The Nuffield Theatre provides a distinctive and structured approach to artist support in the region, usually delivered BY artists FOR artists. This includes masterclasses, residencies, bursaries, festival events and the Practice Reflected symposium series. Further to our programme of events, we can also offer bespoke advice (both creative and business related) to those engaged in making contemporary performance: if we can’t help you then we will probably know someone that can. Lastly, if you have ideas on how we could further support the development of both emerging and established artists, then please get in touch. Contact Alice Booth, Projects and Artist Support Officer. Email: alice@nuffieldtheatre.com or call: 01524 592994. See ARCHIVE SUPPORT ITEMS for past artist support events or projects.

New Work Network (NWN) in partnership with Nuffield Theatre has awarded a 12-month bursary to Peter Petralia, an artist based in Lancaster, to facilitate and connect other artists in the new work sector. The aim of the bursary is to create artist-led activity that supports and nurtures artists and the new work community. After meeting with several North West based artists, Peter proposed a ‘Sunday Lunch Club Series.’ The series is four Sunday Lunches hosted at a theatre venue in the NW Region; for up to 25 people at each event. The host theatre is set up with a long banquet table with seats for all of the attendees. Each Sunday Lunch Club starts with a welcome, followed by 45 minutes of work-in-progress showings by 2-3 artists. Over dessert, Peter leads the group through a facilitated feedback session for each of the artists based on Critical Response. Lunches end with more eating and drinking, and a social. Lunches have taken place at the Nuffield Theatre, greenroom, Manchester and in Liverpool at the Bluecoat. The final one will take place on 14th Dec at Lanternhouse, Ulverston. For more information on the Activator Sunday Lunch club please email Peter on: peter@proto-type.org or Alice on alice@nuffieldtheatre.com. Peter's research findings are in the attached document.  

Activator Research Findings (0.06 MB)

LANWest came about in 2003 as an informal gathering of regional promoters and producers with an interest in live art and contemporary performance. Organised by hÅb, and hosted by greenroom, it offers a forum for peer exchange and discussion. A key shared agenda for LANWest is the what next? question: the need to offer progression to the wealth of new work produced in the region, in terms of regional touring of contextualised early career work, and the support of key work to break free of the emergent regional label and to find its place on the national circuit. The network is currently undertaking a 3 year distribution project funded by Arts Council England – including the In Transit annual tour, this website and proactive support of developing contexts in Preston and Carlisle.

For the last three years, the Nuffield has run a professional development programme as a way of unlocking the extensive range of experience running through the theatre each season. Sessions are aimed at artists who want to develop their practice in new areas, and students and recent graduates beginning to define their practice outside of formal training. Past masterclasses have been run by Forced Entertainment, Lone Twin, Cupola Bobber, Reckless Sleepers, Walker Dance Park Music and others. For more information, contact Alice on alice@nuffieldtheatre.com

Nuffield New Works is a commissioning programme supporting the research, development and dissemination of new theatre and dance practice. Working with established companies with a national and international reputation, and a range of UK and international co-producers, the scheme enables artists to explore new collaborations or to experiment with new areas of practice. Most shows have toured extensively nationally and internationally, and several have been selected for British Council showcases. Nuffield New Works supported shows include The World in Pictures (Forced Entertainment); Broken Chords (Vincent Dance Theatre); Alice Bell and Daniel Hit By a Train (Lone Twin); OAP (Ursula Martinez); Dinner with America (Rajni Shah); Silence of the Soul and 5-2-10 (Walker Dance Park Music); Incarnate (Marie-Gabrielle Rotie); Hotel Methuselah (imitating the dog); A Pastoral (Uninvited Guests); Making the Difference (Small Change); Relative (Niki McCretton and Kathy Hinde); Years, years (Deer Park); The Lastmaker (Goat Island); Song of Songs (Sonia Hughes). For more information, contact Matt Fenton on 01524 593431, matt@nuffieldtheatre.com

Practice Reflected provides an opportunity for artists to reflect formally on their practice, often for the first time in an academic/artistic context, and to invite responses from other practitioners, writers, critics and academics. Events are open to the public, students, artists and academics, and take place alongside new performances supported or commissioned by the Nuffield Theatre. Events include artists’ letters, lecture demonstrations, happenings and performances as well as more traditional critical papers and discussions. Sited within Lancaster Institute for Contemporary Arts at Lancaster University, the Nuffield Theatre is ideally placed to facilitate these events, and draws on a wealth of research, practice and creative industry specialisms from across the University and nationally. Full details are available at www.cascpp.lancs.ac.uk. Recent events include:

Goat Island: Lastness, raiding the archive, and pedagogical practices in performance (Mar 08)

I Can't Go on Like This: Approaches on Lone Twin and Related Practices (Feb 07)

Between You and Us: A Symposium with Uninvited Guests (Nov 06). Full papers available now from www.uninvited-guests.net and via downloadable word document

Middle, End, Beginning: Adventures in narrative in contemporary performance (Oct 06)