The 2013 Award
The purpose of The Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award is, in particular, to help the development of emerging practitioners engaged in bold, challenging and innovative performance and, in general, to encourage the new generation of creative artists.
The Award is for a company or individual to create a show either for the Pit Theatre, Barbican, or a site-responsive, non-traditional show to take place in the East End of London or in the City of London. The winning show, either at the Pit, or, if site-responsive, elsewhere, will be part of the Barbican Theatre season. If it is a site-responsive show, it will, in addition to being part of the Barbican Theatre season, also be part of CREATE Festival.
All types of productions will be considered in terms of scale and length of run – from one-man to larger-scale shows, and from a limited run (not less than 10 performances) to a project, if site-responsive, that could last up to a month.
Bold and innovative projects will be favoured.
Proposals for the Pit Theatre
The Pit Theatre is a studio theatre space, which is usually configured as single-sided, raked seating but can accommodate other configurations. There are 180 seats (or up to 190 seats on three sides, or 200 persons for promenade). The dimensions without seats are 15m x 13.5m. The ceiling height varies; the lowest point is 4.1m.
Download seating plans:
Pit Theatre seating plan B
Pit Theatre seating plan D
Proposals for site-responsive work
The judges are looking for a piece of theatre that is inspired by and takes place in a non-theatre space. Proposals must be for productions in spaces that are safely and fully accessible for audience members with disabilities.
Site-specific work can be very complex and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. The final piece should be capable of being presented in places other than the original venue, so designs should be transferable.
Applicants are recommended to propose making a theatre space in areas that commonly would be found in any urban conurbation: a town square, a shopping centre, a busy street, an office, a house, an industrial site, a waterway, a library, etc.
The Award comprises:
- Two Research and Development grants of up to £2,500 each
- A production grant of up to £32,000, if at the Pit Theatre, or £37,000, if site-responsive. The size of the production grant (up to these amounts) will depend on the scale of the show and a justified production budget
- A mentor for the project
- In-kind support from the Barbican, including press, marketing and some technical and administrative support
Research and Development
R&D grants will be awarded to two short-listed applicants. Following the R&D presentations, the winner will be announced.
The R&D period is physically to test precise ideas. With work of this nature, R&D will differ depending on the detail of the individual application. Applicants will be advised specifically what the R&D phase will entail following the interview stage.
The showing at the end of the R&D phase to the panel of judges and an invited audience should be at least 10 and at most 30 minutes.
Guidance and Support
The winning applicant will have guidance and support from the Barbican and The Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust. This will primarily be in the following areas: financial management, contracting, press and publicity, long-term strategic development of their work, identifying potential sources of artistic and technical support, advising on technical aspects of the production.
For site-responsive work CREATE Festival will also be a key partner and work with the successful applicant and the Barbican on finding and licensing an appropriate site for the performance.
Funding outside of the Award
A maximum of £10,000 (excluding in-kind support, e.g. free or subsidised rehearsal space) can be raised by the winning company/individual in addition to The Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust production grant.
Partners
Funded by The Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust and co-produced by the Barbican and CREATE Festival.
The Barbican theatre and dance events aim to inspire and to push performance boundaries, taking audiences on an unpredictable journey that stimulates the senses. Audiences can explore work by top international artists and discover fledgling new talent in the extensive year-round programme. Season by season, the Barbican produces or co-commissions work that helps to launch the careers of pioneering new artists and nurtures ongoing relationships with world-class companies.
CREATE is the cultural partnership of the London Boroughs of Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. The Boroughs are working together with leading venues, cultural organisations and festivals to develop CREATE into an internationally significant festival and a permanent annual feature in the cultural calendar.
Applying for the Award
Go to the applications page.Winners
2012: Research and Development grants were awarded to London Snorkelling Team and Richard DeDomenici.2010: You Me Bum Bum Train for You Me Bum Bum Train.
2009: Levantes Dance Theatre for Room Temperature Romance.
2008: Slung Low for Helium.
2007: Boileroom for The Terrific Electric.
2006: The Work Theatre Collective for Project E: An Explosion.
2005: Almost Blue, a collaboration between sound-designer Gareth Fry, radio and theatre director Lu Kemp, director/choreographer Dominic Leclerc, producer Neil Laidlaw and writer Chris Dunkley.
2004: The Pink Bits for Mapping 4D.
2003: Dan Hine and Kirsty Housley for Cue Deadly: A Live Film Project.