Commissions Call Out

Photo Credit: How long is a piece of String by Fully Booked Theatre at Hartlepool Town Hall. Photographer: Phil Hill

MoveAhead is an opportunity for four different artist commissions for 2025 activity across the Tees Valley

TeesDance, Hartlepool Borough Council, Darlington Borough Council, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council are seeking proposals from dance artists or companies to develop and deliver a range of new commissions for the Tees Valley in 2025.  

There are four total commissions available within each of the Local Authorities, with £5,000 of funding from each of the relevant LAs. Each of the commissions has its own brief, so please make sure you are responding to the correct brief, depending on which commission you are applying for.  

TeesDance is committed to creating conditions in which dance artists can thrive locally including making new work within the region with the opportunity to export work nationally. Thanks to each of the Local Authorities for supporting MoveAhead commissions with funding support, our ambition is for the commissions to leverage further funds as well as identify additional opportunities to present the commissioned work.  

We are looking for artistically ambitious proposals that explore the relevant themes related to each commission, some for the outdoors and some for indoor. We are seeking creative ideas that are high quality, engaging and accessible, yet also challenging and thought-provoking, some with full-length performances and some project-focused works.  

See below for each of the commission briefs with information on how to apply.

If you require this application in any other format, please get in touch with Aaron Bowman (he/they), Senior Producer - [email protected] and we can discuss your individual requirements. This could include Easy Read versions, or applying through a different method, such as by telephone or video. 

The deadline for applications is Monday 29 April 2024 at 10am

Shortlisting notified by Tuesday 7 May 2024 

Interviews w/c Monday 13 May 2024 

For anyone interested in applying for any of the MoveAhead Commissions we have an online briefing on Wednesday 20 March at 4pm. This meeting will be BSL interpreted by Jenna Johnson.

This is your chance to find out a little bit more about each specific commission, as well as a chance to direct any questions to the shortlisting and interview panel. We hope to maintain a relaxed atmosphere throughout to ensure that everyone feels comfortable enough to attend and if you have any questions you might not like to ask yourself, please feel free to direct them to Aaron Bowman - [email protected]

MoveAhead Commissions FAQs

I’m a dance artist who isn’t from the Tees Valley, or the North East – are these commissions open to me?  

Yes - but not all of them. 

You are able to apply for the following LA commissions – Darlington, Hartlepool, and Redcar and Cleveland.  

The SIRF Commission is for dance artists and companies who are based in the Tees Valley and the wider North East of England.  

How do we define the Tees Valley and the North East?  

It is important to acknowledge that, within culture, there are differences between definitions of ‘North East’. Here’s how we’re defining them -  

  • The Tees Valley is made up the five Local Authority Boroughs that make up the membership of the Tees Valley Combined Authority – Hartlepool, Redcar and Cleveland, Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough.  

  • The North East refers to the local authorities that make up the North East Mayoral Combined Authority – County Durham, Northumberland, Gateshead, Newcastle, North and South Tyneside and Sunderland.  

How do we define dance?  

We define dance in this context as all styles and genres of movement focused work, including physical theatre, and circus arts. 

Am I expected to apply for more funding?  

That depends on the size and scale of your project. TeesDance have up to 2 x days per commission to support you in supporting applications. There is more than enough time to apply for several rounds of project grants.  

The commissions say that candidates from the Tees Valley or the Wider North East will be favoured in the process. Is there a formal arrangement in place for Tees Valley / Wider NE artists?  

Yes! Projects coming from the Tees Valley / North East will receive extra weighting during the shortlisting process only.  

Extra weighting will be given to artists and companies who are working with dancers originally from the Tees Valley or the wider North East – this is particularly important when taking into account our geographical proximity to North Yorkshire. This will be slightly less than the above, and will also be during the shortlisting process only.