Play Space residencies

The Cultural Institute and Stage@leeds have joined forces to offer a new summer residency programme for theatre, dance and live art makers, at the University of Leeds. Find out what’s on offer and how to apply.

Closing Date: 12th March 2025

Play Space offers free 5 consecutive day residencies in stage@leeds studios at the University of Leeds in June, July and August 2025 for professional theatre/music theatre-makers, dance artists and live art makers. We have 5 residency weeks available which can be agreed to take place between 16th June and 29th August 2025.

This new scheme develops out of the support offered to companies and artists over the years by Stage@leeds. These have included The Paper Birds, Gary Clarke and Vanessa Grasse among many others.

The residencies are offered under two strands:

• Strand 1: artists wishing to involve a research element in a current project by exploring a relationship with a research area at the University of Leeds.
• Strand 2: artists making work engaging with themes of environmental sustainability, nature and ecology, or climate adaptation. This can be either through the themes of the creative work, or through the methodologies being used to make it.

What we offer (subject to availability)

 

• 5 days free studio space  (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm) on campus at the University of Leeds. 
• Technical support to set up the space and use of technical equipment. Additional technical support during the week may be available but is not guaranteed. 
• Use of VR, 360 recording and Qlab projection mapping equipment.
• Dramaturgical or producer advice if required.
• Introductions to relevant academics in the field/s of research you wish to connect with, where relevant.
• £500 (inc. VAT) cash to support your ability to undertake the residency. 

Tech available

stage@leeds is the University of Leeds’ public licensed venue. Full details about their venues (stage One, Alec Clegg studio, Dance Studio) can be found on the stage@leeds website.

Theatres and technical studios are fitted with ETC Eos lighting consoles, with a range of fixed tungsten and LED fixtures available. Sound mixers provide flexible inputs for recorded media, microphones and instrumentation. Each space features a Mac computer with the latest version of QLab, for projection mapping and audio playback.

This list is not exhaustive: if you are successful in your application we will discuss your specific requirements)

• Powered speakers and Bluetooth speakers.
• Scarlett audio interface, with access to audio editing software.
• A range of microphones (handheld and wireless) for vocals, instrumentation and foley.
• Digital audio recorders, 360 audio recorders and binaural microphones.
• Laser, short throw, and mini handheld projectors.
• 4K and HD cameras, including Blackmagic Cinema Cameras, GoPro, and Insta360.
• Meta Quest VR Headsets.
• CRT TV and LED PC monitors.
• Front and Rear projection screens.
• CD and DVD players.
• Set pieces including tables, chairs and lightweight flats.

Who can apply

• Creative professionals making high-quality professional work in the fields of theatre, music theatre, dance or performance art. The scheme is aimed at artists/organisations who want to explore contemporary ways of working, important issues of our time or whose perspectives have been historically underrepresented.
• Applicants should be able to clearly express the focus of their work, what they would like to explore during the residency and a sense of how they might want it to develop further beyond the residency. 
• This residency could be part of a longer development project, with multiple other producing partners, for example supported through an Arts Council Project Grant. 
• Applicants’ previous experience should enable them to manage their residency independently and make the most of the opportunity.
• Applicants under Strand 1 should have a clear sense of a research area/areas that they would like to engage with and a clear rationale for how it will benefit their process. While we will make introductions to relevant academic researchers, it will be the responsibility of the applicant to arrange meeting them/inviting them to visit their residency.
• While the opportunity is open to UK-based artists, it may be most applicable to artists from Leeds and West Yorkshire as the opportunity does not include travel or accommodation cost. 
• Current students are not eligible for this programme and should consider the YEP (Young Entrepreneurs Scheme) instead. For more details contact stage@leeds.ac.uk.

How to apply

If your application is successful we will then arrange an online meeting to discuss and confirm the details of the residency.  

In case the viability of this residency is dependent on securing other project funding we will endeavour to reschedule should funding applications need to be resubmitted. 

Timescales and decisions 

If there are more applicants than residencies available, we will base our decisions on:

• Quality of response to the strand applied for.
• The criteria in the ‘Who it’s For’ section
• Supporting a range of work and artists from a range of backgrounds. 

Applications will close at midnight on 12 March 2025. We will aim to communicate decisions by 21 March 2025.