At Birmingham Hippodrome, we work to support local artists and companies.
We believe in Birmingham and the West Midlands, and want to do everything we can to make sure that the creative talent of our region is able to develop, thrive, and make careers from a base here.
Our New Work & Artist Development team has been created to make the Hippodrome a vibrant and supportive home for West Midlands creatives with regular activity on weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, seasonal and annual cycles.
Current Opportunities for Creatives
If you need any support with applying for any of the opportunities below, please email us at the link below.
Hippodrome Creatives
For artists, producers and creatives living or working in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Sign up for our updated Hippodrome Creatives community for FREE where you can benefit from:
- Free rehearsal space
- Artists Lounge – a relaxed space for Creatives to be at home in the Hippodrome with kitchen facilities, a lounge and library (open weekdays 10am – 5pm)
- Creatives support sessions, socials and workshops
- Ticket offers to shows on the Hippodrome main stage and in the Patrick Studio
- Monthly enewsletters
The team will be in the Artists’ Lounge and available to chat every Friday 11am – 12.30pm.
Playspace
For three days every month, Playspace allows a different artist or team access to space at Birmingham Hippodrome to explore an idea with no pressure to create a piece of work.
Applications are now open for January – March 2024 and close on Thu 4 Jan 2024.
What we’re looking for:
- Theatre creatives in the West Midlands with an idea to explore
What we’re offering:
- Three days of free rehearsal space
- Access costs
- A small materials budget
- An outside eye if useful
If you would like to submit your application via video or audio file instead, please tell us a bit about your idea and remember to include your name and email address (max length 3 minutes)
These opportunities are open to artists 18+
Gathering
Gathering is back!
Last year, artists from the West Midlands came together with teams from Birmingham Hippodrome, Talawa and Yard for three days of workshops, ideas sharing and connection. February 2024 sees the return of Gathering and the next stage of the journey…
Gathering Residency
The residency will take place at Birmingham Hippodrome 5 – 7 February 2024, with teams from Belgrade Theatre, the Hippodrome and Talawa. We’re excited to welcome artists again for workshops, rehearsed readings, relationship building (and food!). If you’re a theatre creative of African or Caribbean heritage in the West Midlands and would like to join us leave your details at the link below and we’ll be in touch soon with more information.
Gathering Seed Commission
As part of the 2024 residency, Belgrade, the Hippodrome and Talawa are collaborating to offer two seed commissions to artists of African or Caribbean heritage, to support the development of new theatre projects.
What we’re looking for:
New ideas or early work in progress ideas that:
- speak to the people of Birmingham, Coventry and the wider West Midlands
- amplify voices of people who are underrepresented in the creative arts
- support you to develop as an artist
What we’re offering:
- £2,500 bursary
- Support from Belgrade, the Hippodrome and Talawa teams to develop your idea
- R&D rehearsal space
- Opportunities to share works in progress
- A rehearsed reading of your work
What’s the process?
- Submit your application by Thu 4 Jan 2024
- Four people will be shortlisted and invited to workshop their idea with a creative team at the Gathering residency 5 – 7 February 2024
- Two people will receive a seed commission
- Development process, including work in progress sharings Feb – Sep 2024
- Rehearsed reading in Oct 2024
If you would like to submit your application via video or audio file instead, please answer the following questions and remember to include your name and email address.
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- Tell us about your idea
- Tell us a bit about you as an artist
- How do you think this opportunity will support you?
Please only upload video/audio files answering the questions. We cannot accept files of your work at this time.
FAQs
- Do I have to have a script or a fully formed idea?
No, feel free to apply with the beginning of an idea – we’re excited to help you shape it. - Do I have to submit an idea to take part in the residency?
You’re very welcome to take part in the residency without applying for the commission. - I can’t attend the residency, can I still apply for the commission?
We will be inviting four shortlisted applicants to workshop their idea with a creative team at the residency. If attending is an issue, please let us know in the application and we will do our best to support you. - I’m not an artist of African or Caribbean heritage, can I still take part?
We’re excited to be partnering with Talawa, the UK’s outstanding Black British theatre company and therefore this opportunity is specifically for artists of African or Caribbean heritage. We’ll be announcing other opportunities, open to all soon.
Please note both the residency and the seed commission are only open to artists of African or Caribbean heritage* in the West Midlands
*Defined as people of African, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx and African-American heritage, including people of mixed white and African diaspora heritage who identify as such.
These opportunities are open to people 18+