We're proud to team up with leading theatre and arts company Fio - led by our Creative Associate, Sita Thomas - to launch ARISE - WALES CREATIVES; a year-long, paid artist development programme.
ARISE will focus on supporting the next generation of early-career creatives of all ages from or based across Wales.
The programme will support 10 directors and 10 producers to take the next steps in their careers. The selected artists will work together on projects across the year including a festival takeover at our Weston Studio, and with performance designers from Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
"We're delighted to be working with Sita, who has designed a programme that will support artists to find their voices and make space for them to explore their practice. We’re creating a cohort of individuals who, through learning and growing together, will be empowered to forge new and exciting futures."
Emma Evans, Head of Productions
ARISE - WALES CREATIVES has been created for early-career creatives over the age of 18 who currently feel underrepresented in theatre and the arts in Wales.
The programme is especially for those who identify with any groups with protected characteristics including ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality and disability.
"In London, I benefited from programmes like the Young Vic Directors Programme and Artistic Directors of the Future’s Up Next. Without these initiatives I wouldn’t be an artistic director today. In Wales, I feel that there have not been enough sustained opportunities on this scale in terms of development programmes for directors and producers. The fact that we are paying participants differentiates us from many other initiatives."
Sita Thomas, Artistic Director of Fio
Apply today
The programme will run from May 2022 until May 2023 and applications are open until Monday 4 April at 10am.
Full details about the programme including how to apply can be found here: www.wearefio.org.uk/arise-wales-creatives.
ARISE - WALES CREATIVES is a partnership between Fio and Wales Millennium Centre, with support from Stage Directors UK, Stage One, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, and Buzz Culture.