fertileground.org.ukfertileground.org.uk/infomation-packs/...Final.docx · Web viewA Feasibility...

A Feasibility Study and Business Plan for Fertile Ground

April 2014

1

Contents1. Background Page 42. Methodology Page 53. Key Findings and Recommendations Page 6-94. Vision, Mission and Aims Page 105. Statement from Dora Frankel - Artistic Director Page 11-126. PESTEL Analysis Page 13-157. SWOT Analysis Page 16-268. Fertile Ground Schedule of Activity 2014-15 Page 27-369. Audience Development, Marketing and Communications

9.1. Strategy9.2. Need9.3. Working with Universities and Colleges9.4. Working with Museums and Galleries9.5. Working with venues and arts development agencies9.6. Working with Schools9.7. Communications and Marketing9.8. Targets for Engagement

Page 37-47Page 37Page 38-39Page 39-40Page 40-41Page 41-42Page 42-43Page 43-45Page 46-48

10. Project Management Issues10.1. Employment and internship10.2. Criteria for selection of dancers10.3. Governance and Board Development10.4. Management of Pilot Project10.5. Production10.6. Film and documentation10.7. Evaluation10.8. Programme extension10.9. Dora Frankel Dance between projects10.10. Risk assessment and risk management plan

Page 48-58Page 48-49Page 49-50Page 50Page 50-52Page 52-53Page 53Page 53-55Page 55Page 56Page 56-58

2

11. Fertile Ground Budgets 2014-15 Page 59-6212. Strategic Planning project budgets 2014-17 Page 63-6413. Consultation Page 65-6914. Biographies

14.1. Dora Frankel14.2. Tim Rubidge14.3. Brian Debnam14.4. Eleesha Drennan14.5. Tom Dale14.6. Viv Wood14.7. Anthony lo Giudice

Page 70-73Page 70Page 70-71Page 71-72Page 72 Page 72Page 72Page 72-73

3

1. Background

Dora Frankel Dance (DFD) has been based in the North East for more than ten years. DFD has a successful track record of partnerships with Dance City, local authorities, arts and heritage venues and education establishments creating commissions, performances and education and participatory programmes. During 2013 DFD created and produced two very different works to audience and critical acclaim, BORDERLANDS the first international commission with Czech choreographer Jarek Cemerek and composer Ondrej Dedecek was performed at Dance City and THE UNFOLDING SKY: TURNER IN THE NORTH, a touring dance/music collaboration with original music by Peter Coyte which formed a significant part of the first ever Festival of the North East touring to many of the North East's best loved heritage sites.

Previous key works have included Bitter Sweet and Dark which toured the region in 2010 and 2011 and One Small Step/One More Step a site specific work for the acclaimed Apollo Pavilion designed by Victor Pasmore and Dance Bites commissioned by Gateshead Arts team for the opening of Sainsbury's UK School games in 2010.

These works exemplify the high aspirations of DFD and its ability to provide high quality contemporary dance experiences to new and existing audiences.

In 2013 DFD’s Board and a group of specially invited specialists began the process of undertaking a strategic review of DFD’s medium to long term future identifying opportunities and demand in the North East of England for the development of a company or project to support the transition of the region’s dance graduates from study to professional practice.

In 2014, with the support of Arts Council England, DFD secured support from ACE Grants for the Arts to undertake a feasibility study into a concept for a new graduate company, Fertile Ground. Brian Debnam and Associates were engaged as specialist consultants to work alongside DFD’s Director Dora Frankel and the Board.

The result is a new vision for a graduate dance company, a range of partnerships, a business plan and a new brand, website and promotional material with increased sector visibility. The concept brings together the expertise of its Director in dancer training and the creative track record of DFD to provide a new VISION to nurture, challenge and inspire a new generation of dance artists to develop and present inspirational and accessible dance opportunities for the people of the North East of England.

4

2. Methodology for Feasibility Study

In mid-January 2014 Brian Debnam and Dora Frankel met to clarify the brief and begin work on the feasibility study. The brief outcomes were confirmed as the production of a three year business plan and a new three year financial structure with a realistic and realisable action plan.

Brian Debnam working closely with Dora Frankel undertook a visioning workshop to identify the Vision, Mission and Aims for Fertile Ground. The draft version of the strategic visioning work were circulated to Board members and advisers for comment and amended to a final version on which to base the next stage of the process of developing the business plan.

Detailed PESTEL and SWOT Analyses were undertaken and circulated for verification by the Board and specialist advisers.

An Action Plan based on SWOT analysis was determined to provide a guide to consultation work.

Meanwhile we had identified a list of current and potential stakeholders, partners and customers and we began a process of communication with the region’s potential stakeholders and partners at senior strategic, senior academic, management, operational and delivery levels, which was followed with a series of face to face meetings involving over 40 people across the North East Area and at the British Dance Edition in Glasgow.

Finding the response of potential partners and stakeholders we began to construct an operational model and budget. We also identified a number of key Trusts and Foundations to target for partnership funding and made and approach to Trustees of the Gillian Dickinson Trust and were invited to make an application for support. We also undertook research to identify funding available for the support of internships and undertook comparator research of other internship and graduate programmes in the performing arts.

We then undertook a process to identify a three year strategy for development of the Fertile Ground project. We also undertook analysis to enable the preparation of an Audience Development Strategy

Most recently we have provided detailed documentation of our plans and the potential commitment of stakeholders and partners in a master schedule for the project and verified our interview process.

Finally we have prepared an application to ACE Grants for the Arts for the pilot phase of the project in 2014/15.The following document is an integrated 3 year business plan, feasibility study and process record which illustrates the above process and its results.

Brian Debnam 14th April 2014

5

3. Key findings and recommendations

The dance ecology in the North East is relatively fragile with very limited opportunities for graduates of Dance training programmes to move into professional performance or facilitation work. Many graduates leave the region and other give up their dreams of a career in dance due to lack of opportunity. Venues lack confidence in programming dance performance and seek more community or participatory engagement from visiting companies to develop audience numbers.

The capacity of the region to support a dance ecology is hampered by the traditional structure of society. The Catchment/Mosaic profile of the North East illustrates that encouraging people to attend cultural activity is challenging, with above average representation in the region’s population of the non-attending groups, 'claimant culture', 'ex-council community', ‘elderly needs’, ‘industrial heritage’ and a low representation of more traditional attending groups of the ABC1 categories.

There is strong support from venues, museums and galleries, local and regional dance development agencies, Universities and Colleges for the concept of a graduate dance company in the North East and an eagerness to enter into partnerships to deliver the pilot programme.

The Vision. Mission and Aims of the Fertile Ground project have been strongly supported and viewed as timely. There is strong support for Dora Frankel in the dance community of the NE, acknowledging her skills and experience as being ideal for the

leadership role in such a concept. Dora has the energy and commitment to lead Fertile Ground for the foreseeable future. She combines strong practical experience as a performer,

choreologist, choreographer and dance trainer in high profile companies and institutions in UK, USA and Sweden. She draws on this rich experience yet stays open to new ideas and approaches and has a strong commitment to excellence in performance, education and community work in dance.

The concept of seeking choreographic input from exciting young choreographers provided strong interest from Universities keen to follow the process of quality choreographers with their students as part of residency programmes.

Partnership funding for an ACE Grants for the Arts award is available through University and College tuition budgets and funds for graduate internships, fees from local development agencies, schools and venues. Funding from the Creative Employment programme may also fund internships. A number of local Trusts and Foundations have shown interest in supporting the project. We have a meeting with representatives of the Gillian Dickinson Trust in mid-April 2014 to provide further details of the programme’s potential legacy to dance in the region before a funding decision is made on a £12,000 application, There is also a strong relationship with the Sir James Knott Trust which provides the opportunity for a small grant of around £3000 towards the project. Tees Valley Dance initiative has promised £1000 towards the project.

Following the initial pilot a structured fundraising programme needs to be developed targeting national Trusts and Foundations to support the stage 2 pilot in 2016 and 2017.

6

If a bid to ACE Grants for the Arts is successful Fertile Ground should launch a crowd funding and subscription programme to raise additional funding to provide additional contingency for the FG project and for the core costs of DFD between projects.

Funding levels suggest that 5 dancers, a stage manager/technician and a producer/administrator can be supported on internship salaries for six months. Consideration has been given to a full equity award wage company and a larger company without salary support. A full equity award would reduce the core dance strength to 3 dancers and reduce the time in company by several weeks. Although an expenses only model, such as that operated by 12 Degrees North, might allow for more dancers to benefit, the Board of DFD would be philosophically opposed to not offering a salaried internship and University conditions of funding provide for a minimum internship salary at or above the national minimum wage.

A three year plan for Fertile Ground would see a pilot project run between September 2014 and April 2015. After a 3-4 months evaluation process it is then proposed seek a second pilot programme for two six month Fertile Ground projects the first from January 2016 to June 2016 and the second period from September 2016 to April 2017.

The application for the first ACE Grants for the Arts award will be for £64,700 with £49,585 in cash match funding and £10,750 of in kind support. The long term sustainability of the programme will be assured by continuing University funding through EU and LEP funding for graduate

employment programmes and provision within University and college teaching budgets allowing the company of dancers to expand to 5-6 dancers in later programmes whilst reducing the request to ACE Grants for the Arts funding to around £50,000 for each six month period.

The Vision, Mission and Aims for Fertile Ground have evolved from the experience and commitment of Dora Frankel Dance in the North East over the past ten years and have arisen as a response to both past practice and a vision for the future.

The Board of the CIC Dora Frankel Dance should consider whether Charitable Status would be a better governance structure if the pilot programme for Fertile Ground is a financial and artistic success. There may be considerable advantages in fundraising capacity in the future with charitable status secured.

The relationship between Fertile Ground and the North East’s Colleges and Universities shows enormous potential for development. Teesside University, Sunderland University and Newcastle College are in the process of negotiations to host the new company in its first pilot project providing rehearsal space, fees and support for audience development and educational activity. Internship funding is in the process of negotiation with student placement structures within these Universities. Northumbria University has agreed internship funding and assistance with the recruitment process of a MA in Cultural Management graduate. Further partnership with Northumbria University is being discussed exploring design for dance production and through the University’s relationships with a number of Scottish Colleges that have Gateshead College is keen to be involved in subsequent years as its new initiative in dance training in partnership with Dance City matures into its second and third years. Sunderland and Middlesbrough Colleges may be involved in the initial pilot through partnerships with their local Universities. Gateshead College are considering engagement in through its technical theatre programme as have Cleveland College of Arts and Design from its theatre propos and costume making programme. Newcastle University have welcomed the project recognising future research opportunities even though not currently running performing arts courses.

7

There is, however, some significant discussion necessary over the next few weeks to make this potential a reality and to fully identify areas of collaboration for the initial pilot and opportunities for long term collaboration.

Over ten years ago the Universities in the North East supported a coordinating body to deal with strategic collaborations. In the past ten years since this body was disbanded the region’s Universities had become more competitive but now at senior levels Universities are voicing the need for greater cooperation both with each other, the local enterprise councils and the cultural and non-profit sector. Response to the proposal of a collaboration with Fertile Ground at the level of senior Dean has therefore been very welcoming. However the detail has to be worked out with Heads of Department and Lecturing staff who have to deal with the day to day problems of space, budget and time allocation and delivery of academic programmes. At this level staff want greater security that Fertile Ground will deliver support to their programme without draining time and resources. The financial support for internships is primarily through the allocation of European funding by Student Placement Offices with each University having developed similar but different programmes. In some cases, such as Sunderland, student placement officers can agree in advance the allocation of budget to a placement, in others such as Northumbria the graduate needs to be identified before funding can be applied for and at Teesside the conditions for European funding are different from those at Sunderland and may have be granted directly to the graduate who would effectively be employed by the University for the duration of the project.

The negotiation of the content of residencies, the involvement of academic staff and students, the requirements for space and costs apportionments need to be developed over the next few months whilst the ACE Grants for the Arts application is under assessment.

Further potential of the relationships with Universities could be the financial support by the Universities of choreographers for shared artistic work or under research funding criteria, continued funding for internships, research placements and special projects which might include arts in health, healthy living and social impact studies on Fertile Ground’s work; tracking the progress and careers of dancers; audience development initiatives; joint productions and promotion of projects and the further development of the University’s relationship with Fertile Ground’s work with school groups. Universities and Colleges might come together to promote the North East as a “Place to Dance” supported by all the Universities and Colleges marketing dance and dance training and links to professional dance opportunities in the region to the rest of the UK and international market.

In the first year it is imperative that working relationships are fostered on a personal level to build mutual respect and understanding between those working in the academic and training sector and those working to develop the professional and community dance sector.

Strategic benefits of the full three year programme would include

Creating links between University courses in Dance with greater collaboration together in partnership with the Dance profession. Encouraging higher standards of Dance training in the North East with stronger aspirations from its undergraduates. Creates a critical mass of North East based and committed dance artists providing a platform for expanded dance production and participation

projects.

8

Creating an innovative model for research into the benefits of dance and other performing arts engagement, choreographic methods, performance, dance economy, healthy living and other elements of dance practice locally, nationally and internationally.

Providing a North East based Dance Company capable of regular engagement with new audiences, schools, venues, galleries and museums throughout the North East.

Developing both the spread and depth of engagement with community, education and participation partners. Being recognised as being an innovator in the development of dance artists nationally and internationally. Providing the opportunity for Universities and Colleges to come together to promote the North East as a “Place to Dance” supported by all the

Universities and Colleges marketing dance and dance training and links to professional dance opportunities in the region to the rest of the UK and international market.

Supporting Dance City and the Arts Council with their goals for Dance in the North East.

Brian DebnamApril 2014

9

4. Vision Mission and Aims

VISION

Our VISION is to nurture, challenge and inspire a new generation of dance artists to develop and present inspirational and accessible dance opportunities for the people of the North of England.

MISSION

We will fulfil our VISION

By creating a company of graduate dancers providing their first work opportunities. By creating workshops, performances and other dance opportunities to inspire audiences and participants, in particular the young. By building a resilient and sustainable company structure with stakeholder and partner participation to support the vision. By building mutually beneficial partnerships with Universities, Colleges, Academies and Schools; and other organisations in the Arts, Heritage,

Museum, Health, Business, Commercial and Community sectors for the delivery of dance programmes including performances, participatory workshops and events.

AIMS

We aim to

Promote the learning and experiencing of dance through active participations Develop more detailed knowledge and understanding of the aesthetic of dance for its audience by opening up the creation and rehearsal process

for dance Support the curricula in schools, colleges and universities for dance, physical education, personal development, communication and healthy living. Encourage healthy living and well-being provide workshops for participants at all levels. Support the development of diversity through increasing access to dance. Inspire audiences by creating extraordinary and exceptional performances in a variety of settings. Provide opportunities for exceptional and experienced dance talent to work with newly trained professional dance artists to exchange skills,

techniques and approaches.

10

5. Statement from Dora Frankel, Artistic Director

“We want to create a graduate dance company for the North East called Fertile Ground working with the region's universities to give dance graduates their first work opportunities. At the same time we want Fertile Ground to offer exceptional dance experiences to the people of the North East working across the region reaching new audiences and participants. We want to develop and nurture our dancers and choreographers so that over the next five years there is a real increase in the numbers of dancers staying in and committed to the region forming new artistic constellations whilst we inspire children and young people through dance increasing appreciation and understanding of contemporary dance.

Fertile Ground will be instrumental in moving talented young dance artists forward in their professional journey and will bring new impulses to the region's dance life and influence standards of performance and training across the dance training sector. Finally we will work with arts and heritage venues to enliven and animate their spaces and support their outreach work so that we make a real and lasting impact in the development of new audiences in the region.

In the first instance we are seeking to run a six month pilot project from mid-September 2014 to April 2015 providing full-time employment for 6-7 of the region’s performing arts graduates and links for professional development for many other of the region’s dance graduates. After an initial induction period based at Dance City, the Fertile Ground company will be resident at the region's universities developing its programme of work and finally travelling to a number of different arts and heritage venues including the Bowes Museum, The Maltings Berwick upon Tweed, Washington Arts Centre, Bede’s World and the Customs House in South Shields in shorter residencies providing events, workshops and performances. The programme of work will include two new works by outside choreographers, up to four works created by the company and contributions from several of the region's own artists.

The dancers will be challenged, nurtured and inspired.

For our choreographic work the current themes are borders and barriers, real and imagined between people and cultures alongside a continuing investigation into landscape and environment. These themes may be approached in a variety of ways such as how the emotional and psychological border between Scotland and England may change after the 2014 referendum, the barriers between rich and poor, the Berlin wall and the event of its destruction, the metaphorical and real wastelands of WW1 and dance vignettes about the lives and landscape of the Northumberland coastline. There is rich potential for exploration here both with the established choreographers and the children and young people. We are very excited about a potential shared commission with The Bowes Museum on the feather in fashion. For the pilot project music will be sourced but the long term plan is to commission new music.

The project will be documented not only in the form of film and there will be the opportunity for a research student to work alongside. We will offer CPD opportunities to regionally based dance artists which will include a weekly open graduate class.

11

Following a thorough evaluation of the pilot programme, FERTILE GROUND intends to sustain an annual programme providing both a bridge and much needed link between University study and the professional dance industry for some of the region’s most talented young people.

FERTILE Ground’s work will focus on communities that have had limited opportunities for engagement with dance and FERTILE GROUND’s programme will provide dynamic performance and participation experiences for particularly young people.

FERTILE GROUND’s training for its young team will focus on methodologies to work with young people inspiring them to healthy living and creative endeavour through dance. FERTILE GROUND will engage with many new and diverse audiences through its partnerships.

Individuals participating as part of Fertile Ground will have undergone an intense education and professional training and gathered invaluable creative and practical experience and widened their professional network. They will be able to confidently work in participatory settings and potentially create their own projects.

Their influence will enliven and refresh the North East dance sector”.

Dora Frankel - Director

12

6. PESTEL – Fertile Ground

6.1.Political Newcastle City Council response to funding cuts; national profile for cuts to the arts. Funding cuts to all local authorities in the region. Possible amalgamations of local authorities. Increasing policy role for NE Association of local authorities. National election May 2015. Further funding cuts ahead (including Arts Council and local authorities) in Coalition financial plans. Leadership changes DCMS Possible abolition of DCMS and ACE. ACE and HLF possible amalgamation. New round of EU funding through LEPs. EU funding through new culture programme. Response to ROCC report. Scottish independence referendum September 2014. EU borders agenda. Continued push for free schools. Drift from standard national curriculum. Devolution of funds to schools from local authorities. National position re conservatoire training unlikely to expand. Brazil international focus through World Football Cup 2014 and Olympics 2016.

6.2.Economic Further Government cuts of £25 billion in next parliament. Reduced funding to ACE core and lottery funding. Increased reliance on philanthropy for fundraising. Imbalance of funding between London and the regions – possible redress over next three years. NHI payments reduced from April 2014 for small business.

13

New economic growth in North East – highest level of confidence in NECC companies since before 2007. Lack of funds in theatre venue sector to pay guarantees and structured fees to touring companies. Increasing competition for Trust and Foundation funding. Limited number of North East based philanthropic funders.

6.3.Sociological High levels of unemployment in NE. Pockets of extreme poverty in NE region. Low educational and work aspirations in some young people. High graduate unemployment in region. Decreasing graduate retention in region. Changing shopping habits to online. Increasing and sustained importance of communication through social media. Importance of event spaces as shopping experience. Artistic interest in found spaces for performance. Changing tastes and priorities in arts funding system – new generation of gatekeepers. Baby-boom generation retiring over next 10 years; increasing proportion of pensioners in society. Many older people looking for active retirement; volunteer, participation and learning opportunities. Time rich poor and money rich time poverty becoming society trend. Schools very keen to ensure that arts and cultural activity in school setting has clear curriculum outcomes not only in core arts subjects but also in

other curriculum areas such a personal health and development, communication etc.

6.4.Technological New green technologies important as part of regional economy. Digital technology becoming cheaper to use and easier to integrate into live performance. Increased cinema exhibition of live performing arts.

6.5.Environmental Increased awareness in cultural sector - ACE targets for environmental impact.

14

More residencies - less touring for one night stands as a result of environmental considerations.

6.6.Legal IPR protection for artists’ intellectual property Change for Health and Safety and risk assessment regulations for major events Large scale event regulations likely to become more stringent whilst small scale events possibly become more laissez faire. Risk assessment for all education based events.

7. SWOT analysis and action plan

15

Building on Strengths Long Term Objectives Immediate Tasks ResponsibilityS1 Dora Frankel –

longevity, knowledge, resilience and capacity to change.

Determine succession arrangements to enable younger person to take over leadership of company in next decade.

Maintain relationships that have enabled this strength to develop with formal and informal Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

Identify CPD opportunities.

British Dance Edition attendance in January 2014.

Pick up Dance UK events more often.

Identify international conference opportunities.

Create budget for CPD.

DFD Board

DF

S2 Strong national and international relationships - strong artistic relationships with Scandinavian artists through previous work.

Maintain and develop relationships in EU with continued focus on Scandinavia.

Attend EU funding briefing session January February 2014.

Develop programme with EU partners for EU Cultural fund application in 2015.

Possible South African connections through Swallows Foundation UK.

DF

S3 Partnership with Dance City.

Maintain Dance City as long term partner.

Clarify independent identity for Fertile Ground whilst valuing support and partnership from Dance City.

Ensure DC Director has input into emerging Business Plan for Fertile Ground.

Clarify with DC Director which parts of his agenda for Dance in the region is met by Fertile Ground.

Meet regularly (formally in diary every three months) with DC Director to explore opportunities and new developments – continue informal day to day relationship.

Clarify DC Director’s role with Board as an advising officer not as a Trustee. Ensure DC Director has access to all meetings and papers.

DF

16

Building on Strengths Long Term Objectives Immediate Tasks ResponsibilityS4 Offices at Dance City. Recognise the importance of neutral ground at

regional dance hub for building even handed relationships with Universities and other institutions in the region.

Maintain and develop DC relationship and stress importance of independent office space in developing University residency models across the region.

DFD Board

DF

S5 Body of work and relationships in region built over past 10 years.

Reflect on past work and use as a source for developing work of Fertile Ground and its participants.

Put videos of past work onto DVDs. DF

S6 Working practices with dance artists.

Maintain teaching relationships through Dance City.

Discuss with DC Director how best to achieve. DF

S7 Relatively high profile in Dance community - strong sectorial knowledge.

Maintain and develop regional dance profile of both company and Director.

Develop strategy through Board of seeking nominations for regional and national awards.

Continue to build profile of Director as an advocate and spokesperson for dance in the region.

DFD Board

S8 Extensive project delivery experience - capacity to deliver projects in wide range of environments.

Share experience with new generation of stage managers and technicians as part of secondment programme.

Develop project delivery skills in young dancers.

Maintain and develop current delivery team skills through consistent working and encouragement of CDP.

Identify cohort of young dancers and choreographers with capacity to develop the Fertile Ground company in the longer term.

Create CPD budget if possible.

Interview potential company members with regard to their interests and capacity to develop and lead projects as well as choose on technical ability.

DF

S9 Strong education and participation programme outcomes.

Develop intergenerational participation work with the active retired generation.

Build on current successes of education work.

Investigate current school curriculum and align workshops and performance programme for schools with curriculum outputs.

DFBD

17

Building on Strengths Long Term Objectives Immediate Tasks Responsibility

Pass on capacity of working creatively in education sector to young dancers.

Work with Universities to bring local schools into University environment assisting Universities with community relationships and raising of the aspirations of young people in the region.

Undertaken Arts Award training (December 2013.

Make connections with high profile Academies that act as focus centre for local schools in order to secure buy-in of schools to overall Fertile Ground project. Research University schools programmes and their content.

S10 Strong partnership arrangements with new organisations in last year e.g. Bede’s World and Maltings, Berwick.

To develop long term relationships with strategic museum, gallery and arts venue managements in the region for the presentation of dance work in novel environments which maximise the opportunities for cross art form collaborations.

Through placing dance in new environments develop new audiences for Dance.

To illuminate heritage sites and enable audiences to view familiar environments afresh.

Identify aims of potential partners – capacity to deliver dance programmes and identify commitment through meetings and planning sessions.

12 key potential partners – Bede’s World, English Heritage, National Trust, Maltings Berwick, Northumberland National Parks Authority, Bowes Museum, Beamish, Brewery Arts Centre, Washington Arts Centre, ARC Stockton, DLI Museum Durham, Customs House, Woodhorn, Alnwick Gardens, Theatre by the Lake Keswick, Washington Arts Centre.

Build mailing and phone list of strategic contacts.

Develop email text to introduce Fertile Ground concept.

DFBD

S10 Emerging strong relationships with HE and FE sector – Teesside, Newcastle College and Sunderland

To establish an annual residency at one of the region’s dance programmes; circulating between the key dance training providers in HE and FE on an annual basis.

Seek senior meetings with Deans and Heads of Communication etc. in Colleges and Universities.

Seek meetings with dance department leaders to act as internal advocates.

DFBD

18

Building on Strengths Long Term Objectives Immediate Tasks ResponsibilityCollege. Develop strategic relationships with Sunderland,

Northumbria, Teesside and Cumbria Universities and FE/HE programmes at Gateshead, Sunderland and Newcastle Colleges and Dance City.

Develop relationships with University research capacity.

Build mailing and phone list of strategic contacts.

Develop email text to introduce Fertile Ground concept.

S11 Connections to formal Ballet world - Contemporary dance technique supported by ballet skills acknowledged as core skills and physical conditioning for the development of sustainable dance careers.

Develop relationships with major vocational ballet schools – promote Fertile Ground agenda to be more visible; promote NE ballet sector – and stay in connection with developments in training.

Develop relationship with Northern Ballet.

Seek peer support from Artistic Directors.

Stay in connection with latest training developments in ballet and contemporary dance by watching quality classes and teaching.

DF

Addressing weaknesses Long Term Objectives Immediate tasks ResponsibilityW1 One person band!

Limited management and administration back-up.

Core administration support Identify potential funders for part of core costs – Esme Fairbairn, Paul Hamlyn, Sir James Knott (need personal conversations with key trust staff where appropriate)

Applications for funding part of core costs

DFD BoardBDDF

W2 Small Board limited Board of around 8 Trustees with expertise in Seek a Chair with leadership, management and BD/DF

19

Addressing weaknesses Long Term Objectives Immediate tasks Responsibilitysupport capacity. Dance and the performing arts, Finance,

Marketing, Arts and Commercial Management, HR, Education, Diversity and Digital Technology.

advocacy skills and a passion for dance and the performing arts.

W3 CIC status of company precludes applications to some Trusts and Foundations.

To register as a Charity when resources and administration strength allow.

Action plan for Charity registration DFDFD Board

W4 Dora does not have a driving license.

Stage manager Technician with driving license to drive company van.

Budget for freelance driver in grant applications or make condition of employment of stage manager/technical crew

DF

W5 Perception that contemporary dance in purist terms is old fashioned and not understandable (obscure).

Demystifying the language and imagery of Contemporary Dance by clear and precise communication through print and other media, careful choice of language and opening up rehearsal and training processes to the education community and the public.

Review website and print material.

Open rehearsal process negotiated with visiting Choreographers.

DF

W6 Previous pattern of limited project funding as Dora Frankel Dance.

A step change in the role and function of the company under new name to attract a wider range of partnership funding and earned income alongside Arts Council Grants for the Arts funding; creating a new balance of funding which requests increases in net amounts from ACE whilst ensuring that ACE support would be a smaller proportion of the overall financial mix.

Develop partnerships and business plan.

Test viability of partner concept.

BDDF

W7 Limited partnership support in previous Dora Frankel Dance touring dance role.

Develop a new group of educational residency clients in colleges, universities and schools and develop relationships with a broader spectrum of heritage, museum and arts venues to present work to the public and communities.

Offer Dance opportunities to participants as well as presenting work for audiences.

BDDFBoard

W8 Lack of advocacy from multiple voices.

Develop advocates for Fertile Ground through the Board structure, celebrity social media and

Review Board structure and membership and appoint new members.

DFBD

20

Addressing weaknesses Long Term Objectives Immediate tasks Responsibilitygrowing communications capacity of the company through new partnerships.

Board

W9 Lack of core funding to sustain administrative support.

Identify the minimum level of core funding required to operate the company between major projects and secure core funding from Trusts and Foundations to support.

Identify potential Trust funders.

Develop financial model

DFBD

W10

Distance from national dance hub in London.

Build partnerships with London based funded companies that might want assistance to increase regional reach through Fertile Ground’s Northern connections and work in partnership.

Stay in connection with national dance community and aesthetic through occasional networking events and performances in National Capital and other regions.

Investigate London based dance organisations that might be interested and prepared to dedicate some resource.

Create small budget in core costs for travel and networking.

DF

W11

Limited regional audiences for contemporary dance.

Recognise audiences for dance in a broader context – ballroom, hip-hop, ballet, salsa and tango – is a basis for developing contemporary dance audiences.

Recognise real need for audience development activity as part of residency and other community programmes by taking dance work to unconventional venues that already have audiences.

Articulate company audience development strategy includingFriendsDonorsPartnersYoung peopleParticipantsCommunication about work, blogs, lectures, etc.Communication Media Message etc.

DFBD

W12

Lack of strong relationships in North West and Yorkshire areas.

Develop partnerships that might carry Fertile Grounds work and partnership opportunities across the greater north area.

Investigate other companies interested in same areas of work through ACE and other professional networks.

Initially investigate possibility of University of Cumbria relationships as first step beyond NE

DF

21

Addressing weaknesses Long Term Objectives Immediate tasks ResponsibilityArea.

W13

Lack of multi-cultural representation within performers to date in North East.

Develop and train dance trainees from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Begin conversations with GEM Arts, ADAD, Dance UK, NSCD re possible recruitment and advertising of opportunities.

DF

Addressing Opportunities

Long Term Objectives Immediate tasks Responsibility

O1 New name, image and purpose as Fertile Ground.

Clear, concise and understandable mission, vision and aims which informs all communication material and company description.

New brand DFBD

O2 Build a new marketing strategy based on new company vision, mission and aims.

Clear Marketing strategy linked with Audience Development Strategy

Volunteer Marketing person works for DFDS – Jenna Tiffany Skinner – reconnect and hold appropriate meetings to develop marketing strategy and plan.

BDDF

O3 Recruit new Board Chair and members to support development.

Broaden advocacy for Fertile Ground. Appoint new Board as outlined in section of addressing weaknesses.

Write brief for Board members and Chair; appoint selection sub-committee from existing Board; advertise existing opportunity in Arts Jobs, Community Foundation etc.

Dora to follow up on BD’s suggestions of possible candidates for Chair.Wait until we have a document to share with prospective Board members.

BDDF

O4 Development of strong relationships with Arts Council England under

To build a relationship which makes possible an NPO application in 2017/18 (next round of revenue funding).

Talk ACE officers through emerging material ask for comment.

DFBD

22



its new regional structure. Develop strong relationships with ACE regional

officers and dance specialists for support and advice for Grants for the Arts applications from 2014 to 2017.

O5 ACE Grants for the Arts Funding.

Make application for Grants for the Arts funding application in April 2014 for 2014-2015 programme (circa £65,000). “G for A” applications in 2015 and 2016 for further programme development – circa £60,000 per application.

Look at strategy for applications over next 3 years

Develop preliminary budgets

BDDFBoard

O6 University funding for internships and placements.

Secure University funding for internships for 4 dancers - possible creative apprenticeship for stage manager.

Letters and emails to Universities before end of January – appointments in February

DF

O7 University and FE residencies part funded from core course fees.

Annual long residency in UniversityAnnual short residency in College or UniversityPerformance programme with audience base

Follow up on existing contacts BDDF

O8 Developing more in depth beneficial relationships with FE and HE institutions across the North East and beyond into the Greater North – Sunderland University, Gateshead College, Northumbria, Cumbria etc.

Annual residency programmePerformance programme with audience base

Research Cumbria current role in DanceLetters to Colleges by end January 2014

DFBD

O9 Development of relationships with

Partnerships with venues for residencies and performances.

Letters to potential venue partners by the end of January 2014

DFBD

23



innovative Galleries, Museums and Arts Venues looking for innovative product.Link to tourism.Development of partnerships with Academies and school clusters.

School clusters linked to University/College residencies working in partnership with Universities/Colleges for school student visits

Letters to key strategic academies in February 2014 following University and College feed back

DF

O10

Development of creative residencies and partnerships with Scandinavian artists and arts institutions.

Develop residency opportunities so that company can gain experience working with people from other countries

Develop in year two of dance company programme.

DF

O11

Development of creative residencies in Commercial, Business and Health sector

Income earning, profile raising and new sectors to expose dances for future work

Further research to develop contacts list DFBoard

O12

Cultural Creative Initiatives in Sunderland and South Tyneside, East Durham and Northumberland.

Contribute to local agendas and plans –work in partnership with communities where appropriate.

Letters (same as venue letters) In January 2014. BDDF

O13

Regional Marketing of Dance training programme in programmes through Fertile Ground.

Co-ordinated approach to marketing region’s dance course from which Fertile Ground can benefit

Broach ideas once partnerships in place – use as a development idea in University meetings in February 2014

BDDF

O14

Bridge North East – Sage Gateshead.

Develop relationship and gain profile with schools via Bridge Programme services. Expand

Build relationship with Bridge North East officers – Helen Green and Dawn

DF

24



network of schools prepared to consider Fertile Ground to deliver dance.

O15

Dance City new Dance Education Officer,

Build range of schools able to consider dance programme/residencies. Use Dance City as advocate for work. Deliver Dance City’s objectives.

Build new relationship with new Dance City Education Officer and clarify FG’s new role and plans.

DF

Partnerships with EU partners through EU Cultural funding to help fund exchanges, residencies and training.

Develop EU partnerships for extensions to residencies.

Dora attend EU Arts Funding Seminar in Durham in January 2014

DF

O16

Trust and Foundation funding regional and national.

Establish strong relationships with T and F sector locally and nationally. Have clear understanding of criteria.

Identify 6-8 Trusts and Foundations for core and special project funding

DFBD

O17

Individual and corporate philanthropy.

Encourage individual and corporate philanthropy towards the company.Use expertise from University and other partners to help develop programme possibly including Friends organisation.

Engage with Dance City based organisations that have some experience of this area of development through catalyst programme

BDDF

O17

EU Funding to Local Economic Partnerships.

NE LEPs and Sweden relationships – company has job creation purpose – at least 6 FTE posts over next 3 years.

Meeting with Edward Twiddy at NE LEP re possible funding through ESF and ERDF Funding

BD

Addressing Threats Longer term objectives Immediate Tasks ResponsibilityT1 Slow delivery by Cultural

Creative Initiatives with lack of local knowledge militating against involvement of regional

Working strongly in communities providing inspirational dance experiences and links to community dance work for graduates.

Training graduates to work in community

Make appointments to see projects leaders ASAP DFBD

25

Addressing Threats Longer term objectives Immediate Tasks Responsibilityartists. context.

Build long term connections with funded communities through work in workshops and projects.

T2 Lack of regular performance, rehearsal and class space at Dance City.

Turn into an opportunity by working in partner premises elsewhere in region through residencies.

Secure residency programme for pilot. DFBD

T3 Other dance companies in Greater North planning similar role.

To develop role and company model for the Greater Northern Area from an initial NE base

Investigate other similar projects – 12 degrees North in North West and initiatives of Northern College of Dance.

BDDF

T4 Failure to secure enough funding

Remain flexible with structure and develop a number of models to allow the model to fit the available funding.

Develop a range of financial models capable of responding to different funding levels.

BD

T5 Lack of buy in from partners.

Planning in partnership for longer term engagement.

Mailing to potential partners seeking early engagement.

DF

T6 Lack of capacity to maintain partnerships once established.

Build lasting partnerships as immediate legacy of pilot.

Designated Board members to look after specific partners.

Expand Board memberships

BoardDF

T7 Age of company founder Dora Frankel who though fit and active will want to retire from active work in the next ten years

Develop strategy for succession after next 6-8 years.

Develop Board and Chair capable of managing transition to new Artistic Director

Talent spot through guest choreographers over next 3-5 years.

Board DF

26

8. Fertile Ground – Schedule of activity 2014-2015

Fertile Ground – Graduate Company 2014-2015 Master Schedule Week No.

Dates Week Begins

Activity Location Objectives Personnel Notes

-16 2 Jun 2014

Auditions First Stage Dance City Possibly start Film/Documentation project.

-15 9 Jun 2014

-14 16 Jun 2014

Dora on Holiday

-13 23 Jun Dora on Holiday

27


Dates Week Begins


2014-12 Jun 30

2014 ACE G for A Funding Decision Due

-11 7 Jul 2014

Auditions Final Stage 12th July

Interviews for Administration internship. 10th/11th July.

Meet with Universities and partners to finalise detailed residency content and programmes.

-10 14 Jul 2014

Contract Dancers and Administration Internships.


-9 21 Jul 2014


-8 28 Jul 2014

-7 4 Aug 2014

-6 11 Aug

28


Dates Week Begins


2014-5 18 Aug

2014-4 25 Aug

2014-3 1 Sep

2014Start Contract for Company Administration internship.

Dora in Berlin 4th-9th Sept-2 8 Sep

2014Series of Marketing and Communications meetings with partners to plan details of marketing and communications

Administrator/DF

-1 15 Sep 2014

Series of Marketing and Communications meetings with partners to plan details of marketing and communications

Graduate class and network event – 20th September 2014.

Northumbria/Newcastle University.

Establish Graduate class and network with inaugural class and network event.

Administrator/DF

Investigate partnership with Newcastle University Dance Society or Northumbria University.

1 22 Sep 2014

Induction and Rehearsal

Graduate Class – 27th

Dance City

Newcastle

Establish professional codes of practice, ethos and values.

Partnerships with Bridge NE, TIN Arts, Dance City for education and

29


Dates Week Begins


SeptemberDevelop dance techniques and skills

Develop education and workshop skills

Develop understanding of working context

workshop development and contextual work.

2 29 Sep 2014


Graduate Class – 4th October

Residency Day Washington Arts Centre – Biddick School – 30th September 2014

Dance City

Newcastle

Sunderland


Develop dance techniques and skills



3 6 Oct 2014


Graduate Class – 11th October

Residency Day Washington

Dance City

Newcastle


Develop dance

30


Dates Week Begins


Arts Centre – Biddick School – 7th October 2014

MIMA Platform Moving Frontieres 9th October

techniques and skills



4 13 Oct 2014

Sunderland University Residency

Graduate Class 18th October

Residency Day Washington Arts Centre – Biddick School – 14th October 2014

Sunderland University

Washington Arts Centre

Working with local schools.

Developing solo and duet work choreographed from within company

Choreographic Coordination Dora Frankel

5 20 Oct 2014


Graduate Class 25th October


Washington Arts centre

Developing solo and duet work choreographed from within company.


6 27 Oct 2014


Graduate Class 1st November


Washington Arts Centre

Developing solo and duet work choreographed from within company.

Possible Holiday young people’s programme.


School Half Term

31


Dates Week Begins


7 3 Nov 2014


Showing of individual and duet works 6/7th November.

Sunderland University Developing solo and duet work choreographed from within company.


8 10 Nov 2014

Teesside University Residency Teesside University Graduates Classes to be arranged in Teesside.

9 17 Nov 2014

Teesside University Residency Teesside University Choreographer Tom Dale

Graduates Classes to be arranged in Teesside.

10 24 Nov 2014

Teesside University Residency Teesside University ChoreographerTom Dale


11 1 Dec 2014



12 8 Dec 2014


Start Week for Stage Management/Technician internship(s). 15 week internships.

13 15 Dec 2014

Rehearsal and Evaluation

Benfield School Dance Festival Performance 20th December 2014

Newcastle College

Benfield School

TWAMS possible weekend projects Dance in Museums rehearse

14 22 Dec Christmas Holiday

32


Dates Week Begins


201415 29 Dec

2014Christmas Holiday

16 5 Jan 2015

Residency Newcastle College or Customs House South Shields.

Production residency Start Lighting Design Residency runs until 31st January.

Perform Dance in Museums programme weekends and evenings.

Graduate Class Programme Newcastle TBA

17 12 Jan 2015

Newcastle College Residency Newcastle College Choreographer Eleesha Drennan


18 19 Jan 2015

Newcastle College Residency Newcastle College Choreographer Eleesha Drennan


19 26 Jan 2015

Newcastle College Residency

Preview Performances at Peter Sara Theatre.

Northumbria University Dance and Design Seminar Weekend

Newcastle College

Northumbria UniversityDance and Visual Art workshop collaboration.

Choreographer Eleesha Drennan


20 2 Feb 2015

Bowes Museum Residency Barnard Castle Working with local schools.


21 9 Feb Berwick Residency – Henry Berwick Maltings Working with local Graduate Class

33


Dates Week Begins


2015 Travers Studio Theatre. schools and public performance

Programme Newcastle TBA

22 16 Feb 2015

Residency Theatre by the Lake Keswick

Keswick Holiday dance programme.

Public Performances

School Half Term

23 23 Feb 2015

Bede’s World Residency South Shields Graduate Class Programme South Shields TBA

24 2 Mar 2015

Individual Touring Dates Possible Alnwick MIMA Dance City Northern School of

Contemporary Dance

Queens Hall Hexham

Public performances. Graduate Class Programme South Shields TBA

25 9 Mar 2015

South Shields Residency Customs House South Shields

Washington Arts Centre performance 12th March 2015.

Middlesbrough Dance Festival


Graduate Class Programme South Shields TBA

34


Dates Week Begins


26 16 Mar 2015

South Shields Residency

Finale Performance March 22nd 2015

Customs House South Shields

Customs House South Shields


Public performance Finale.

Graduate Class Programme South Shields TBA

End of Dancers Contract

+1 23 Mar 2015

Evaluation School Terms End Friday 27th March 2015

+2 30 Mar 2015

EvaluationEnd Contract of Administration Internship 2nd April.

Good Friday 3rd Apr 2015

+3 6 Apr 2015

Evaluation Easter Monday 6th April 2015

+4 13 Apr 2015

Dora to attend ballet training conference - Holland 16/17 April

+5 20 Apr 2015

+6 27 Apr 2015

+7 4 May 2015

Begin planning for 2016 and 2017 programmes.

+8 11 May 2015

Complete final reports for ACE on first pilot.

+9 18 May

35


Dates Week Begins


2015+10 25

May 2015

9. Audience Development, Marketing and Communications

9.1. Strategy

The Audience Development plan for Fertile Ground grows naturally from the Vision, Mission and Aims of the project

Our VISION is to nurture, challenge and inspire a new generation of dance artists to develop and present inspirational and accessible dance opportunities for the people of the North of England.

Our MISSION to create workshops, performances and other dance opportunities to inspire audiences and participants, in particular the young.

OUR AIMS

To promote the learning and experiencing of dance through active participations

36

Develop more detailed knowledge and understanding of the aesthetic of dance for its audience by opening up the creation and rehearsal process for dance

Support the curricula in schools, colleges and universities for dance, physical education, personal development, communication and healthy living. Encourage healthy living and well-being provide workshops for participants at all levels. Support the development of diversity through dance Inspire audiences by creating extraordinary and exceptional performances in a variety of settings.

FERTILE Ground’s work will focus on communities that have had limited opportunities for engagement with dance and FERTILE GROUND’s programme will provide dynamic performance and participation experiences for particularly young people.

FERTILE GROUND’s training for its young team will focus on methodologies to work with young people inspiring them to healthy living and creative endeavour through dance. FERTILE GROUND will engage with many new and diverse audiences through its partnerships.

At the core of Fertile Ground’s strategy for Audience Development, marketing and communication is working with its delivery partners allowing the company to tap into the resources and personnel and existing relationships of larger organisations so that as a small organisation it is able to ‘punch above its weight’.

9.2.Need

The need for the Fertile Ground project can be expressed from a number of different perspectives which illustrate the lack of opportunity for engagement in dance in the North East. Professional dance practitioners, Universities and Colleges, the FE and school education and training sectors, venues and audiences are all affected by the flight of graduates from the North East performing arts training programmes to other parts of the UK.

Our knowledge of graduates that have stayed in the region emphasises the lack of opportunity for employment, networking, further personal development and experience of professional work practice which inevitably leads to abandonment of career objectives in dance.

The North East has a limited dance ecology with limited development of professional companies able to employ dancers on a consistent basis. The capacity of the region to support a dance ecology is hampered by the traditional structure of society. The Catchment/Mosaic profile of the North East illustrates that encouraging people to attend cultural activity is challenging, with above average representation in the regions population in the non-attending groups

37

'claimant culture', 'ex-council community', ‘elderly needs’, ‘industrial heritage’ and a low representation of more traditional attending groups in the ABC1 categories.

Dora Frankel Dance’s recent tour of the Unfolding Sky has demonstrated the positive response from new audiences for dance in unusual settings and success in reaching some of the more marginalised groups. 'It was a memorable performance and as we had never seen contemporary dance before it created a lot of discussion in the group' - Lindisfarne audience members June 8 2013.

“By performing outdoors and touring to a number of significant sites that do not normally offer dance we truly reached new and wider audiences. The partnerships with non-theatre venues and organisations (English Heritage, Bowes Museum, Bamburgh Castle and Bedes World) was extremely successful and we have learnt a lot from our experiences and aim to build on our new relationships”. DFD ACE Evaluation Unfolding Sky 2013

Our recent research shows that many schools have the appetite to engage with dance however there are limited resources to purchase one-off performances and workshops from professional companies and increasing time pressure from other parts of the curriculum in engaging outside of the school environment. We have canvassed school teachers, arts development agencies, Universities and our museum partners who see a need to build on existing relationships and activity to facilitate dance activity for school students.

Arts Development Agencies and Venues in the region are exhibiting a lack of confidence at programming dance, particularly when there is limited capacity to develop relationships with local schools and community groups to encourage attendance at performances. Consultation with regional venues has revealed that venues are very keen to support Fertile Ground’s programme based on short residencies and longer term relationships.

“The Customs House is keen to support this exciting proposal of work, particularly as we can see the benefits that this will bring to children and young people, schools and dance groups across North & South Tyneside”.

9.3.Working with Universities and Colleges

Central to developing regional spread for Fertile Ground will be strategic residencies in Universities and Colleges, in particular in Teesside and Sunderland where the dance audiences and participation is less well developed than in Newcastle upon Tyne. The pilot project provides for a four week residency at Sunderland University and a five week residency at Teesside between September and December 2014; a four week residency at Newcastle College is also planned for January 2015.

The programme in the University or College setting will include the opportunity for

Company warm up class with participation from final year students.

38

Rehearsal of new repertoire under the direction of guest and in house choreographer; sharing through an open rehearsal process with students from the University or College and the community.

To undertake workshops or project for schools students from inner City schools, Primary and Secondary. To undertake a series of workshops or a project with undergraduate students. To undertake a workshop with linked FE Colleges where appropriate. To undertake an open public lecture/seminar featuring the choreographic process and the work of the company. To present a public sharing of the choreographic and performance work produced by Fertile Ground on its core dancers, on the student body and in

school projects that result in performance outputs.

The aims of the programme are

To negotiate programme content and access that assists the institution in its teaching of dance practice and enhances the learning experience for the students.

To undertake a programme of work that is promoted by and assists with the institution’s community and education access programme. To illustrate to the student body the working practice of a professional dance company thereby raising aspirations and knowledge of those

currently studying and training in dance related subjects. To encourage and motivate students in training by illustrating pathways to the profession. To make dance more accessible through providing dance workshop experiences to students from schools where dance may not regularly feature. To attract new audiences for dance through joint public sharings of performance To explain and demystify dance for new audiences. To build long-term relationships between Fertile Ground and the University and College sector for the development of shared research and creative

projects in the future

9.4.Working with Museums and Galleries

In 2012 and 2013 Dora Frankel Dance worked with museums, galleries and outdoor sites in the North East to take dance to a wider audiences in spaces where dance performance was unexpected.

“The Unfolding Sky: Turner in the North successfully engaged non dance and family audiences including toddlers who were 'entranced' and day trippers” - Event Manager Rosie Bradford, the Bowes Museum.

39

'It was a memorable performance and as we had never seen contemporary dance before it created a lot of discussion in the group' - Lindisfarne audience members June 8 2013.

The Fertile Ground project intends build on relationships already established in 2013 and establish new opportunities for dance in unusual spaces primarily in this autumn and winter time project inside museums and galleries. Residency programmes are planned with Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle and Bede’s World in South Shields to build on existing relationships and with Tyne and Wear Museums to explore new relationships with the Discovery Museum during a holiday period and the Roman Fort Museum, Segedunum.

Within the museum context FG will work in three particular ways, firstly enhancing visits for young people to the museum by undertaking dance workshop experiences using themes from the museum’s collections and exhibits; secondly to present pre-rehearsed work in a gallery or museum space drawing on the Museum’s established audiences and thirdly undertaking interventions and improvisations and unexpected performance pieces associated with museum and gallery themes an responses. With Tyne and Wear Museums, preliminary discussions have identified an improvised dance piece on a Challenger Tank on World War One themes as a possible idea for intervention in the Discovery Museum.

“The importance of the link between heritage, art and culture was particularly evident in the work with Bowes Museum both in the way they embraced the work as part of their Rokeby exhibition and the way they marketed it”. DFD evaluation for Unfolding Sky tour.

FG intends to further develop its outdoor performance programme as part of the second pilot programme between February and June 2016.

9.5.Working with venues and local arts development agencies

Fertile ground has strategic plan for working with local authorities and venues in dance development for its pilot project. Its work will focus on four areas each providing a unique focus for partnership and dance development and overall providing a geographical spread across the North East and North West of England.

Berwick on Tweed where FG will work with the Maltings Arts Centre working in the arts centre premises and in outreach into isolated rural communities - “We are keen to offer Fertile Ground support where possible, but this will mainly present itself in the form of rehearsal/residency/performance space at our venue. The expertise that Fertile Ground will bring to a long term plan of dance development should

40

benefit future audience figures for dance performances/attendance at dance workshops and classes and re-ignite a keen interest in dance in the North East/Border area”. Matthew Rooke Director Maltings Arts Centre Berwick.

Theatre by the Lake in Keswick - “…Theatre by the Lake is planning a young professional acting ensemble in 2015/16 and I am particularly keen that we should consider the issues and opportunities arising from our respective initiatives. I believe that the issue of first professional jobs of real substance and quality is one that the performing arts must address nationally, if the profession is to offer a sustainable future for talented individuals ….. We look forward to working with you over the next two years to develop exciting new opportunities for young professional performers in the North of England and to sharing our experiences nationally, through monitoring and evaluation of our respective initiatives and through collaborative working.” Patric Gilchrist Administrative Director Theatre by the Lake Keswick.

Customs House South Shields - “The Customs House is keen to support this exciting proposal of work, particularly as we can see the benefits that this will bring to children and young people, schools and dance groups across North & South Tyneside. We are able to commit to a residency with the company in March 2015 of three days of workshops, two days of rehearsals and a final performance on Sunday 22 March 2015, with the potential of an additional week of residencies being taken up, depending on demand. We can support your proposal in a number of ways, through liaising with school / dance group contacts to recruit participants to work with the graduate company in their own school setting, space in kind for rehearsals and in providing advice on Artsmark and Arts Award”. Emma Horsman Arts Development Officer Customs House

Middlesbrough Council – with a 5 week residency at Teesside University in Middlesbrough Town centre, Fertile Ground will have opportunity to work closely with Middlesbrough Borough Council’s Arts Development officer and with Middlesbrough’s Contemporary Gallery, MIMA. Following rehearsals, and workshops as part of the University residency is November and December 2014 FG will return to Middlesbrough to perform as part of the Middlesbrough Dance Festival at Middlesbrough Town Hall in March 2015.

FG is also planning to work with Washington Arts Centre on a project undertaking three day long visits to work with Biddick Academy students and community members at the Arts Centre and a performance of the company’s repertoire to a paying public audience in March 2015.

FG will also seek to pilot relationships with other venues and arts development agencies through one and two day visits to venues undertaking a participatory element followed by a performance. In particular FG hope to build these relationships to provide for a week long residencies as part of the 2016 programme pilot. Currently connections have been made with Queens Hall Hexham, The Alnwick Playhouse and Stockton ARC.

41

Critical to the success reaching new audience with dance performance will be building relationships and presenting work in venues that are approachable for the public. Whilst University relationships are critical in developing relationships in the education sector University Campuses provide barriers to audiences from C2DE groupings and in some cases to more regular arts attenders. Hence the importance in Middlesbrough for instance of a general public performance in the Town Hall Crypt rather than a University venue.

9.6.Working with Schools

FG believes that its work should fuel children and young people’s curiosity and critical capacity which then allows them to understand, explore and challenge the world in new and exciting ways, on journeys of discovery which would otherwise not be possible. Creativity is the long term key for both economic and social development. The work children and young people create will inspire audiences of the future

FG plan to work strategically through its partnerships and residencies with arts development agencies, museums, galleries, universities and colleges building on existing local relationships rather than attempting region wide direct relationships with schools.

FG will develop workshop activity appropriate for primary and high school levels and appropriate for beginners in dance activity as well as supporting those committed to BTEC, GCSE and A ‘level programmes in dance and performing arts. FG have offered partners the capacity to work in the school environment or within a museum, venue or university context where dance activity may be presented as part of a multi-faceted day of activities.

In Newcastle FG plan to build a series of relationships through large high schools and academies particularly where such relationships provides the opportunities to work in an area of social or educational deprivation and provides through feeder school relationships the opportunity to engage with a new audience.

“We are keen to establish a relationship with Fertile Ground … this will provide an excellent opportunity for our pupils to work with professional artists. Access to professional dance artists will inspire and motivate the young people at Benfield, including those who are pupil premium funded, students with special educational needs and the more able”. Carolyn Wood, Benfield School Newcastle upon Tyne

Benfield in Newcastle’s eastern inner city will be a pilot project in 2014/15; starting with a day’s workshop activity by FG in the School. Later in the term, the school will offer FG a spot to perform as part of its annual dance festival on December 20 th 2014, providing the opportunity to present professional contemporary dance to the 400 local people that attend the annual festival to enjoy the performances of their children.

9.7.Communications and Marketing Strategy

42

Fertile Ground recognises that it has limited resources to market its work on a regional basis. Its communications and marketing strategy is therefore based on working in partnership using the staffing, resources and existing relationships of venues, universities, colleges, arts development agencies, museums and galleries to reach people in their locality.

FG aims to build its audience by building its own local relationships through its website and social media and through regional media to enhance local marketing activity. The FG Website has recently been redesigned and its capacity increased as part of an ACE Grants for the Arts development project.

Central to its social media and website strategy will be to encourage a high profile for its dancers as they progress through their transition year between University and the life of a professional dancer. Dancers and Choreographers will be encouraged to blog about their experiences within the project, providing explanation to audiences for their work. Working with its documentary media team FG will provide a series of interviews and dance pieces to link through You-Tube and on FG’s website. Ongoing feedback from audiences and participants in Vox Pop format will be important and be part of the FG website.

Regional Media provides an opportunity to develop a higher profile for FG with more established audiences. The Culture supplement of the Journal at the arts and culture pages of the Journal, Chronicle and Northern Echo will profile dancers, choreographers and the Fertile Ground project provided that photographs, profiles and information about the company is provided to journalists and editors and followed up by personal contact. Local papers in Berwick, South Shields, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland will print local stories and are best contacted by the local theatre’s/arts agency press mechanisms.

Universities have significant student, staff, community and alumni communications opportunities both through print media and websites; these should be used to profile the residencies and the associated activity with which the broader university community can become engaged.

FG will produce a marketing pack for its partners which includes generic quality print material (posters and leaflets), a photographic and press release pack and a DVD for foyer display. FG will seek links from partner websites to its own.

FG has budgeted for the additional services of a freelance marketing/press specialist and included marketing and press relations in the job description of the Administrator/Producer for the project. The exact nature of the specialist press/marketing freelance person will be determined by the skills and experience brought to the Administrator’s post.

FG’s communications strategy is to segment its target audiences by questioning the Who, What, Where, Why, How and When of communication activity. As a result to avoid blanket communication techniques developing specific messages and information for different groups of partners, stakeholders and audiences. FG has begun to segment its 400+ past audience, partner and stakeholder data base in this way. Currently FG holds 400+ Facebook friends and 250+ connections on Twitter.

43

The Administrator for the project is due to take up post 2-3 weeks before the dancers join the ensemble – a critical activity during the first two weeks will be to tour the region with Dora Frankel, meeting with partners for residencies and performances and finalising details of the marketing and communications responsibilities with partners.

Part of FG communications strategy needs to be aimed at identifying the status of connections on a ladder of engagement and providing appropriate information targeted at each group. There is a fundamental link of this strategy with fundraising potential.

Fertile Ground – Ladder of engagement

Rank Role/Status Potential engagement with Fertile Ground Communications Strategy1 Patrons and Stakeholders Corporate, government and Trust funders, individual Legacy

funders, major philanthropic donors, key advocates.Invitations to performances and events; special VIP treatment. Letters from Artistic Director after projects and as applications made with key summary of achievements, partnerships and future needs.

2 Board Members and Partners, some key volunteers.

Donate time rather than money, happy to support and advocate.

Invitations to performances and events; involvement in policy making and monitoring of performance.

3 Advocates Less time to spend, but keen attenders at performances and passionate about the benefits of dance, happy to advocate and influence on the companies behalf. Potential for individual giving through subscribers’ scheme.

Invitations to purchase tickets for events; Potential for individual giving through subscribers’ scheme.Information on key facts about FG’s achievements – destinations of dancers graduation etc.

4 Friends and volunteers Regular attenders and/or participants with the company Invitations to purchase tickets for events;Target for crowd funding and other one off fundraising opportunity.Provide “special” privileges – early booking, drinks with cast (they pay), mailing of email with special friend content.

5 Audience Ticket buyers aim to engage with additional activities such as artist talks, open rehearsals etc.

Invitations to purchase tickets for events;Target for crowd funding and other one off fundraising opportunity.

44

Rank Role/Status Potential engagement with Fertile Ground Communications StrategyEnsure presence on regional and national listings for performances and events.

6 Audience at free events People from the full range of these 10 backgrounds can be part of these events and FG needs to be prepared to engage at all levels with additional information and PR.

Need build connection – get an email address – text number etc.Ensure dancers are fully briefed about opportunities of talking to audiences about themselves and their work.

7 Social Media interest Target for crowd funding and other one off fundraising opportunity.

Ensure dancers providing blogs of experience online.Have feedback loops via

8 Dance interested but don’t know much about Fertile Ground

Direct to company information – make friends – engage through participation programmes.

Direct to website.Engage with blogsPromote friends scheme and ticketsRegular emails linking to FG information.Regional Press and media target.

9 Know little about dance but have general interest in the arts

Engage through free performances and performances where individuals are attracted by other motives such as viewing performances by children or grandchildren.

Regular emails linking to FG information.Regional Press and media target.

10 Have little or no interest in the arts

Engage through free performances and performances where individuals are attracted by other motives such as viewing performances by children or grandchildren.

Take performances to other spaces where people gather – have information on hand about participation and performances.

9.8.Targets for Engagement

The six month pilot project September 2014 to March 2015 will have created the following benefits. 6/7 young graduates in employment – FTE 6/7 for six months.

o Individual skills development in dance technique and facilitation, administration and technical theatre increasing opportunities for future employment.

o Dancers in the shop window for future employmento Dancers challenged by professional environment and high quality choreographic input.

45

o Administrator/Producer placement developing high level project management skills with mentoring support. Other employment of artistic staff, choreographers, guest teachers, mentors etc. – 2 FTE for 6 months. Focus of work on the North East’s “cold spots” both geographic and social – Sunderland (inner city education low achievement), South Shields,

(economic deprivation), Berwick (rural isolation), Middlesbrough (inners city multi-cultural), Barnard Castle (rural isolation).o Engagement with new audiences not usually exposed to dance.o Raise aspirations of young people opening doors to new perspectives on education and careers.

Over 2000 people exposed to exciting dance in paid and free performances.o Providing dance in unexpected places such as museums and galleries; illuminating our culture by working with and around their collections.o Demystifying dance and dance creation through open rehearsals, media and website communication.o Providing exposure to high quality dance from exciting nationally recognised choreographers.

Over 25 regionally based dance and performing arts graduates benefiting from weekly classes and networking opportunities.o Developing skills baseo Developing networks for potential development of future dance projects

Over 1200 young people from schools (with many in the cold spots) engaged in workshops and classes with a professional dance company.o Supporting healthy living and fitness in schoolso Inspiring young people to take up dance for leisure and as a vocationo Supporting other aspects of school curriculum work.o Provide opportunities for kinaesthetic learners and creative students to excel at a physical activity.

Over 200 community participants in dance workshops and classes.o Engaging whole families in dance together with cross generational benefits.o Fitness and skills development.o Recognising individual creativity.

University/College Workshops

Schools Workshops Community Workshops

Audiences at Paid Performances

Audiences at free performances1

Workshops No. Workshops No. Workshops

No. Performances No. Performances No.

1 Numbers of people based on number of individuals engaged, whether multiple of single engagement.

46

University/College Workshops

Schools Workshops Community Workshops

Audiences at Paid Performances

Audiences at free performances

Teesside University 10 45 10 200 2 20 0 0 2 100Teesside Arts Development

0 0 4 80 1 20 1 120 1 50

Teesside MIMA 0 0 4 80 1 20 0 0 1 50Sunderland University 10 15 10 200 4 20 0 0 1 50Washington Arts Centre

0 0 3 90 3 15 1 70 0 0

Newcastle College 10 50 4 80 3 15 1 100Newcastle (TWAMS) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 300Northumbria University

1 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Berwick Maltings 0 0 5 30 3 15 1 70 1 100South Shields (Bede’s World)

0 0 4 80 0 0 1 100 0 0

Keswick (Theatre by the Lake)

0 0 5 100 2 20 1 100 1 100

South Shields (Customs House)

0 0 5 150 4 60 1 150 0 0

Barnard Castle (Bowes Museum)

0 0 3 90 1 15 1 100 1 50

Alnwick Playhouse 0 0 1 30 0 0 1 70 0 0Newcastle Dance City 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 110 0 0Graduate Workshops/Classes

0 0 0 0 20 20 0 0 0 0

Benfield School - Newcastle

0 0 2 60 0 0 0 0 1 350

Totals 31 130 58 1270 44 240 9 890 15 1250

10. Project Management Issues

47

10.1. Employment and Internship

FG has looked at emerging graduate dance projects elsewhere in the country and sought opportunities for dialogue. FG are also interested in studying other performing arts schemes for the transition of graduates from University course to the stage. FG’s partnership with Theatre by the Lake in Keswick is stimulated by such a relationship. The Theatre by the Lake will be introducing a graduate acting company at around the same time that Fertile Ground is established; FG has discussed the possibility of tracking the two graduate programmes together and running a short festival/conference on the subject together in 2016. Dora Frankel has consulted with the North West’s graduate dance programme ‘12 Degrees North’ and is familiar with other graduate programmes in UK and abroad.

FG has adopted a model for the pilot that recognises the special circumstances of Dance in the North East of England and seeks to attract and retain dance graduates to the region. FG does not believe it would be able to redress the drain of talent away from the region by a company that did not pay graduate dancers. Involvement of the Universities through internship programmes also stipulates that an internship salary should be paid to the graduate equal to or above the national minimum wage. The length of our pilot is also influenced by the Universities’ criteria for funding in that the majority of internship funding is for 26 weeks.

FG has therefore rejected the models of 12 dancers unpaid, currently practiced by 12 degrees North and London Contemporary Dance School’s EDge programme.2

FG has also considered a fully paid equity minimum wage project3. The additional £4000+ per dancer would make the project unviable.

From ACE Grants for the Arts and University funding FG will be able to employ 4 core dancers at £280 per week and pay employers national insurance. 4 Administration and technical graduates would be paid on the same basis. The wage is equivalent of £7 per hour for a 40 hour week (69pence per hour above the minimum wage for an over 21 year old).

FG also intend to offer fully paid self-funding internships for up to two dancers5.

2 These programmes charge participating dancers as post-graduate students and contribute no salary; participants receive a post graduate diploma.3 Based on 16 weeks at rehearsal rate of £410 per week and 10 weeks at performance rates of £431 per week.4 Further exploration of the employment status of the dancers need to be undertaken with a qualified accountant with experience in tax and NHI issues for performers to see if the dancers can be employed on a freelance contract and therefore receive salary and employers contribution making the weekly salary around £295.5 £9000 for the 26 week period; dancers would then be paid a salary the same as other participants. We will only make places available to graduate dancers that meet the quality and motivational criteria required.

48

Fertile Ground will run a free weekly class and networking session for dance graduates based in the region as part of the project. The Saturday class will encourage dance graduates to maintain and develop skill levels, network with each other and the Fertile Ground project. The sessions will be run in different venues in line with the residency programmes providing opportunities for dance graduates to visit potential areas of work and share the burden of transport costs.6 During the initial project FG will be investigating whether there is the appetite for an unpaid performance project to be developed from the class structure in subsequent projects.

10.2. Criterion for selection of dancers

Fertile Ground is looking for exceptional graduate or recent graduate dancers (male or female) strong in contemporary dance and with the ability to acquire new skills in the area of dance education, participatory and community work. Brave, bold and ready to take risks you will work across the North East region in a variety of settings and in a variety of ways including performances, workshops and other events.

You should have completed (or are completing ) your undergraduate studies at one of the region’s FE or HE Institutions or have completed High School studies in the NE region and have completed studies at Institutions elsewhere and are able to show a home address within the NE Region.

The source and purpose of our current funding means that we cannot pay dancers who do not fulfil these criteria.

However we may be in a position to add a further place in the company if that place is privately funded. If you are able to show how you could bring £9000 of private, personal or corporate funding to the project we would certainly consider granting you an audition but would reserve the right to decide an appointment to the project based on the outcome of the audition and interview and not on the potential of funding.

Audition Criteria are Exhibit preparedness in terms of good time keeping, correct attire and appropriate behaviour in the audition. Demonstrate physical ability and correct stance throughout. Demonstrate good understanding of contemporary dance technique including core strength, coordination, rhythmic ability, and understanding of

elevation, spatial awareness and dynamic qualities. Demonstrate potential performance presence. Participation - exhibit ability to work with others demonstrated through shared dance improvisation tasks and problem solving.

10.3. Governance and Board Development

6 Dance City’s regional professional dance class takes place at Dance City in Newcastle

49

The Board of the Community Interest Company, Dora Frankel Dance, is currently in transition. The Board formally has three members Jim Craig (Community Arts Chaplin for Gateshead), Rebecca Ball (Director Cultural Spring Programme and Victoria Moore (Accountant) with the Director of Dance City Anthony Baker and Consultant Brian Debnam attending meetings as advisers. A process of investigating the interest of potential Board members has begun. An advertisement for interest will be posted on free websites in May. Dance City is committed to assist with the recruitment of new Board members sharing its recent experience of similar recruitment. It is hoped that a Chair will be appointed before the commencement of the first pilot project. Dora Frankel Dance should aim to complete its Board recruitment and governance changes by the time it comes to apply for the next round of funding for its second pilot.

10.4. Management of project

Dora Frankel Dance has been ably administered by Dora Frankel over the past ten years. Although primarily an Artist, Dora has considerable experience of running dance projects and tours. She has also been responsible for running a major department in a HE Institution in Sweden for ten years. Dora will need to focus most of her energies on the artistic delivery of the Fertile Ground project supporting and developing the young dancers. However as there are guest choreographers and artists working with the company Dora will have some time to provide days to day guidance to a project producer/administrator brought into manage the day to day activities of the project. Discussions with academic staff have revealed a number of likely candidates for the position from those currently undertaking an MA programme in Cultural Management at Northumbria University. We have also been able to identify support for a University funded internship for this position. Whilst graduates of the MA programme have a strong understanding of the cultural context for their work and bring research and writing skills to the post the MA programme is weaker in developing day to day Arts Administration disciplines in its graduates. Some mentoring support will be necessary particularly in the induction period and a costs has been budgeted into the project at £1,800.

It is intended that the current finance officer will continue to undertake bookkeeping and financial reporting on a day rate budgeted to the project. £1050 is budgeted for this purpose. A further £1500 to engage a freelance publicist to undertake specialist marketing tasks is also budgeted to support the project management post.

The producer/administrator will be line managed by Dora Frankel who will remain in overall management control of the project.

Job and person description for the post of Administrator/Producer is as follows

10.4.1. Person Specification

The suitable person will be able to demonstrate the following knowledge skills and aptitude through their application and interview.

Excellent IT Skills in particular with MS Word, Excel and Office Excellent understanding of social media as a communications and research resource. Capacity to learn and develop skills for maintaining data bases and website.

50

Strong Communication Skills, written and in person. Capacity to work alone and as part of a team. Capacity to manage own workload. Accurate attention to detail in all aspects of their work. High level Numeracy and understanding of the use of spreadsheets in financial record keeping and financial modeling. Interest in the arts and cultural sector is essential as will be a degree level qualification. Qualifications at Degree or Masters Level in arts related subjects will be an advantage. Excellent research skills Capacity to work occasional flexible hours to balance workload Experience of managing projects Experience of marketing and press relations is desirable.

Job Description

The role of the Producer/Administrator will include the following responsibilities

Providing the key office base contact person for the organisation providing a friendly and customer focused service to clients and partners. Managing a small office responsible for ensuring the upkeep of IT peripherals, equipment, stationery and other essential supplies. Liaise with IT specialists to ensure the integrity and maintenance of the company’s IT services. Maintain office information systems including filing. Maintaining office diary. Regularly updating the company website. Manage the day to day activity of the Fertile Ground project

o Providing detailed daily schedules for company personnel, board and associates. o Ensuring bookings for work and performance spaces are specified and confirmed.o Provide evaluation questionnaires for participants and audiences, manage the collection of data and the collation of results throughout the

project.o Booking travel and other logistics.o Liaison with venues and partners about arrangements for performances, workshops and other activityo Invoicing clients for the company’s services.o Managing the marketing of the performances and other activities, managing the budget for materials and specialist staff.

51

o Liaison with University and College press offices and venue and gallery marketing personnel to maximize local coverage of the project. o Managing PR and press relations where appropriate in conjunction with partner press officers and publicity staff.o Manage front of house and guest functions where appropriate.o Manage the evaluation process for the project; designing, circulating, collating and recording evaluation material on paper and on-line.o Liaise with the projects independent evaluator. o Encourage and facilitate the writing of blogs by company members and the distribution of blogs and material about the project through

social media and the website.o Draft reports on the progress of the project for the Board, funders and stakeholders. o Manage a Petty Cash system the project.o Record and monitor expenditure ensuring expenditure within agreed budgets.o Prepare draft funding applications and reports to funders for the Director.o Undertake additional tasks as directed to assist the Director as appropriate to the level of the post

10.5. Production

The budgets provide for a 20 week engagement of a graduate of one of the region’s technical theatre programmes at Newcastle and Gateshead Colleges. The person engaged will be expected to undertake a survey of all the venue spaces and their technical capacities and work with the choreographers to realise high quality but simple production standards. The technician will also prepare and operate sound equipment for the productions.

Currently we have budgeted for a driver for a company van for 30 days during the project. In the event that the technician has a license to drive a van and is of qualifying age to drive a hire vehicle, we may be able to make a budget saving or consider additional payments for the technician for overtime etc.

In the event that we were unable to fill the technical post with an appropriately qualified graduate able to work independently to fulfil the production brief we can consider combining budget allocations for technician and driver and seek a more seasoned professional to support the production side of the project.

The creative process is supported by a lighting designer and costume designer. Briefs for the Choreographers have stressed the need for the creation of dance works that can be performed in a variety of contexts and venues; with full lighting designs in some and in daylight or work light in more informal settings and without dependence of settings and large scale props.

10.6. Film and documentation

52

We will be undertaking a film and documentation project in partnership with either Newcastle College or Sunderland University. The Sunderland model would involve the secondment of a student at the end of their second year for the summer holiday period on a paid 6 week internship to scope and develop the project which would then be delivered from September to March by the intern as part of a final year documentary film project. Sunderland University student placements have committed funding £1000 which goes directly to the student and is therefore not included in the Fertile Ground budgets.

The Newcastle College model would involve Honours year students in Film and Media in a group project without any internship support.

We will shortly be seeking student proposals from both institutions.

10.7. Evaluation

Dora Frankel Dance has undertaken evaluations for its previous projects and is experienced in paper based questionnaire based evaluation. Whilst the Fertile Ground project will continue to use well printed invitations to respond to individual performances and questionnaires for workshops and classes it is expected that there will be a continued invitation for audiences to respond to questionnaires online (Mail Chimp) and through social media.

The Fertile Ground project also needs high quality external independent evaluation and to this end we have budgeted for an external evaluator to work alongside our evaluation process and provide an independent evaluation report for the project. We have approach experienced regional dancer and choreographer Tim Rubidge to provide this role. His biography is included in the biographies section of this report.

Key areas for evaluation in this project will be

Area of evaluation Method Key QuestionsAudiences at paid performances Paper based questionnaire in theatres Satisfaction with performance

Where informed about performancePersonal data

Audiences at paid performances Mail Chimp – via email As aboveAudiences at paid performances Vox-Pop short interviews - digital Reaction to performancesPerformances, free, paid and work in progress Independent evaluator review Quality of work

Appropriateness of work for audienceDevelopment of dancers

Venue Managements Mail ChimpPaper questionnairesPhone calls

Satisfaction with performanceMarketing partnership effectivenessMeeting of objectives for venueTechnical effectiveness

53

Area of evaluation Method Key QuestionsSuggestions for future relationships

Schools workshop participants - students Paper based questionnaires Response to workshopFurther interest in dance

Schools workshop participants - teachers Paper based questionnaires Appropriateness of workshop for participantsSuggestions for future partnership

University students participants Mail Chimp Workshop satisfactionRelationship with Fertile GroundBenefits to studyBenefits to personal development

University academic staff Mail Chimp Impact on student aspirationImpact on academic studyIdeas for future work together

Community workshops Paper based questionnaires Reaction to workshopAudiences free performances Paper based questionnaires

Volunteer interviewersReaction to performanceChanged expectation of dance

Graduate classes/workshops Paper based questionnaires Value of classesValue of networkingInvolvement in future performance project

Dancers in the Fertile Ground Company Paper questionnaires - monthly Progression Learning

Dancers in the Fertile Ground Company Monthly meetings and Exit interview at completion with Director

Personal progress trackingProgramme modifications for futureValue of programme

Dancers in the Fertile Ground Company Exit interview/focus group with the independent evaluator.

Independent view of experiencePersonal experiencesPersonal progressProspects from here

Dancers in the Fertile Ground Company Ongoing blogs Recording experience Sharing experience

Administrator/Producer and Technician Face to face interviews – monthly monitoring by Director.

Independent view of experiencePersonal experiences

54

Area of evaluation Method Key QuestionsExit interview by Director. Personal progress

Prospects from herePartners and Stakeholders Mail Chimp

Paper questionnairesIndependent evaluator interviews

Reactions to pilot project Suggestions for the future

10.8. Extension of programmes

At the end of the Fertile Ground six month pilot there will be the possibility that the company of dancers might be able to pick up bookings for their repertoire at summer festivals and events. DFD does not intend to extend its programme in the first year instead encouraging its participating graduates to take an entrepreneurial approach to their work as a cooperative company. In order to facilitate an initiative from the dancers and the administrator the

performing rights to the dance pieces will be available for the dancers to use for a one year period at the end of the project without any charges 7. An arrangement will also to lend costumes and other essential material for staging the repertoire.

For the second pilot January to June 2016 FG will actively explore the opportunities for touring or international residencies that can extend the engagement period for the dancers without increasing core subsidy. A number of opportunities for international partnership through DFD’s previous Scandinavian experience might allow partnership funding for EU culture and education programmes from 2016.8

10.9. Dora Frankel Dance between Fertile Ground Projects

The new proposed pattern of work for DFD as Fertile Ground provides for a very intense 26 weeks of project work with a company of dancers. With associated planning and evaluation the full period for the Director and Administrator of work on any one project is at least 30 weeks.

The partnership building and planning for the proposed 2014-15 project has been funded through a development grant from ACE Grants for the Arts. Clearly planning for future projects has already been undertaken as part of this process and day to day relationships with partners will lead to a significantly more integrated planning processes for the second project in 2016. However there are a number of core costs for the DFD structure that have not been included in project budgets.7 With some qualification for additional royalties for choreographers and rehearsal fees if a work is to be presented in a London Theatre or major overseas festival.8 EU Culture fund and EU education partnership funding

55

It is expected that Dora Frankel will continue to operate DFD and undertake small projects in training and dance development with her skills and knowledge as the key resource. Dora will be required to earn around £4,000 to cover the office rental, accountancy fees before receiving any income for her work. It is therefore recommended that when a successful ACE Grants for the Arts is announced, Fertile Ground should launch a crowd funding and subscription programme. A crowd funding appeal via social media should be launched in July 2014 to try to secure a further £4000 towards the cost of dancer internships. A subscription scheme for 100 donors should be launched at the same time seeking 100 people to contribute £5 per month by direct debit potentially raising another £6000 in the year. This funding could be used to replace the allocation of earned income within the project budget to enable core costs to be covered during planning and development phases for project 2,9 and an additional contingency to be available against shortfalls in income or unforeseen costs for 2014-15.

Following the initial pilot a structured fundraising programme needs to be developed targeting national Trusts and Foundations to support the stage 2 and 3 pilots in 2016 and 2017.

10.10. Risk Analysis and Risk Management Plan

Key Risk Likelihood Impact/Financial maximum

Risk Management Strategy

Shortfall in University internship funding.

Low High Funding from Creative Employment programme also available to fill any gap but less favourable terms. Factored into budgets lack of funding for internships via Newcastle College

Shortfall in University residency funding.

Medium Medium Possibly reduce time in university residence replace with self-generated school programme. Potential financial threat within contingency budget.

Shortfall in funding from venues and residencies.

Low Low Possible over achievement on this area as Bowes Museum applying for funding for a commission and possible higher take up from schools workshops than budgeted

Shortfall in Trust and Foundation funding

Low High Make additional funding applications if Gillian Dickinson Trust application unsuccessful. Meeting with GD Trustees 17th April 2014.

Artistic Director Injury/illness Low Medium Other dance professionals engaged with programme as chorographers and guest artists enable DF to be covered in the event of illness.

Dancer Injury and Illness Low Medium Graduate Dance class enables possible replacements if injury serious. Flexible approach to choreographic roles enabling cover in the event of injury. Injury prevention classes and physiotherapy included in budget. Dancer health and injury

9 These fundraising sources and the core costs of the organisation are then included in the indicative budgets for 2016 and 2016/17 projects.

56

Key Risk Likelihood Impact/Financial maximum

Risk Management Strategy

prevention as part of induction process.Difficult to recruit quality dancers from graduates of regions dance courses.

Medium Low DF has already run sessions in regions dance courses to introduce idea of company to graduating cohort. Programme also open to graduates of dance programmes elsewhere in country provided they have attended High School in the North east and there is funding for an internship from a participating college or University or similar private funding. Sunderland University internship open to graduates of other Universities.

Administration and Management – lack of experience in internship to manage programme.

Medium High BD engaged as mentor to appointed person. Recruitment from MA Cultural Management Programme.

Production risk skills based Medium High Current graduate employment opportunity but quality an issue – driver salary included in budgets to provide resources for a more seasoned professional if required. LX Design budget for professional mentor.

Small production budgets cost overruns

Medium High Very specific brief to choreographers about need for high quality but flexible and simple production values. Focus on costumes.

Small company large ambition particularly with media – risk of not gaining sufficient profile.

Medium Medium Work with larger and locally connected press and marketing offices in partner Universities, Museums and Venues for delivery of local profile.

Cost control issue in all areas. Medium High Finance Officer budget to undertake cost control alongside Administrator/Producer.

57

11. Budgets 2014-2015

58

59

Creative Costs74%

Administration15%

Touring Costs8%

Marketing Costs3%

Fertile Ground - Expenditure 2014-15

Creative Costs

Administration

Touring Costs

Marketing Costs

University Funding

16%

ACE Grants for the Arts

55%

In Ki nd Costs3%

Venue and Workshop Fees

6%

Trusts and Foundations

12%

Private Funding 8%

Fertile Ground Income 2014-2015

60

Fertile Ground - Human Resource Costs and income contributions Project 1 2014-15EXPENDITURE INCOME

weeks per week net wages NHI per diems accomm travel total costper month months total

Dancer 1 26 280£ 7,280£ 456£ 7,736£ 685£ 6 4,110£ Dancer 2 26 280£ 7,280£ 456£ 7,736£ 685£ 6 4,110£ Dancer 3 26 280£ 7,280£ 456£ 7,736£ Dancer 4 26 280£ 7,280£ 456£ 7,736£ Dancer 5 26 280£ 7,280£ 456£ 7,736£ 1,500£ 6 9,000£ Stage/Tour Manager 20 280£ 5,600£ 351£ 5,951£ 685£ 3 2,055£ Director 30 550£ 16,500£ 16,500£ Administrator/Producer 30 280£ 8,400£ 526£ 8,926£ 685£ 6 4,110£ Guest teachers, mentors and courses 1,500£ Choreographer 4 4,500£ 400£ 500£ 150£ 5,550£ Choreographer 3 3,500£ 300£ 375£ 150£ 4,325£ Costume Design 2,000£ 2,000£ Lighting Design 2,000£ 2,000£ Management Mentor 1,800£

TOTALS 87,230£ 23,385£

61

Fertile Ground - Budget Project 1 2014/15

ExpenditureNotes/Assumptions No Days Unit cost Total Cost Further Actions

Travel CostsBus Fares Teesside Residency 7 25 5£ 875£ Bus/Metro Fares Sunderland 7 25 3£ 525£ Sundry Bus Fares to other residencies 7 10 2£ 140£ Van Hire Residencies and Tour 1 30 40£ 1,200£ Petrol 6 1 80£ 480£ Driver Costs 1 30 60£ 1,800£

Total Travel Costs 5,020£

Accommodation and Per Diem costsAccommodation 8 15 25£ 3,000£ Per Diems 8 4 20£ 640£ Tea and Coffee etc 1 120 5£ 600£

Total Accommodation and Per diem costs 4,240£

Staff Development CPDConference and training Fees 2 2 100£ 400£ Travel Costs 2 1 100£ 200£ Accommodation 2 1 100£ 200£ Injury Prevention Physiotherapy 4 2 37£ 296£

Total Staff Development CPD Costs 1,096£

MarketingMarketing Freelance Fees 1 14 100£ 1,400£ Artwork 1 5 100£ 500£ Leaflet Design and Print 1 1 300£ 300£ Poster Design and Print 1 1 300£ 300£ Photography 1 2 300£ 600£ Programmes 1 1 250£ 250£ Website 1 1 200£ 200£ e -Communication 1 1 200£ 200£

Total Marketing Costs 3,750£

EvaluationEvaluation materials 1 1 250£ 250£ External evaluator fees 1 3 250£ 750£

Total Evaluation Costs 1,000£

AdministrationOffi ce rental 1 2 500£ 1,000£ Telephone 1 6 40£ 240£ IT 1 6 20£ 120£ Website 1 6 10£ 60£ Printing Costs 1 6 50£ 300£ Insurance Public Liability 1 1 500£ 500£ Insurance Employers Liability 1 1 500£ 400£ Insurance Offi ce 1 1 200£ 200£ Bookkeeping and financial reporting 1 7 150£ 1,050£ Contingency Costs 1 1 300£ 300£

Total Administration 4,170£

Production costsCostumes 2,500£ Set and Props 500£ Sound/Recording and rights 750£ Royalties 200£ Lighting Hires 900£ Technical Labour 500£ Sundry/Contingency Weeks Days Rate 500£ Studio Hire Dance City 3 5 25 375£ Studio Hire Sunderland University 4 5 25 500£

62

Fertile Ground- Budget Summary Project One

Expenditure

Creative Costs NotesDancer Costs 38,679£ 5 dancers £280 x 26 weeks + NHIDirector 16,500£ 30 weeks at £550 p.w Production/Stage/Tour Manager 5,951£ 1 x 20 weeks weeks Choreographers 9,875£ Freelance fees and travel for 2 guest choreographersAdditional Teaching 1,500£ Costs for additional teaching, mentoring and coursesCostume and Lighting Design 4,000£

Total Creative Costs 76,504£

Administration CostsAdministrator 8,926£ 30 weeks at £280 p.w. + NHIAdministration Costs 4,170£ Includes insurance costsManagement Mentor 1,800£

Total Administration Costs 14,896£

Marketing Costs 3,750£ Print, website, press includes fee for PR/Press freelance

Production Costs 8,975£ Costumes, Lighting, Sound, Props and tour costs, Studio and theatre hire

Travel and touring Costs 5,020£ Van hire and busing costs to residencies

Touring and Residency Accommodation Costs 4,240£ Accommodation and per diems

CPD and Training 1,096£

Evaluation 1,000£

Contingency 1,900£

Total Expenditure 117,381£

Income Budget

University Funded Internments for 2 Dancers 8,220£ Sunderland and TeessideUniversity Funded Internship for Administrator 4,110£ NorthumberlandCollege Funded Internship for Stage Managers 2,055£ Creative Employment ProgrammePrivately Funded Internship 9,000£ Trust and Foundation Target 14,000£

12. Strategic Planning for future projects

12.1. Options appraisal future projects

63

Fertile Ground 2014-2018 Model 1 - 3 x G for A applicationsActivity 1Q 2014 -2015 2Q 2014 -2015 3Q 2014 -2015 4Q 2014 -2015 1Q 2015 -2016 2Q 2015 -2016 3Q 2015 - 2016 4Q 2015 - 2016 1Q 2016 -2017 2Q 2016 - 2017 3Q 2016 - 2017 4Q 2016 - 2017 1Q 2017 - 2018 2Q 2017 - 2018Project 1Project 2Project 3EvaluationPlanning

G for A ApplicationsG for A Assessments

Fertile Ground 2014-2018 Model 2 - 2 x G for A applications Projects 2 and 3 integrated in one applicationActivity 1Q 2014 -2015 2Q 2014 -2015 3Q 2014 -2015 4Q 2014 -2015 1Q 2015 -2016 2Q 2015 -2016 3Q 2015 - 2016 4Q 2015 - 2016 1Q 2016 -2017 2Q 2016 - 2017 3Q 2016 - 2017 4Q 2016 - 2017 1Q 2017 - 2018 2Q 2017 - 2018Project 1Project 2Project 3EvaluationPlanning

G for A ApplicationsG for A Assessments

Auditions Jun-14 Aug-14

12.2. 2014 -2017 Strategic Budgets

64

Fertile Ground- Budget Summary Project One

Expenditure Pilot 1 BudgetPilot 2 Indicative Budget

Pilot 3 Indicative Budget

2014/15 2015/16 2016/17Creative CostsDancer Costs 38,679£ 39,646£ 40,637£ Director 16,500£ 16,913£ 17,335£ Production/Stage/Tour Manager 5,951£ 6,099£ 6,252£ Choreographers 9,875£ 15,122£ 15,500£ Additional Teaching 1,500£ 1,538£ 1,576£ Costume and Lighting Design 4,000£ 4,100£ 4,203£ Music Composition -£ 4,000£ 4,000£ Total Creative Costs 76,504£ 87,417£ 89,502£

Administration CostsAdministrator 8,926£ 9,149£ 9,378£ Administration Costs 4,170£ 4,274£ 4,381£ Management Mentor 1,800£ 1,845£ 1,891£ DFD Annual Costs -£ 10,000£ 10,250£ Total Administration Costs 14,896£ 25,268£ 25,900£

Marketing Costs 3,750£ 3,844£ 3,940£ Production Costs 16,600£ 17,015£ 17,440£ Travel and touring Costs 5,020£ 5,146£ 5,274£ Touring and Residency Accommodation Costs 4,240£ 4,346£ 4,455£ CPD and Training 1,096£ 1,123£ 1,151£ Evaluation 1,000£ 1,025£ 1,051£ Contingency 2,925£ 2,998£ 3,073£

Total Expenditure 126,031£ 148,182£ 151,787£

Income Budget

University Funded Internments for Dancers 8,220£ 16,851£ 17,272£ University Funded Internship for Administrator 4,110£ 4,213£ 4,318£ College Funded Internship for Stage Managers 2,055£ 4,213£ 4,318£ Privately Funded Internship 9,000£ 9,225£ 9,456£ Trust and Foundation Target 14,000£ 20,000£ 25,000£ Tees Valley Dance 1,000£ 1,000£ 1,000£ Crowd Funding -£ 3,000£ 3,000£ Subsription funding -£ 4,500£ 6,000£ University Fee Residency 2,000£ 3,000£ 2,000£ University Fee Residency 1,500£ 1,500£ 6,500£ College Fees Residency 1,500£ 1,530£ 1,561£

ACE Grants for the Arts 64,700£ 55,000£ 52,000£ Venue Performance fees 2,400£ 3,660£ 3,752£ Weekly Residency Fees 4,800£ 10,000£ 5,000£ Studio and Theatre Hire costs in kind 10,750£ 10,750£ 10,750£

Total Income 126,035£ 148,442£ 151,926£

13. Consultation13.1. List of those consulted by Dora Frankel and/or Brian Debnam in face to face interviews and meetings associated with this study.

Anthony Baker Artistic Director Dance City, NewcastleSharon Paterson Assistant Dean School of Arts and Media Teesside UniversityHeike Salzer Dance Lecturer Teesside UniversityNickola Gray Student Placements Sunderland UniversityScott Watson Student Placements Teesside UniversityKeith McIntyre Head of Department of Arts Northumbria UniversityLiz Pavey Dance Lecturer Northumbria UniversitySteve Gilroy Director Performance Programme Northumbria UniversityGerda Roeper Dean Teesside UniversityIain Watson Director Tyne and Wear Museums and ArchivesClare Smith Education Officer Tyne and Wear Museums and ArchivesPete Huggins MBE Youth Dance Director Gateway Youth Dance ProjectJudith Hills Associate Dean Faculty of Arts, Media and Design Sunderland UniversityLesley Younger Lecturer Faculty of Arts, Media and Design Sunderland UniversitySuzanne McFarlane Head of Creative Industries Newcastle CollegeTom Bradley Performing Arts Manager Newcastle CollegeJennifer Hinves Arts Management Course Coordinator Northumbria UniversityMandy Rogerson Dance Lecturer Newcastle CollegeSuzanne Martin Business Development Manager Northumbria UniversityAlex Croft Relationship Manager Dance Arts Council England NorthBill Vince Senior Relationship Manager Arts Council England NorthMike Benson Director Bedes World Bede’s World, South ShieldsKathy Cremmin Director of Hive Radio Bede’s World, South ShieldsEmma Horsman Dance Development Officer Customs House South ShieldsDaniel Clifford Education Officer Customs House South ShieldsRay Spencer MBE Chief Executive Customs House South ShieldsPhil Douglas Arts Development Officer Middlesbrough Borough Council

65

Carolyn Pounder Education Officer MIMACarolyn Wood Head of Progression Benfield SchoolStephanie Murray Head of PE and Arts Programmes Benfield SchoolPatric Gilchrist Administrative Director Theatre by the Lake KeswickMatthew Rooke Director Berwick MaltingsDaniel Cox Programme Manager Berwick MaltingsEmma House Curator Bowes MuseumJane Whittaker Senior Curator Bowes MuseumHelen Green Director Washington Arts CentreAlexander Dickinson Trustee Gillian Dickinson TrustJames Ramsbottom Trustee Gillian Dickinson TrustJayne Knight Student placement officer Teesside UniversityRobert Schopen Director of Public Affairs Newcastle CollegePatricia Stead Producer Dance CityDawn Williams Coordinator Bridge Programme Sage GatesheadKaren Jaundril-Scott Director 12 Degrees NorthMileva Donachie Arts Development Queens Hall HexhamRebecca Ball Director The Cultural Spring, Sunderland and South

TynesideAmanda Gould Education and Participation Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art,

SunderlandJan Doherty Director Stockton International FestivalPam Johnson Relationship Manager ACE10

June Mitchell Arts Development E. Riding Yorkshire CouncilGillian Dale Director Dance in DevonJune Gamble Director Plymouth DanceGary Clarke ChoreographerJames Cousins ChoreographerJack Webb ChoreographerCeri Brierley Programmer Northern School Contemporary Dance

10 Connections made by Dora Frankel at British Dance Edition 2014

66

Judith Hibberd Administrative Director Charlotte Vincent Dance TheatreBelinda McElhinny Director Barrowland Ballet

67

13.2. Email and mail circulation list

68

Institution CAT Name PostNewcastle Univerity U/C Professor Chris Brink Vice ChancellorDurham University U/C Professor Christopher F Higgins Vice Chancellor and WardenNorthumbria University U/C Professor Andrew Wathey MA DPhil FRHistS FRSA FSA Vice ChancellorTeesside University U/C Professor Graham Henderson CBE DL Vice ChancellorSunderland University U/C Professor Peter Fidler Vice Chancellor and Chief ExecutiveUniversity of Cumbria U/C Professor Peter Strike Vice ChancellorNewcastle College U/C Carole Kitching PrincipalGateshead College U/C Judith Doyle PrincipalDance City U/C Anthony Baker DirectorCleveland College of Arts and Design U/C Martin Raby PrincipalMiddlesbrough College U/C Zoe Lewis Principal and Chief ExecutiveMiddlesbrough College U/C Trevor Brewis Director Visual and Pwerorming ArtsNew College Durham U/C John Widdowson Principal and Chief ExecutiveBishop Aukland College U/C Anne Isherwood Principal and Chief ExecutiveSunderland College U/C Ms Angela O'Donoghue PrincipalNewcastle Univerity U/C Professor Eric Cross Dean of Cultural AffairsDurham University U/C Dr Prue Holmes Pathway Leader School of EducationDurham University U/C Dr Sue Beverton PGCE Partnerships Leader School of EducationNorthumbria University U/C Professor Richard Terry Head Department of HumanitiesNorthumbria University U/C Professor Steven Kyffi n Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts, Design & Social SciencesTeesside University U/C Michael Lavery Assistant Chief Executive, Director of External RelationsTeesside University U/C Professor Gerda Roper Dean of School of Arts and MediaSunderland University U/C Graeme Thompson Dean Faculty of Arts, Design and MediaSunderland University U/C James Bustard Director Glass CentreUniversity of Cumbria U/C Dr Robin Talbot Executive Dean, Faculty of Health and ScienceUniversity of Cumbria U/C The Revd. Canon Professor Robert Hannaford Executive Dean, Faculty of Education, Arts and BusinessNewcastle College U/C Suzanne McFarlane Creative Industries DirectorNewcastle College U/C Robert Schopen Director of Public AffairsGateshead College U/C Tim Poolan Vice PrincipalMiddlesbrough College U/C Peter Wilson Managing Director, Industry and Community PartnershipsNew College Durham U/C Peter Rasmussen Assistant Principal Partnership and Student Support, Curriculum & QualityBishop Aukland College U/C Mike Jinks Learning Manager Arts ProgrammeMaltings, Berwick V Matthew Rouke DirectorAlnwick Playhouse V Jo Potts ManagerQueens Hall Hexham V Geoff Keys DirectorPhoenix Theatre Blyth V Paul WorthNorthern Stage V Lorne Campbell Artistic DirectorBrewery Arts, Kendal V Richard Foster Chief ExecutiveBrewery Arts, Kendal V Mike Jones Executive Director and Theatre / Comedy ProgrammingKingsgate Arts Cockermouth V Kate Parry General ManagerTheatre by the Lake, Keswick V Patric Gilchrist Executive Director Live Theatre, Newcastle V Jim Beirne MBE CEOTheatre Royal, Newcastle V Philip Bernays DirectorCustoms House South Shields V Ray Spencer MBE Executive DirectorSage Gateshead V Anthony Sargent General DirectorGateshead Council V Arts Development Team Libraries Sports and CultureSwallows Foundation UK V Mark Lloyd DirectorARC - Stockton V Annabel Turpin Chief ExecutiveWashington Arts Centre V Helen Green DirectorSunderland City Council V Zoe ChanningHartlepool Borough Council V Jo Wilson Strategic Arts ManagerStockton Borough Council V Reuben Kench Arts Culture and LeisureNewcastle City Council V Tony DurcanMiddlesbrough Bourough Council V Ann BesfordNorth Tyneside Council V Steve BishopTyne and Wear Museums Service V Ian Watson DirectorBowes Museum V Adrian Jenkins DirectorEnglish Heritage V Carol Pyrah, Regional DirectorDurham County Council V Steven HillierNorthumberland County Council V Wendy Scott Arts and Design Development ManagerNorthumberland County Council V Sam Taylor Culture Development ManagerNorthumberland National Parks Authority V Andrew Miller Head of Department: Partnerships and ConservationNational Trust V Janet Bibby Regional DirectorMIMA Middlesbrough V Kate Brindley DirectorBaltic Gallery for Contemporary Art V Geoffrey Worsdale DirectorBede's World V Mike Benson DirectorCultural Spring V Rebecca Ball DirectorSE Northumberland Creative People and Places V Rachel Adam DirectorSE Northumberland Creative People and Places V Kevin Wallace Creative Producer

13.3. Email/Letter to Universities, Colleges and other potential stakeholders

I am writing to you to let you know of a wonderful opportunity provided to Fertile Ground Dance Company and Dance training programmes in the North by Arts Council England.

Arts Council England have recently announced a grant to Fertile Ground to conduct a feasibility study into the concept of establishing a graduate dance company from October 2014. We are being assisted by Arts Consultants Brian Debnam and Associates in conducting our planning and feasibility exercise over the next three months.

Fertile Ground’s VISION is to nurture, challenge and inspire a new generation of dance artists to develop and present inspirational and accessible dance opportunities for the people of the North of England.

We will fulfil our VISION

By creating a company of graduate dancers providing their first work opportunities.

By creating workshops, performances and other dance opportunities to inspire audiences and participants, in particular the young.

By building a resilient and sustainable company structure with stakeholder and partner participation to support the vision.

By building mutually beneficial partnerships with Universities, Colleges, Academies and Schools; and other organisations in the Arts, Heritage, Museum, Health, Business, Commercial and Community sectors for the delivery of dance programmes including performances, participatory workshops and events.

Over the next six weeks Brian Debnam and I are seeking opportunities to meet with those with responsibility for academic leadership, management, teaching, research, marketing and graduate career development associated with Dance and Performing Arts Programmes in Colleges and Universities in the North East.

We would welcome the opportunity of talking with you or your delegate in more detail about our plans and seek your support and guidance at this important stage of developing this initiative.

69

14. Biographies

14.1. Dora Frankel – Artistic Director

Dora has worked in dance and theatre as performer, teacher, choreographer, choreologist (dance notator), movement director and project manager since graduating from Rambert School of Ballet. She created her first professional choreography Images for Two whilst in Ballet Rambert and went on to be the first fulltime choreologist for ABT (American Ballet Theatre). She holds an MA Choreography from Middlesex University.

Career credits include Rambert Dance Company, American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Swedish Ballet, Malmo Ballet, Osterbotten’s Regional Theatre, Finland and Angereds Gymnasium, Gothenburg where she designed and led the dance department for almost ten years. Her first company was Dance Out! formed in South East London for Greenwich Festival.

Dora Frankel Dance based at Dance City, Newcastle was formed in 2004. For the company she has created a large number of works including Tyne and Motion Trilogy, Tales and Postcard (from another country), Bitter, Sweet and Dark and The Unfolding Sky: Turner in the North, which formed part of Festival of the North East 2013.

Fertile Ground was formed in August 2013 and aims to nurture, challenge and inspire the new generation of dance artists and audiences by developing and presenting accessible and exceptional dance opportunities.

14.2. Tim Rubidge – external evaluator

Tim Rubidge has explored, devised and performed new dance work in a wide range of settings and situations since his initial training in Switzerland with Sigurd Leeder. He has presented solo and small ensemble work nationally and internationally – most of the UK and western Europe, USA, South Africa and Singapore – over a long and adventurous working life. In tandem he has developed a large number of innovative and ground-breaking participatory and community-based projects where choreographic development has drawn on an imaginative physical and sensory experience of exploring site-specific ideas around identity – ourselves, our relationships with others, and with our physical and social surroundings. He has extensive experience of working with film, visual arts and poetry, sound and music composition.

As a guest artist at Dartington College he met and worked with Nancy Topf and Steve Paxton from New York, developing that relationship and with the Trisha Brown Company when living for a while in New York the following year. More recently he has been a Visiting Artist at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, while also recently concluding three years as Visiting Fellow in Performing Arts at Northumbria University.

70

Tim has travelled a number of times to South Africa developing both dialogues and new dance work in townships in the Eastern Cape, where he also made a film of site-specific responses with students at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. With Dr. Sarah Atkinson of Durham University he has co-authored a paper on children, arts practice and the creative use of space. He has also authored pieces for Animated, the quarterly publication of the Foundation for Community Dance; and co-authored “When I open my eyes” with dancer and writer Miranda Tufnell. Tim is a trustee board member of Dance City, Intercultural Arts and the Burnlaw Centre, and frequently contributes to cultural think-tanks, seminars and the development of multi-discipline practice.

14.3. Brian Debnam – Director Brian Debnam and Associates Ltd

Brian Debnam has over 40 years’ experience as an arts manager, producer, director and education and training leader in the UK, Australia and South Africa. He is a graduate of Durham University (Geography), The Polytechnic of Central London (Arts Administration), National Institute of Dramatic Art, Sydney Australia (Theatre Direction) and the University of South Australia (Financial Management). In the 1970s he worked for the Australia Council, Arts Council of South Australia and the South Australian State Theatre Company and was Artistic Director of new writing and regional touring theatre companies into the 1980s.

In the mid-1980s he was appointed Director of the Centre for the Performing Arts, Adelaide’s performing arts training academy, later inheriting the leadership of Music and Visual Arts training schools in an amalgamation of resources by the State Government. In 1992 he returned to the UK to be Director of Performing Arts for Northern Arts and played a major role in delivering major Lottery funded capital projects across the North of England including the £70 million music centre, The Sage Gateshead, for which he became Director of Resources responsible for business planning and organisational development in 2000.

From 2004 he has practiced as an independent arts and cultural consultant in South Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the UK. In South Africa his clients have included the South African State Theatre, the Market Theatre of Johannesburg, the Johannesburg Development Agency, the Johannesburg Property Company and the Eastern Cape Government. Since 2004 he has been engaged in a wide range of heritage, arts and cultural projects in the UK with over 50 different clients. His clients have included Arts Council England, Northern Film and Media, Newbiggin Heritage Trust, Ballet Lorent, Live Theatre, Northumberland Strategic Partnership, New Brewery Arts Cirencester, The Tyne Theatre and Opera House Preservation Trust, Northumbria and Huddersfield Universities, Newcastle and Sunderland City Councils, North East Circus Development Trust.

He has also lectured regularly in Masters’ programmes in Arts Management at Northumbria University and the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Hexham based ACE NPO touring company, Theatres San Frontieres.

71

14.4. Choreographer Eleesha Drennan

After a BTEC in performing arts and intensive ballet training, Eleesha trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance graduating with distinctions; she went on to a post graduate diploma from London Contemporary Dance School followed by an apprenticeship with National Dance Company Wales before joining the permanent company of NCD Wales for nine years.

She was awarded 1st prize for performance of 'Whiskers' at the 16th International Solo-Dance-Theatre Festival Stuttgart 2012 resulting in a tour of the solo in Germany, China, Brazil and UK She was nominated and shortlisted for the Linbury Prize 2011 and undertook a choreographic residency with North Netherlands Dance 2012 and House Choreographer of NDC Wales from 2011 to 2013. She is a recipient of The Sky Academy Arts Scholarship 2014.

14.5. Choreographer – Tom Dale

Award winning established choreographer and dancer Tom Dale was educated at Laban Trinity and on graduation rapidly acquired a reputation for beautiful, complex and dynamic works frequently involving new music and digital forms. His performance career included working with Matthew Bourne in the Adventures in Motion Pictures production of “Swan Lake” and in dancer roles with English National Opera and Opera North. His career credits for his company Tom Dale Dance include ROAM, I Infinite and Refugees of the Septic Heart, works that create 'innovative worlds of performance that are woven into the fabric of our times'. His work for youth companies include The Rite of Spring and in 2012 he led a Professional dancers’ Choreographic Residency in Cuba with the support of British Council.

14.6. Guest Teacher - Viv Wood

Born in Newcastle Vivien Wood trained at The Royal Ballet School before embarking on a prestigious career dancing with among others DV8, Michael Clark and Rui Horta. Her teaching credits include Northern School of Contemporary Dance, DV8, Rui Horta and countless others. She works extensively in Poland and in Newcastle both performing and developing extraordinary dance theatre works with carefully selected international artists. Her recent work Exiles was commissioned by Dance City Newcastle as part of Lindisfarne Gospels commemorations and was one of the finalists for The Journal Culture Awards.

72

14.7. Guest Teacher - Anthony lo Giudice

Anthony lo Giudice graduated from Newcastle College (BA Hons dance) and has rapidly emerged as an evocative and sensual choreographer frequently exploring his Italian heritage through contemporary dance language. His works include Move_On_Baroque performed at Resolutions, The Place London 2014, and Distant Light for Sage Gateshead and ROMA, a Dance City Commission. He has been Associate Artist at Dance City and is currently studying towards a Diploma in Creative Ballet Practice in Education at The Royal Ballet.

73

Date post:	31-Jan-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	hoangxuyen
View:	216 times
Download:	0 times

fertileground.org.ukfertileground.org.uk/infomation-packs/...Final.docx · Web viewA Feasibility...

Documents