Stomping Ground Commission Callout 2021 - The Place

Stomping Ground Commission Callout 2021
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Stomping Ground is inviting proposals for bold and original ideas for dance
works made for outdoor spaces.

Stomping Ground is a commissioning group comprised of The Place,
FESTIVAL.ORG, DanceXchange and Tramway.

Commissioning Brief
We are interested in hearing from artists who want to develop ambitious,
high-quality work, created for outdoor spaces that can grab the attention &
imaginations of audiences.

We are interested in a range of outdoor practices & presentation formats: we
don’t necessarily equate scale to ambition; rather we are looking for ideas
which are creatively ambitious. We are interested in supporting compelling
ideas originally conceived for the outdoors that have a strong impact, and
engage across a broad audience base.

We welcome applications for work that could be presented in a range of
contexts, whether urban, rural, festival or high street.
We are offering a commission of £20k towards an original work, and we
expect that this will be for presentation from summer 2022.

We’re looking for ideas for shows which:
• are originally conceived as outdoor works (rather than work which has
  previously been made for indoor spaces)
• are adaptable to their locations, have the potential to be scaled to different
  contexts, and are conceived with touring potential in mind
• Respond to, or engage with, the world we’re living in now
• Consider how outdoor work can engage a mix of committed attendees &
  passersby. Have an experienced team behind them, some of whom may
  have strong experience in the outdoor sector

We’re interested in hearing from dance makers who:
• Are UK based
• Have a track record of making and presenting work in a range of
  professional contexts – this may or may not have already involved working
  outdoors
• Are interested in how outdoor work can inspire audiences from the broadest
  range of backgrounds

• Are seeking to engage with inspiring artists as part of their creative team
  (e.g. music, design, theatre, circus) and/or other disciplines (e.g.
  architecture, town planning)
• Might not necessarily define themselves as ‘dance makers’ - we’re looking
  for performance with a strong and distinctive movement element, but we
  welcome applications from artists from other disciplines who use movement
  in their practice
• We haven’t worked with before as well as artists we have existing
  relationships with

We are keen to ensure that Stomping Ground commissions reflect
the range of artists in the UK, and encourage applications from those who are
currently underrepresented in the dance sector, including but not limited
to, disabled artists, artists from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, artists
who experience racism, artists with care responsibilities and artists who are
LGBTQIA+.

COMMISSIONING OFFER
We’re interested in going on a journey with a commissioned artist from the
beginnings of the idea, right through to production. Alongside the £20k
commission, the partners can also offer:

   •   Space in-kind for R&D and/or creation
   •   Pitching opportunities at their respective platforms
   •   Producing support, depending on the needs of the project
   •   Marketing & documentation support & guidance
   •   Performance and touring opportunities

Performances agreed with the commissioning partners will be subject to a
separate performance agreement and fee, and it is expected that the partners
will be involved in conversations regarding future touring performances, as
your touring plans develop.

We understand that the commission isn’t going to cover all the costs to make
your work. If you are invited to interview we will want to hear more about how
you propose to support creation, and the commission partners can also
provide advice on how you might look for additional support.

ELIGIBILITY

We are inviting applications from UK based artists, who define themselves as
having an established practice, and track record of making and presenting
high quality work.
We are unable to accept applications from students (unless at PhD level), or
artists based outside of the UK.

HOW TO APPLY

APPLICATION PROCESS

We have created an expression of interest form for you to tell us more about
your idea and about yourself.

To apply, please fill in the short application via this link
[https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7MG6WZT ].

The deadline for applications is Thursday 29 April at 12pm midday, and
interviews will be held online on Tues 25 & Weds 26 May. All applicants can
request feedback, and all applicants will be told the outcome of their
application by Friday 4 June

Please also complete one of our Equal Opportunities monitoring forms
which you will find attached to the Expression of Interest. The Equal
Opportunities monitoring form is optional and will help us to monitor whether
our Call Outs are reaching groups that are currently underrepresented in our
programmes. These forms will be reviewed by our HR team and will not been
seen by the shortlisting or interview panel.

You can attach videos of your work or include a link to a video platform
service. A film from a smartphone is fine.
A pdf version of the questions is available at the bottom of the page – if you
are having any trouble using the SurveyMonkey, please contact us at
stomping-ground@theplace.org.uk

We will be hosting an information session on Weds 31 March @ 4pm online,
where representatives from the commissioning group will be able to talk a bit
more about the commission, and provide an opportunity for you to ask
questions. You can sign up to this by emailing stomping-
ground@theplace.org.uk

SHORTLISTING PROCESS

The selection is carried out by a panel of producers and programmers who
work in all the commissioning organisations, as well as an external artist. If
invited to interview, you’ll need to tell us a bit more about your idea, how
you’ll use the resources – money, strategic support – to make the project
happen, and also show how your previous experience will support you in
making the work.
You will be notified of the interview panel when invited to interview.

FAQs

1.    What format should my film be in?

Please provide a web link to your film, uploaded to a platform such as
YouTube or Vimeo. If you password protect your film, please provide the
password on the form. Please do not send large media files either direct to
the partners, or via dropbox.

2. Will the partners be providing presentation opportunities on top of the
commission?

The partners expect to find presentation opportunities in their local area for
the commissioned work, and these will be negotiated based on the nature of
the projects. Presentations will be subject to fees paid by the partners to the
artists on top of the commission.

3. What producing support will the partners offer?

This will be dependent on the needs of the project, but may include studio
space; advice about making work outdoors; and support to develop further
partnerships to make and present the work.

4. Can I speak to one of the partners about my application in advance?

We would encourage you to read the application guidance carefully. If you
have a question which is not answered here, please email stomping-
ground@theplace.org.uk

5. Who is ineligible to apply?

• Students (except those at PhD level)
• Artists based outside of the UK.
• Artists who cannot demonstrate that they have an established practice
  and/or track record of making and presenting work of quality.

Stomping Ground is a commissioning group comprised of The Place,
FESTIVAL.ORG, DanceXchange and Tramway.

The Place, London’s creative powerhouse for dance development, has been
leading the way in dance training, creation and performance for 50 years. In a
changing landscape, our vision for the future remains steadfast: We are
powering imagination through dance, championing new ideas, embracing
risks and creating a dance ecosystem unlike any other in the world, with
optimal conditions for dance artists and enthusiasts to realise their full
potential. The Place is home to London Contemporary Dance School, an
extensive theatre and artist development programme, education projects, a
range of classes and courses and a nationwide touring model. As a
pioneering dance organisation, we are committed to creating no-barriers
access to exciting dance experiences and opportunities for everybody,
offering a diverse and dynamic theatre programme for audiences,
empowering artists and dance makers and giving young people access to the
highest quality opportunities to touch their lives with dance. theplace.org.uk

FESTIVAL.ORG
FESTIVAL.ORG is one of the UK’s most ambitious and prolific outdoor arts
producing organisations. We set out to radically raise the ambition, quality
and diversity of outdoor performance produced in the UK.
Beyond our flagship annual festival Greenwich+Docklands International
Festival (GDIF), we manage the nationwide Global Streets network and are a
founding partner of the Without Walls and Stomping Ground consortia.
FESTIVAL.ORG plays a distinctive, strategic role within the wider outdoor
arts sector by devising and producing large-scale work (including ceremony-
scale spectacle), working with culturally diverse artists, introducing new
artists into the outdoors who might previously have worked in building-based
contexts, pioneering new approaches to access and audience engagement

and developing new outdoor work with D/deaf and disabled artists.

DanceXchange (dx) is an internationally known Birmingham-based dance
agency that presents and produces some of the best UK and international
dance with a focus on work that is current, new and choreographically driven,
and that is artistically ambitious, engaging and inspiring. dx is committed to
supporting and showcasing high quality dance that resonates with our city’s
young and diverse audiences. We are the producer of the award-winning
biennial Birmingham International Dance Festival. dx has a strategic role in
developing the artform, supporting dance artists and choreographers to
create and develop their practice and build sustainable dance careers. dx
delivers dance classes for adults and young people of all abilities, and runs a
tailored schools programme. In partnership with Sampad South Asian Arts
and Heritage, dx leads the Centre for Advanced Training (CAT), an elite
training opportunity for talented young performers aged 11-18, in
Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Contemporary styles. dx is an active partner in
Dance Hub Birmingham (DHB), a dynamic collaboration of organisations and
individuals representing the West Midlands’ professional dance sector.
 www.dancexchange.org.uk

TRAMWAY
Tramway is an art space supporting established and emerging artists,
both local and international, who focus on experimental and
contemporary dance, visual art and performance. For thirty years
Tramway has built a reputation for to its unique performance and exhibition
spaces and ambitious and inspiring programming. It is managed by Glasgow
Life, a charity that delivers culture and sport on behalf of Glasgow City
Council.

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