DANCE BUILDING BLOCKS: Call out for a Dance Artist and Dance Producer to join a new mentorship scheme February – July 2022
This is a unique opportunity for a Dance Artist and a Dance Producer to each further their career with the guidance and support of experienced professionals complemented by a programme of workshops and training.
DANCE BUILDING BLOCKS welcomes all people to apply, particularly artists/producers with disabilities and those from ethnically diverse communities, including—but not limited to—Black, Eastern European, Roma, Mincéir/Traveller, Asian, Latinx, or of a migrant background.
Gwen Van Spÿk (producer with Junk Ensemble, Luke Murphy/ Attic Projects, Croí Glan Integrated Dance Company) and Pádraig Heneghan (producer with United Fall and Jean Butler), funded by an Arts Council Capacity Building Scheme, have come together to create a six-month paid Mentorship Programme for a Dance Artist and Dance Producer called Dance Building Blocks.
The scheme will run from February – July 2022 and is focused on increasing the practical knowledge, skills and experience of realising dance projects from a producing perspective. The mentees will work with both producers on their existing clients’ projects in terms of planning and delivering productions. In addition, they will be able to attend rehearsals and technical periods of the above companies’ work as well as shadowing any productions of Ballet Ireland and Catherine Young during the period. They will also take part in workshops that experts will give to the above independent companies in the following areas:
– Financial/ Company Secretarial
– HR issues
– Digital development
– Contracts and Rights
– Public engagement and audience development
– Diversity and inclusion
Finally, they will take an active part in the evaluation of the programme. The Mentors will meet with the Mentees at the outset to plan their individual programme of work, taking into consideration the Mentees own aims and where they are based so that activity reflects what they will most benefit from at this point in their career.
It is expected that the programme will take, on average, a day a week over the six months and each of the participants will be paid an overall fee of €4,500 for their time. There is a budget to support travel expenses that may be incurred by the agreed programme of activity.
Who are DANCE BUILDING BLOCKS looking for?
– A Producer and an Artist who are each 2 or 3 years into their career and who have been responsible for delivering at least one professional project in that time.
– Have access to your own laptop, phone and a space to work from.
– Be conversant with core applications and software e.g. Microsoft word and Excel.
What do I need to do to apply?
Please respond in whichever format you feel is most appropriate to your practice. If responding in writing please do so in 500 words or less and if audio recorded or filmed (may include images), please keep to 3 minutes. Responses should share with us why you want to be part of this programme; this may include consideration of the following:
– Why should you be chosen?
– What would be the expected impact on your career of the programme?
– What would be the benefit on your practice?
– What have you done to date?
– What are your own strengths and weaknesses?
– What can you offer if chosen to be on the programme?
Timeline
– Please email your response to dancebuildingblocks@gmail.com by 10am on Monday, 10 January 2022.
– Shortlisting: week of 10 January 2022.
– Meetings (virtual and/or in-person): week of 17 January 2022.
– Announcement of the successful candidates: week of 24 January 2022.
– Programme starts 1 February 2022.
– Both producers along with two advisors (a producer and dance artist) will make the final
decision.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact Gwen and Pádraig on:
dancebuildingblocks@gmail.com.
