Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch, in collaboration with Addo, would like to commission a performative work for young audiences to present at Opening Doors Festival 2024 in Aberystwyth.
Be it a promenade performance, an interactive experience, or a multimedia installation, we are eager to receive your proposals. The work could be for indoor or outdoor spaces. We encourage originality and innovative ways of entertaining and connecting with children and young people.
The theme is open, but we are particularly interested in ideas relating to the wool industry. The work could be a brand-new creation, or an adaptation of something that already exists but tailored for the audience in mind and the town of Aberystwyth.
This opportunity is open to individual practitioners, partnerships, studios and companies that are interested in pushing the boundaries of performative practice in the public realm.
The work will have to be available to be part of the Opening Doors Festival programme in Aberystwyth on 12-16 March 2024.
Opening Doors Festival
The Opening Doors Festival, organised by Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch, is Wales’ international theatre festival for young audiences.
The festival aims to give children, young people and families in Wales the chance to see some of the world’s best theatre productions as well as giving international programmers and producers the opportunity to experience the richness of Wales’ performing arts scene. The festival is a shop window for Welsh work with many productions invited to tour internationally in its wake.
Performances, workshops and talks take place in the town of Aberystwyth, the home of the festival, and in theatres across the country.
Established in 1996, the festival will be held for the 10th time on 12-16 March 2024.Further information can be found at www.openingdoors.wales
Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch
Based in Aberystwyth, the company was established in 1989 by the merger of two of Wales’ oldest theatre companies at the time, Theatr Crwban and Cwmni Cyfri Tri. Its main aim since its inception has been to provide the highest quality theatre, mainly for children and young people. The company performs in Welsh, English and other languages.
Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch creates up to five productions a year – some for schools in Wales, others public work touring nationally and internationally to theatres. Over the years the company has performed in France, Spain, Poland, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Tunisia, Canada, USA and other countries. The company also produces large-scale events and projects such as Far Old Line Festival, held in Aberystwyth in 2017, the musical Cysgu’n Brysur, and the pop-up promenade production, Clera.
The company runs drama clubs for children and young people, and creative activities of all kinds throughout the year. Canolfan Arad Goch in Aberystwyth town centre is a vibrant community hub with an art gallery, theatre, and rehearsal and meeting spaces.
Addo
Addo is a not-for-profit arts organisation that specialises in curating contemporary art in the public realm. Working with and on behalf of artists, community groups, voluntary organisations, and private and public sectors partners it has curated, managed and produced: permanent and temporary public artworks and programmes; artist residencies; funding, research and evaluation strategies and studies; and a variety of exhibitions and events in art and non-art spaces.
Fee
Up to £4,500 is available for the commission. This is to cover artists’ fees, materials and the cost of creating the work, and the performance fee.
What we can offer
We can offer you a free rehearsal space in Aberystwyth, if needed.
We will pay travel and accommodation costs for the artist(s) and other creatives involved to present the work at the festival. These costs will be in addition to the commission fee noted above, but you should set out these requirements in your application.
The technical and producing team at Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch will be on hand to provide support and advice. If you need further expertise or specialist equipment to create and present the work, please state this in your application and as part of your budget.
There is an opportunity for the successful artist(s) to receive mentoring on creating performative work for young audiences from Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch. In addition, the successful artist(s) have the opportunity to receive mentoring on the creation of site-specific work from Addo. If this is of interest, please note it as part of your application.
Location / venue for the work
Locations and venues in Aberystwyth will be available to present the work and we will work with you to ensure access and permission. Some potential venues are the prom, the beach, and empty shops. Canolfan Arad Goch is also an option; details of the spaces available can be found here: https://aradgoch.cymru/canolfan-arad-goch/llogi-ystafelloedd/
You are asked to consider the accessibility of your work for an audience.
Whatever your vision, even if you don’t have a definite location or venue in mind yet, or you’re not familiar with Aberystwyth, we can work with you to find a suitable space.
Rights and Acknowledgements
The artist(s) will own the right for the work created.
The artist(s), Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch and Addo will be credited on any public domain and marketing material produced for the festival. In addition, the funders of the companies will have to be recognised in the usual ways on any public and marketing material produced by the artist(s).
Applying
Applications should include:
• a description of the idea;
• the target age;
• additional requirements e.g. technical, rehearsal space;
• details on the accessibility of the work;
• timetable;
• budget;
• information on previous work and experience of the artist(s);
• links to examples of your work, if possible, e.g. videos and images.
