Arts and Cultural Funding Program

Beyond the Studio: Early to Mid-Career Dance Fellowship

Dancers at Sydney Olympic Park Brickpit

This grant supports NSW artists in the early and mid-career stages to undertake professional development programs or significant opportunities to support their personal, creative and career advancement.

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: $30,000
  • Application opened: 14 February 2022
  • Application closed: 31 March 2022, 5:00 pm

Program objective

The grant is a fellowship program delivered in partnership with Sydney Dance Company to support the development of emerging leaders in dance in NSW. A dance practitioner will be selected to undertake intense periods of engagement with the company over a 12-18 month period, supporting their career progression towards a future leadership role in the industry.

This program aims to:

  • provide artists opportunities to build on existing and new partnerships and networking opportunities
  • develop and nurture future leaders in the NSW Dance sector
  • offer industry mentorship to promote the practice of early to mid-career artists during the 12-18 month Fellowship program
  • ensure the culture and legacy of the NSW Dance industry is supported and preserved.

Image: Sydney Dance Company, Dance Locale at the Brickpit, at Sydney Olympic Park. Photo: Daniel Boud.

This program is funded and administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

The successful applicant will receive $30,000 in financial support along with in-kind support to undertake intense periods of engagement with Sydney Dance Company over a 12 to 18 month period.

Who can apply

To be eligible to submit for Beyond the Studio (early to mid-career) Dance Fellowship, you need to meet the following criteria:

1. Applicant Type

You must be:

  • an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident; and
  • an individual based in NSW
  • over 18 years of age.

You can apply with no ABN but if successful will be required to either obtain an Individual/Sole Trader ABN or engage a Funds Administrator.

All other ABN's are ineligible, including Company/Incorporated Association ABN's.

2. Arts practice

You are a choreographer, dancer, producer, composer or designer.

3. Career stage

You must self-identify as an emerging leader in dance in NSW and have 7 to 20  years industry experience practicing in the dance field.

 

Who can’t apply

You are ineligible to apply for funding if:

  • your project or program has already started, taken place or due to be completed before the funding period starts
  • you are applying on behalf of an organisation
  • you have received funding from Create NSW for the same project
  • you are applying for filmmaking, screen production, mainstream animation or film festivals (see screen.nsw.gov.au for funding opportunities in this area).
     

What can’t you apply for

Funding is not available to support:

  • accredited study, training or university courses or education programs
  • fundraising, awards or prize money
  • the purchase of musical instruments, artworks or vehicles loan repayments
  • the cost of plans, feasibility studies or architectural drawings.

Most recent recipients

What your application needs to include

Your application needs to include a proposal that outlines why you want to undertake this Fellowship.

Your proposal can be provided as a written one-page pitch or a short video and include:

  • an overview of your career in dance to date,
  • a description of your professional development program, identifying mentorships, residencies, research and outcomes. (Who, What, Where, When)
  • a timeline of your proposed fellowship program listing key dates and outcomes information on how this fellowship opportunity will benefit you at this stage of your career
  • any potential partnerships or collaborations:
    • You may consider partnering with other artists, arts/cultural workers, academics and/or organisations in your fellowship program

Your application will be assessed against the following criteria:

  • Merit
  • Impact
1

Merit criteria

  • What are your leadership qualities and how do you use them within the NSW and Australian dance sector?
  • What is your fellowship’s vision and artistic rationale?
  • What are the key objectives you would like to achieve by undertaking this fellowship?
  • Who are the key Fellowship personnel and partners (if applicable)?
    • you will need to include their CVs or biographies.
  • Quality and reputation of previous works.

 

2

Impact criteria

  • benefit to career
  • effective planning and use of resources.
3

Supporting material

You need to include support material (as attachments):

  • Up to three relevant and recent examples of your work (images, video, recordings, written material or links to websites).
  • your CV (maximum one A4 page).

Start the application

Applications for this grant are available via the Grants portal, Smartygrants.

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for the Arts

Confirmation

You will receive an email confirmation from our secure online grants system.

Eligibility check

Your expression of interest (EOI) will be checked for eligibility. If eligible, your EOI will proceed to the two stage assessment process.

If ineligible, you will be advised in writing within 14 days of the closing date and your application will not proceed to assessment.

Assessment Stage 1

Your EOI will be assessed by a sub-Committee made up of Members from Create NSW’s Dance and Physical Theatre Artform Boards and representatives from Sydney Dance Company against the published assessment criteria.

The Create NSW Artform Boards consist of representatives from leading NSW arts and cultural organisations, independent organisations and individual artists.

If your application includes leadership, engagement and/or outcomes involving Aboriginal artists, arts/cultural workers and/or communities then your application can be reviewed by the Create NSW Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board.

Assessment Stage 2

The assessors meet to determine their final recommendation. They will consider the assessment criteria, the demographics, distribution, range and scale of the initial recommendations. This may include prioritising NSW individuals and activities with outcomes that address Priority Areas, to ensure equity across the State and the best outcomes for NSW Government investment.

Consultations

Create NSW may also request further advice and/or clarification from applicants during the assessment process.

Support and contact

Create NSW staff are available to provide information to applicants on the interpretation of these Guidelines, including the types of eligible projects for funding and advice on the application process.

Create NSW staff are here to help you and can be contacted between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) via:

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