Bradford Culture Company
Make It Work
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Theatre Development Programme
Bradford Culture Company is looking for 8 West Yorkshire creatives who identify as a person from the Global Majority, with a practice in live performance and/or theatre making, to take part in a new theatre development programme from October 2026 to March 2027.
Make It Work
Make It Work is specifically designed as a pilot programme to support global majority creatives to develop their knowledge, skills and artistic practice in order to build theatre making capacity in the region.
Deadline to Apply
11.59pm on Sunday 26 July.
The Programme
Make It Work aims to support the growth and diversity of work being made in West Yorkshire by providing training and mentoring for Global Majority artists to develop their skills, networks and practice in live theatre making.
The programme is led by theatre maker Kully Thiarai (LEEDS 2023, National Theatre Wales, CAST), supported with leading performance makers, producers and programmers including award-winning artist and filmmaker Topher Campbell, Artistic Director and cultural leader Madani Younis (The Shed New York, Bush Theatre, Freedom Studios), Artistic Director of Factory International John McGrath, and Artist and Creative Director of Bradford Culture Company Shanaz Gulzar.
We’re looking for artists wanting to develop their creative practice and explore a creative idea in the world of theatre. You may be an existing theatre maker who wants to develop their practice, networks and performance skills, or a creative working in another field such as spoken word aiming to extend your practice in the world of theatre making.
The programme is designed to respond to the cohort selected and will start and end with week-long residencies in October 2026 and March 2027 taking place in Bradford.
The First Residency
Will encourage and enable you to share and explore a particular theatre idea in a safe environment and offer a series of focused workshops on:
- Building your creative team.
- Identifying your audience.
- Creating a collaborative culture in the rehearsal room.
- Identifying producing and production needs.
- Budgets and project planning.
- Managing risk and relationships.
Between October and March, each individual will have the opportunity to work with Kully Thiarai as well as a specific mentor to support their creative process and develop their idea further. The group will also be encouraged to support each other through informal peer-to-peer learning across the 6-months, outside of the residencies.
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The Second Residency
Will focus on:
- Developing the pitch for your creative project.
- Workshopping ideas.
- Presenting your idea to an invited audience of producers/promotors.
- Creating a project plan with next steps.
What You’ll Receive
- A £2,500 fee (£250 per day) plus travel expenses to support participation at both residencies in Bradford.
- Bespoke mentoring, training and support.
- Food and drink during the residencies – please note accommodation costs will not be covered.
Commitment
- 12-16 October 2026: Residency week, Bradford.
- 1-5 March 2027: Residency week, Bradford.
- Three bespoke mentoring sessions across six months.
Who Can Apply?
- Aged 21+.
- Creatives who have experience in creating work for a live audience.
- Creatives with an interest or practice in live performance and/or theatre making.
- Creatives who have an idea they would like to develop.
- You must be available until 6.30pm for all dates on both residency weeks (12 – 16 October 2026 & 1-5 March 2027).
- You must be based in West Yorkshire and have a track record of delivering work in the region.
- You will have a creative idea that you are passionate about and that has the potential to be shared live with an audience in Yorkshire.
- Your idea will have a performing arts focus but can be multi-disciplinary in its approach and delivery.
- Examples of the types of artists are included above. If you are not sure if you are eligible, please email programme@bradfordculture.co.uk to check with us before you make an application.
- If you are attached to an organisation, you are welcome to apply. Please note, however, that we are unlikely to offer the opportunity to multiple people from the same organisation.
By a person from the Global Majority we mean people who are Black, African, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and/or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’. Globally these groups currently represent approximately eighty per cent (80%) of the world’s population, making them the global majority.
Key Dates
- Monday 13 July at 4pm: Online Q&A – sign up here.
- Sunday 26 July: Application deadline.
- Tuesday 28 July: Applicants informed of outcome. Shortlisted applicants invited to interview.
- w/c 3 August: Shortlist interviews.
- w/c 17 August: Shortlisted applicants informed of outcome and provided feedback.
- 30 September, 3-5pm: Online meeting ahead of October residency.
- 12-16 October 2026: Residency week, Bradford city centre.
- October 2026 – March 2027: Three mentoring sessions.
- 1-5 March 2027: Residency week, Bradford city centre.
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How to Apply
Please fill in the application form or provide a video or audio file answering the questions asked.
Please also attach a CV or portfolio outlining creative projects that you have led and/or where you have been a significant part of the creative team.
If you need this information in another format or if you have access requirements related to making an application, please get in touch with us straight away to discuss how we can support you. Please email programme@bradfordculture.co.uk
Application Questions
- Tell us about your creative practice, your approach to making new work and any relevant experience you have. (This can be written, audio or video – 400 words max or 2 minutes.)
- What is the creative idea that you’d like to develop during this period? Who is it for? Why is it important to you? Why is this residency programme the right thing for you at this time? (Written, audio or video – 600 words max or 3 minutes.)
- Whose work in the performing arts do you most admire and why? (Written, audio or video – 300 words max or 2 minutes.)
- Anything else you would like to tell us in support of your application? (Written, audio or video – 300 words max or 2 minutes.)
We expect a high number of applications and will not be able to feedback to everyone that applies.
There will be a shortlisting stage and shortlisted applicants will be invited to chat through their application and idea.
All shortlisted artists will receive feedback.
Additional Information
There is an Access Budget to support personal access requirements during the programme. Access can include (but is not limited to) sign language interpretation, support workers, childcare and support with digital access that ensures you can participate in the programme.
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