DCNW Research Programme
Dance Consortia North West’s two-year programme of research is to commission artists and organisations who want to re-imagine dance, be more creative and work with artists and creators from many different backgrounds and styles of dance.
The aim is to create and share exciting dance programmes which creates stronger dance professionals, organisations and audiences. The Research Programme commissions artists, companies, academics, venues and others to make work in one of three strands:
- DANCE LABS: Commissions that experiment through artistic practice including choreography, performance, workshops, academic, or other relevant methodologies
- PLATFORMS: Performances, scratch nights and showcases to present work and artists at formal and informal venues to engage colleagues, audiences and programmers
- IMPLEMENTING CHANGE: Sharing and using research for sustainable change in practice, engagement and dance infrastructure.
To find out more, explore the DCNW Research Programme here.
Investment in Dance: Commissions
During 2019/2020, Dance Consortia North West commissioned two new dance works with artists/companies who have been living and working in the North West of England. The first commission was for a new dance piece for outdoor spaces in partnership with the SpareParts Festivals and the Now Northwich Festival, and the second was a commission for the creation of a new dance work for gallery spaces in partnership with Culture Warrington and Lancaster Arts.
Recipients of these first commissions from DCNW were Movema with the creation of ‘Taking Flight’ to present at SpareParts Festival and Now Northwich (both in 2019), and Company Carpi with ‘When You Light A Candle You Also Cast A Shadow’ to present at Warrington Museum & Art Gallery and the Peter Scott Gallery in Lancaster Arts (2021/2022).
These two dance companies were selected by the co-commissioning partners from over 20 high quality applications as the most exciting projects which would respond imaginatively to the specific locations and themes of the festivals and gallery spaces.
In addition to a commissioning fee, Consortia partners provided space and support for Company Carpi and Movema to take the works through to public presentation.
Whilst both companies experienced a hiatus during the COVID-19 period, both have since gone on to tour more widely. In addition to the Now Northwich Festival 2019 and Spare Parts Festival 2019 (Oldham and Fleetwood), Movema's Taking Flight has delighted audiences at five additional events, and Company Carpi's ‘When You Light A Candle You Also Cast A Shadow’ has engaged audiences in 12 shows across 4 dates (2022/2023).
Movema has since gone on to deliver 'Taking Flight' workshops in schools, whilst Company Carpi continues to tour with another 3 dates and 9 shows in Autumn/Winter 2023.
DCNW Mentoring Programme
The DCNW Mentoring programme was established in mid-2019 in response to the needs expressed in a survey of nearly 100 dance artists across the North West to significantly shift the prospects and development of the artistic community.
It utilises the vast riches of expertise and knowledge both within and increasingly beyond the dance sector, including insights of artists themselves. This initiative, which support artists' practice, careers and learning, responds to varied and wide-ranging needs through its person-centred approach and by using the breadth of mentors across the Consortia. In turn, it also works to support and develop more diverse voices within the artistic community.
DCNW Networking Programme
With support from Surf The Wave and with input from both venue programmers and independent artists, DCNW launched a series of networking events in2019 for artists and programmers, designed to build and deepen relationships in the North West.
These collaborative events offered a space in which programmers, independent artists and dance companies meet as equals, and were informed by European cooperative programme working in the field of Artists’ Moving Image, On And For.
These networking events facilitated open space discussions, collaborative problem solving and allowed time for reflection.
The Lowry Class of 2020
Dance Consortia North West partnered with The Lowry to create a space on the Class Of 2020 artist development programme for a North West-based dance artist. The Class Of programme is a year-long scheme aimed at providing a deeper understanding of the performing arts - industry, production and general survival - for a select group of artists and producers.
As well as monthly training sessions, the Class Of 2020 cohort benefited from additional offers such as Class Trips to go see and discuss interesting new work, scratch opportunities and mentoring support from the Artist Development team at The Lowry and Dance Consortia North West partners.
Working Task Group Discussions
DCNW coordinates and facilitates the regular meeting of various ‘Task Groups’ in the North West. Current Task Groups include:
● Artists (ALFA)
An independent organisation in itself, ALFA is a co-operative based artist led scheme championing the needs of freelancers and artists across the region, as part of a wider national movement. Discover More...
● Continuing Professional Development & Participation
A mix of artists, dance companies, outreach programmes and educators, this task group works together to ensure the professional development of our current and future dance artists and professionals and has a focus on inclusion within the dance sector and keeping dance accessible to all members of society. Discover More...
● Executive Group
The Executive Group is the core of DCNW. The Executive Group reflects the range of the dance ecology and is responsible for understanding and representing the needs of the sector, bringing together the work of the task groups and achieving DCNW aims and ambitions and fulfilling the Dance Plan. Discover More...
● Higher Education
Bringing together lecturers, course leaders and practitioners from the region’s universities and dance colleges, the Higher Education Task Group is focused on the future generations of dance artists and how best they can be served by DCNW’s work. Discover More...
● Venues
Made up of some of the region’s largest and smallest arts venues, the venues task group collaborates to provide insight into the demand and reception of dance within the region as well as platforms for mainstream, touring and commissioned work across the North West. Discover More...
To join these discussions, please contact the team .
