DANCE SHORTS! is a new commissioning initiative made possible with a grant from the Arts Council of Wales. A partnership between venues and artists, it aims to increase access for audiences to see quality Welsh talent and to provide opportunities for Welsh dance artists to show their work at key venues in South Wales. The commissioned works will be presented free in the foyer 30 minutes before the main dance performance at Riverfront Theatre in Newport, Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, Taliesin Arts Centre in Swansea and finally as a whole evening at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff. To ensure quality and suitability of works to be performed, there will be a mentoring programme as part of the project to give artists feedback about the commissioned works before public presentation. Quality and fit for purpose will be the broad aims of the mentoring programme.
Each artist will receive a commissioning fee of £1,300. This is inclusive of all expenses incurred such as performers' fees, any production costs, travel and accommodation. A limited amount of rehearsal space can be provided free of charge at supporting venues. Dance Shorts! will undertake the marketing of the commissioned works in partnership with venues hosting the main dance event. The first commission will be performed during Oct-Nov, the second Feb-March with both presented at Chapter in March 2009.
Guidelines for Commissions:
- commissioned works to be 10 minutes in length
- nature of the venues to be used as inspiration - site responsive
- to be an opener for the main dance performance
- Dance Shorts to be free to attend and needs to be suitable for a 'passing audience'
- the Dance Shorts slot kicks off the evening so needs to be immediate and stimulating
- mentoring and feedback programme for commissioned pieces to ensure quality and fit for purpose before public presentation
- commissioned works should be suitable for audience for main dance performance bearing in mind such things as age suitability and type/style of main performance
Dance Shorts! aims to:
- commission dance that is fit for purpose
- develop audiences for Welsh work and dance generally
- aid the provision of full evenings dance work at key Welsh venues
- provide a supportive environment for Welsh dance artists to make and show their work in Wales
- give dance artists the opportunity to create and present work within clearly defined parameters
- support career development for dance artists
- create a structure for mentoring and honest feedback
- facilitate communication with audiences
- share resources
- create new marketing and promotion possibilities for dance
- facilitate dialogue and partnership between venue programmers and dance artists
- enable dance sector development