HOME Launches Diverse New Talent Development Programme For Theatre Makers

With generous support from The Foyle Foundation, The Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation and The Garrick Charitable Trust, HOME is pleased to present its new theatre talent development programme, offering opportunities to theatre makers at all career stages to develop and extend their practice.

Throughout the year, HOME will offer one-off skills workshops, long-term development residencies and regular showcases of work, new and in progress, all aimed at supporting the professional development of artists regionally and nationally.

Highlights include T1Commission 2019, a pilot two-year residency for one theatre maker to take part in a tailored development programme, leading to the commission of a piece of work for HOME's Theatre 1 stage, and Made at HOME, a research and development programme for mid-career theatre makers to experiment and explore cross-artform ideas and collaborations; alongside a series of specialist skills workshops, directors' residencies in partnership with the JMK Trust. The new programme will also present training courses and theatre festivals including Orbit, featuring some of the most exciting and critically acclaimed productions from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and beyond, and PUSH, a two-week festival of new and extraordinary experiences shining a light on regional talent.

There will also be a variety of industry-focused skills workshops which will connect our regional artists with practitioners making work for our stages, screens and galleries.

HOME are also welcoming two new Associate Companies, the tremendously talented 1927 (Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Magic Flute, Golem) and Mighty HeArt Theatre (When I Feel Like Crap I Google Kim Kardashian Fat, What's The Matter With You?), who challenge the conventions of theatre making with burning social and political issues at their core. 1927 and Mighty Heart join existing Associates Quarantine, Manchester's leading experimental theatre company. Actor Katie West joins HOME as Associate Artist. She first took to HOME's stage in the UK premiere of Chamaco, by Cuban playwright Abel González Melo, as part of ¡Viva! Spanish and Latin American Festival 2016, and recent credits include the Royal Exchange Theatre, The Almeida Theatre and Manchester International Festival.

Mothers Who Make is a peer support group and creative exchange session for mothers who are artists, writers, painters, actors, dancers, filmmakers and photographers, aiming to give creative mothers the chance to explore their practice in a room with their children. With the help of the funding from The Foyle Foundation, external guest speakers will be invited to talk about their journey of being an artist and a mother, providing insight on national initiatives they have been a part of or set up, and will be a catalyst for conversation within that session and beyond.

Walter Meierjohann, Artistic Director: Theatre, said: "We want HOME to be a creative hub where local and world-class talent of all backgrounds and disciplines are discovered, nurtured and showcased, coming together to create new work and experiences. The T1 Commission is a one of a kind pilot project which will provide a unique opportunity to create work for our stage in Theatre 1. Made at HOME will allow theatre makers to experiment free from the pressure of public performance, and Artist Connect will feature a range of beneficial, one-off skills workshops. We're very excited that The Foyle Foundation is supporting our mission to truly be a HOME for all, and very much look forward to exploring our new partnerships with 1927, Mighty HeArt Theatre and Katie West."

Photo credit Graeme Cooper

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