Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network is once again delighted to offer an opportunity for an LGBTQ+ artist/company based in Greater Manchester to develop a new 15-minute performance to be showcased as part of local Pride celebrations between May and August 2024.
Supported by our Network partners (Factory International, Global Grooves, Manchester Pride, Octagon Theatre, Peshkar, The Lowry, The Met, The Old Courts, Touchstones, Waterside Arts) the PRIDE STAGES Bursary 2024 opportunity will include a cash grant of £1000, access to rehearsal space, and tailored development support from partner venues.
PRIDE STAGES Bursary: What Do You Get?
£1000 cash grant supporting performance development (paid in advance)
Performance fees (£250 per event, payable after each performance)
Access to free rehearsal space (10 days, with at least 1 day tech support)
Additional in-kind development, marketing, and production support
Opportunity to present your work to a public audience at local Pride Stages across Greater Manchester (including Trafford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Tameside, and Manchester) in 2024
PRIDE STAGES Bursary: What’s It For?
This Bursary supports the creation of a new 15-minute performance to be developed between 2 April – 10 May 2024.
The work will then be shared with a public audience at local Pride events including:
15/05/24 – 18/05/24 Pride In Trafford (Partner – Waterside Arts)
24/05/24 – 26/05/24 Bolton Pride (Partner – Octagon Theatre)
01/06/24 Bury Pride (Partner – The Met)
15/06/24 Tameside Pride (Partner – Global Grooves)
20/07/24 – 21/07/24 Oldham Pride (Partner – Peshkar)
23/08/24 – 26/08/24 Manchester Pride (Partner – Manchester Pride)
Dates may be subject to change, and additional performances may be offered.
Final schedule will be available by interview date.
We want to hear from contemporary theatre makers, performance artists, musicians, spoken word artists, dancers, circus and other live artists.
Performances should be rooted in theatre, dance, music, circus, live literature, live art or interdisciplinary performance practice. The work can include elements of other artforms such as visual art but needs to be presented as a live performance.
Performance should speak to the experiences of LGBTQ+ communities, and the context in which it will be presented e.g. as part of a Pride event. Work should be celebratory, political or both.
Pride Stages can be outdoor or indoor performance stages, so the work will need be adaptable to both.
Criteria
We ask that work submitted for consideration fulfills one or more of the following criteria:
4. Is a clear development opportunity for the artist or company.
The work presented can vary in art form but must consist of a live performance of 15 minutes in duration.
Work must be adaptable for presentation as part of indoor and outdoor stages at different scales.
Work must also consider that audiences for local Pride Stages may include families in terms of language and content being presented.
About You
To be eligible for this commission, you must:
be over 18 years of age
identify as LGBTQ+
make work in a theatre, dance, circus, live art, live literature, music or interdisciplinary practice context
be based in Greater Manchester (e.g. Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, Manchester or Salford)
have an idea for a new 15min work that has not previously been shared with a public audience (testing material or extracts at open mic or similar platforms are fine), received funding or development support
We want to hear from a wide range of people, at any stage of their career, who identify as LGBTQ+ from across Greater Manchester.
We particularly welcome applications from those currently under-represented in the industry as a result of barriers arising from social, gender, sexuality, financial, ethnic, cultural, religious, geographic or educational disadvantage or disability.
If you’d like to explore how we can support you in overcoming these barriers, please get in touch via barry.priest@lgbt.foundation and we’ll happily discuss this with you in advance of your application.
Application Process
Stage 1: Submit an expression of interest
Please submit via our online form or via alternate video/audio methods (see How To Apply below)
This is where you will tell us about yourself, your previous experience and your idea.
Please also let us know if you have any access needs so we can provide you with any additional support you might need, both in applying and in realising your idea if your application is successful.
We’ll invite shortlisted applicants through to the next stage.
All shortlisted candidates will receive feedback on their proposals.
Stage 2: Informal online conversations
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to tell us more about their idea through an informal online chat with representatives from the Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network.
Stage 3: Selection
We’ll select two artists to receive this Bursary.
Important Dates
Applications open: Wed 6 March 2024
Deadline for Expressions of Interest: Fri 15 March 2024, 12pm (midday)
Shortlisted artists informed: Wed 20 March 2024
Informal online conversations: Wed 27 March 2024
Final decision made by: Thu 28 March 2024
How To Apply
Option 1
Please complete your Expression of Interest online form at
Forms should be completed by the deadline of Fri 15 March 2024, 12pm (midday)
Option 2
Or submit a 3-minute recording (audio or video) instead – covering the following:
Lead contact name (first name and last name)
Lead contact email address
Postcode in Greater Manchester
Company/Artist name and any links to social media handles or websites
Please tell us about you, your practice and the work you make (around 300 words)
Please tell us about the idea you’d like to develop through this Bursary.
Please tell us how you think it fits the Criteria
Please tell us what the audience will ‘see’; the concept behind the idea, who you’ll be working with, and what you might need to make it happen (around 500 words)
Please upload your video/audio to YouTube or another video/audio sharing platform and email the link by the deadline to barry.priest@lgbt.foundation with the subject line ‘PRIDE STAGES Bursary Application: [Please Insert Your Name], including details of any passwords if links are password protected.
Please attach up to three online links to your work (your website, video content, etc)
Please also complete our anonymous online Monitoring form at
Both forms need to be emailed to barry.priest@lgbt.foundation by the deadline Fri 15 March 2024, 12pm (midday) with the subject line ‘PRIDE STAGES Bursary Application: [Please Insert Your Name]
Further Questions and Access
If you have any additional questions about your eligibility or any part of the application process, then please email barry.priest@lgbt.foundation and a member of the Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network will get back to you.
We’re keen to make this process as inclusive as possible. Please let us know if you need additional access support and we will arrange this for you.
Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network is a LGBT Foundation Project, supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
