New Diorama and Guildhall Launch Theatre Bootcamp Program THE KNOT

A major new training programme for early-career theatre-makers, THE KNOT brings together a cohort of 25 participants to explore and interrogate the essential skills needed to create work on their own terms at a time when the business of theatre has never felt tougher.

Programmed in partnership between London’s multi-award-winning New Diorama Theatre, world-leading higher education institute Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Black-led production and development company Uproot, the week-long bootcamp-style programme takes place over 11-15 December 2023 and consists of workshops, seminars and panels around business skills and career development. Primarily hosted at Guildhall School in City of London, THE KNOT will also include off-site trips and a party at Theatre Deli’s Leadenhall Street venue – with networking drinks curated by Pan-Asian cabaret collective The Bitten Peach.

Applications open on Thursday 5th October for ten open places, prioritising diverse and underrepresented artists who have begun professional careers since 2019, focusing on the specific challenges facing a ‘Covid-era’ of new theatre-makers whose first steps in the industry have been most impacted by the pandemic. Chosen via lottery selection, they will join participants curated by the three lead partners, with everyone taking part paid an honorarium for attendance alongside support for travel and access costs and a full week of paid-for activities and events.

Tackling the knottiest challenges of our current moment, the programme of workshops, seminars, panel events and discussion will be led by staff from the programme partners alongside leading external facilitators and speakers, together unpacking how the business of theatre works (and how it doesn’t) at a time of rapid change.

New Diorama Executive Director Will Young said: ‘Making independent theatre right now feels harder than we’ve ever known it, in an industry long at breaking point. But we have deep hope and belief for the next generation and, along with our fantastic partners, we want The Knot to be moment both for learning and for reimagining better ways forward. Above all, it’s an invitation for a group of people to come together with open minds, tough questions, and creative determination to face the current moment.’

THE KNOT is supported by funding to New Diorama from the City of London Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund, with a grant towards activity for artists developing their practice in City of London. This builds on the legacy of New Diorama’s 2021-22 NDT Broadgate venue, which provided thousands of artists with free rehearsal and development space to support post-pandemic recovery at British Land’s Broadgate Campus. NDT Broadgate also hosted the first iteration of The Knot – also in partnership with Uproot – in summer 2022.

The deadline for applications to join the core cohort is Thursday 2nd November 2023. THE KNOT will also include panel events and zoom workshops open to wider participants, to be announced shortly. Full information and application details are available at www.the-knot.co.uk.