Celebrating the impact of Space To Call Home
We are thrilled to share the successful completion of A Space to Call Home, our artist development scheme funded by Arts Council England, delivered by Marina Studios Foundation in partnership with DanceHub. In an earlier blog, we outlined the objectives and aims of this project, which sought to provide a nurturing environment for emerging artists to develop their skills and create powerful dance works with social impact. Now, as the project concludes, we’re excited to share the outcomes and impact it has had on our participants, partners, and wider community.
The project has been an immensely rewarding journey, not just for the artists involved but for the entire community. The project served as a crucial incubator and creative hub, empowering artists to create meaningful dance works that resonate with their personal experiences and connect deeply with audiences. They shared their work live at South East Dance to an audience of over 100 people.
At the start of the project, the artists’ confidence in creating dance works was at 71%. Through mentorship, collaboration, and hands-on experiences, this confidence has soared to an impressive 95% by the project’s conclusion.
Participants described the project with words such as “rewarding,” “inclusive,” “supported,” “educational,” and “inspiring”.
Artist Voices: Highlights and Reflections
Here’s what some of our artists had to say about their experience:
“Learning about producing and marketing my own work and taking the finished product to a venue for it to be performed was a highlight. I really wanted to explore topics that are personal to myself and what I’m going through at this stage in my life, which I have managed to do.”
“Seeing the project develop from the initial idea to the final product was my biggest highlight. Filming day was particularly exciting because I got to work with a professional videographer and learned so much! I feel very supported by my mentors and the DanceHub & Marina team. I really enjoy collaborating with dancers and appreciate having other artists on the project so we can communicate and get advice from each other!”
“I have become part of the local dance community and was able to capture and represent the stories of my life through my piece. I created a piece of work that I am really proud of. This programme is so supportive that it has given me the confidence to create my first ‘full-length’ work. As someone with a complex disability, I often face multiple barriers within the opportunities I am welcomed into; however, Marina Studios has made me feel valued and respected from the very beginning, and any access needs have always been managed sensitively.”
Key Project Outcomes
- Engaged since recruitment: 11 artists
- Age range: 18–64 years
- Gender: 6 Female, 2 Male, 1 Non-Binary
- Ethnicity: 6 White British, 2 White/Other, 1 from another racial background
- Neurodivergent artists: 3
- Disabled artists: 2
- LGBTQ+ artists: 2
- Digital audience: 5,000+
- Live audience: 120
- Delivery Collaboration with 3 partners
- Collaborations with 20 freelance artists
These statistics reflect the diverse and inclusive nature of the project, which engaged a broad spectrum of artists and audiences while fostering significant partnerships across the industry.
A big thank you to our partners, especially Clearcut and Stopgap Dance Company, and everyone involved whose support made this project possible.
