Happy Opportunity Tuesday!

7 March 2023

Hi team!

Wow, it has been a very weird week. You may or may not have seen that I rage-tweeted a thread about absentee landlords leaving shops empty, and by doing so decimating our high streets and communities…well it blew up! It’s now been seen by over a million people…including Michael sodding Gove?! I’ve been in on local radio and will be on Radio 4 next week. I’ve met with the government’s Levelling Up team. And I’m sitting here thinking a) how terrible things must be when something like this resonates with so many people - and how many high streets across the UK must be affected by this (driven by greed and profit) and b) how strange it is to be thrown into a scenario where I’ve very quickly become an accidental expert, in demand to speak about something that’s really not that linked to what I actually do. I’m going to write something longer on this, probably for my blog, but it’s been kind of terrifying and kind of fascinating - I’d love to know if any of you have ever been in the same boat?

But enough about me. Before we crack on with this week’s opps, here are some interesting, useful and important things from the last week in culture:

• Check out these fantastic pieces of writing (and audio), commissioned by The Uncultured and created by freelancers and arts workers. They’re about the experience of producing liveness during and since the pandemic, coping mechanisms, pivots, and practices left behind.

• If you, like me, have been surprised and confused by some of the general public’s backlash to ‘15-minute cities’, this is a brilliant article by Create Streets which explains clearly, but respectfully, why they’re not ‘a socialist plot’.

• The wonderful Third Angel team have sadly announced their final chapter.

• The Migration Museum has found its permanent London home!

And last but not least, some students from Sheffield Hallam have asked me to share that they’re looking for women between the ages of 25 and 40, who would be willing to chat to them about their experiences in the live arts sector, particularly about mental health, wellbeing and barriers to opportunity. If you’re interested please contact yasmin.oulab-jacob@student.shu.ac.uk.

Now here are your opps for this week! x

Happy Opportunity Tuesday!

Every Tuesday I share 10 #artsopps, commissions, residencies, open calls and applications closing soon.

Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) and for a range of artists: emerging to mid-career, from 16 to 80+.

Here are this week’s…

For artists & companies:

Apply for MAYK’s new residency programme I Like It, What Is It? to get space, time and money to explore live performance ideas that feel challenging, elusive, or untameable, without being restricted by production schedules or expectations of what the thing is, before you know what the thing is. Get £8,000 bursary plus space, mentoring and other support.

Find out more and apply here

DEADLINE: 10 APR

For artists heading to Edinburgh Fringe:

The ‘Keep it Fringe’ fund is a new initiative to support Fringe artists, led by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The fund will distribute 50 bursaries of £2,000 to individual artists or companies bringing work to the Fringe in 2023.

Find out more and apply here

DEADLINE: 24 MAR

For arts and culture professionals:

Creative Convergence is a new FREE training event hosted by ScreenSkills and Liminal Stage which explores how emerging tech is changing the creative industries, and offers a hands-on introduction into directing, lighting and producing in the context of virtual production and real-time game engines.

Find out more and apply here

DEADLINE: 1 APR

For live performance artists in the South West:

Arts and Culture, University of Exeter and Impossible Producing are inviting expressions of interest for a new £24,000 commission exploring Cornwall, Critical Minerals and Renewable Energy.

Find out more and apply here

DEADLINE: 16 MAR

For female and non-binary writers:

Submit your play to The Women’s Prize For Playwriting to win £12,000, plus get your play optioned by Ellie Keel Productions and Paines Plough, and have it published by Concord Theatricals.

Find out more and apply here

DEADLINE: 17 APR

For dance artists and choreographers:

Greenwich Dance are looking for an Artist in Residence to work with young people to design a Young Creators programme of dance classes for children aged 7-19. One year freelance contract, 2 days per week. £11,400 fee.

Find out more and apply here

DEADLINE: 13 MAR

For artists and producers in Bradford:

Bradford Producing Hub are pairing organisations or individuals with mentors and experts to help support development and growth. Get up to 16 hours, free. Plus they have tons of fantastic workshops coming up…get involved!

Find out more and apply here

DEADLINE: 7 APR

For early career producers:

Join the MishMash Productions team to support their work, including particular responsibility for overseeing their Musician in Residence scheme as well as supporting the smooth running of new production, touring, training and digital programmes. Paid £25k per annum pro rata, 2.5 days per week contract.

Find out more and apply here

DEADLINE: 13 MAR

For Northern writers:

Apply for up of three awards as part of the New Writing North and Channel 4’s Northern Writers’ Awards. Get a £3k bursary, industry mentoring, plus work placements on Hollyoaks, or with Rollem Productions or Bonafide Films.

Find out more and apply here

DEADLINE: 5 JUN

For artists and activists:

Theatre Royal Plymouth is looking for two Artists For Change: one focused on Diversity and Inclusion, and another focused on the Climate Emergency. They will contribute to, and move forward the conversation, about how art can make change, and speak truth to power using their art form expertise. £17,000 fee.

Find out more and apply

DEADLINE: 22 MAR

That’s it for this week!

Really hope it’s useful. It’s a tough time for artists (and, well, everyone) at the mo so please look after each other out there. Let me know if you’re successful with your applications - I love hearing from you! And as always if you enjoy Opportunity Tuesday please share to help us reach the folks who need it most. I started it to try to level the playing field a bit, and every little helps.

Opportunity Tuesday will always be free to access, but if you can afford to chip in a little something to support me to keep it going, that would be hugely appreciated - just click the button below to support with £1 per week. (I’m freelance too!)

Thank you for your support, and I have my fingers and toes crossed for you. Good luck!

P.S. The part you’ve all been waiting for - Mabel says hi

Please note: Inclusion in #OpportunityTuesday is not endorsement. I look far and wide for the most interesting and exciting paid opportunities I can find, and though I do my best to make sure they’re legit, I don’t always know the organisations well. If you have an issue with something on the list, please get in touch with the relevant organisation. You are very welcome to send me opportunities to include, but please note I will not be able to respond to every request, and I do not guarantee inclusion in the list - each week is curated to be varied and relevant. I don’t normally share ‘traditional’ salaried roles such as marketing, development, finance etc as they are often not relevant for artists. Thanks!