The Southwark Playhouse have announced the FORGE artist development programme, a programme that will support 4 exceptional emerging companies who will become attached to the Playhouse for 9 months, receiving free rehearsal space to R&D ideas, dramaturgical support from the Southwark Playhouse senior artistic team, free office space for producers and a week-long slot to platform a show in ‘The Little’ space to a paying audience. The scheme will also provide industry mentorship from established theatre professionals and bespoke workshops from the Playhouse team on a variety of key learning topics, to guide and empower them in this creative journey.
In a time where access to the arts might seem challenging due to Cost of Living pressures, creating spaces for artists to realise their full potential will prove to be crucial in a post pandemic world – our arts scene quick to respond to need and encourage inventiveness, creativity and imagination! Located in South East London, and a vital part of our off West End scene, the Southwark Playhouse continues to support artists and stage award winning, contemporary pieces responsive to our current climate. In response to the announcement today, Programming Associate Ebenezer Bamgboye said today:
“We have witnessed the unspeakably tragic disappearance of spaces for early career artists to try things out, grow and learn by ‘doing’ over the last few years in the UK Theatre landscape. This scheme aims to help plug that gap and continue Southwark Playhouse’s longstanding tradition of platforming the next generation of innovative and outstanding UK talent.”
With Artistic Director and CEO Chris Smyrnios adding:
“Ebenezer, our new Programming Associate, has devised a wonderful pilot scheme for helping support the work of new and emerging theatre companies. We recognise how much harder it is to create and develop new work in the current climate and this scheme aims to offer a helping hand to four successful companies in realising their latest projects for the stage.”
This is your chance to realise work you believe is vital to our current day, and receive the necessary support to make this a reality!
Written by Lucy Basaba.
The scheme is now open for applications until the Thursday 13 June 2024 at 5pm. The programme will run from July 2024 – April 2025. To apply here, visit here…
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