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Published: September 4, 2023 by mbelfield
Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network is delighted to launch a new opportunity for four LGBTQ+ artists or companies based in Greater Manchester to develop new performances to be showcased to a public audience at TURN ON Fest at Hope Mill Theatre in January 2024, and to an industry showcase as part of its Conference in Manchester in February 2024.
The CREATE Bursary 2023 is part of a range of initiatives from the Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network, led by LGBT Foundation and supported by Arts Council England (providing support, training, and development for over 30 cultural organisations in the region working with LGBTQ+ communities) that are creating opportunities for LGBTQ+ performing artists across Greater Manchester to develop and present new work.
Supported by Network members including LGBT Foundation, Contact, HOME, Hope Mill Theatre, The Lowry, The Met, and Waterside Arts, the CREATE Bursary 2023 will include a cash grant of £1000, access to rehearsal space, and tailored development support to create four new exciting LGBTQ+ performances to premiere as part of TURN ON Fest, Hope Mill Theatre’s annual LGBTQIA+ arts festival.
The hope is that the pieces will be supported further after their premiere, building on the success of previous recipients mandla rae and Roma Havers, who secured funding from Arts Council England to develop full versions of their shows as British as a Watermelon (shown at the Edinburgh Festival) and LOB.
Other recipients of artist awards from Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network have included Cheddar Gorgeous (who went on to become a finalist in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK S3), Jaii Andrew, Jova and The Wave, and Maz Hedgehog.
Artists are encouraged to submit Expressions of Interest by Friday 15 September, 12pm.
To find out more, including how to apply, please go to:
Dr Paul Martin OBE, Chief Executive, LGBT Foundation said: ‘I’m thrilled that Arts Council England continues to support LGBT Foundation’s work with the Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network, providing more opportunities for LGBTQ+ artists, supporting our cultural organisations engage further with LGBTQ+ communities, and creating more space for Queer Hope and Joy. We’re incredibly excited to see our partnership with Hope Mill Theatre and TURN ON Fest grow this year, alongside the further support of our partners Contact, HOME, The Lowry, The Met and Waterside Arts, and seeing what our four successful CREATE artists develop for our stages!’
Joseph Houston, Artistic Director & Co-Founder of Hope Mill Theatre said: “We are really excited to be partnering for another year with the LGBT Foundation, to give more queer and underrepresented emerging artists the chance to develop their work with the support of some of Manchester’s most vibrant and cultural venues! Together with the LGBT Foundation’s Create Bursaries, we’re proud to be able to continue to foster new voices, and very real stories from the next big artists of the future. We can’t wait to support these four individuals in their journey and welcome them to Turn On Fest 2024, here at Hope Mill Theatre”
