For Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2020 The Pleasance have launched a new Development Fund for Artists of Colour*, which will provide financing, mentorship and programming opportunities to support UK-based Artists of Colour in bringing their work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. They have made £10,000 available, with productions receiving investment of up to £5,000, to support exciting projects that would otherwise not be able to come to the Fringe. This new Development Fund is the result of consultation with a wide cross-section of independent artists, companies and organisations with experience of presenting work at the Fringe, and is a response to specific barriers facing Artists of Colour when presenting work in Festival contexts.

The offer:

• Up to £5,000 in financing from Pleasance towards the cost of presenting work at the Fringe. Alongside this direct financial support, Pleasance and partners will also offer:
  • A guaranteed slot in our Edinburgh programme at Pleasance
  • A programming option in Pleasance Islington’s Best of Edinburgh Season
  • A programming option in Vault Festival 2021
  • Additional PR support from Pleasance Futures
  • Mentorship from the Pleasance and partners
  • Rehearsal, development, sharing and work space
  • Support to develop and deliver accessible performances (including the provision of captioned performances)

To be eligible for the Development Fund for Artists of Colour :

• Must be based in the United Kingdom
• At least 50% of the lead creators (which could include the Writer, Director, Producer or makers/devising ensemble) must identify as Artists of Colour
• At least 50% of the cast must identify as Artists of Colour
• Propose a Theatre or Children’s production that will be ready to be presented at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2020. The show does not need to be a world premiere, but it must be an Edinburgh Fringe premiere
• We are encouraging ambitious work, including but not limited to: large cast or ensemble based work, work playing with form, work that would otherwise not be able to be presented at the Fringe
• We also want to encourage artists to tell the stories they want to tell – exciting, political, surreal, comedic or hopeful. No preference will be given to work that tells a specific type of story, we want people to feel free to bring any work to the table – no limitation!
• Be able to attend the Selection Day at Pleasance Islington on Monday 2nd March 2020 (either in person or via Skype)

Deadline

27 February, 9am

The Selection Day will consist of a relaxed discussion with representatives from Pleasance Theatre, Supporting Partners, and Independent Artists of Colour with specific experience of the Fringe. We will ask you to bring a budget, as well as talk about the concept of the show, and how the financing will make a real difference. It is anticipated the discussions will last for approx. 30-45 minutes. Full details to be provided to shortlisted candidates.

https://www.pleasance.co.uk/developmentfund