, please complete a brief written proposal (approx 750 words) found here.
This will ask you for the following;
- Your name and postcode.
- A little bit about you and the work you make (approx 300 words)
- Links to examples of your previous work.
- An outline of what you would like to do and how you would do it (approx 450 words)
- Any support you might need from HOME.
If you are Deaf and communicate in British Sign Language, we welcome applications sent in video format of no more than five minutes in length via WeTransfer to talentdevelopment@homemcr.org
If you have other access requirements and are unable to send a written application or a BSL application, please send us an audio file of no more than five minutes in length again to talentdevelopment@homemcr.org
Deadline for proposals: 5pm on Monday 20 April 2020
Successful applicants will be contacted by: Tuesday 28 April
Please note that we are unable to give feedback on unsuccessful applications.