UPLIFT your dance career!
13 May 2025Calling all Dance Makers…
If you’ve got burning idea you want to explore or you’ve started work on a show that needs more development, then our UPLIFT artist-in-residence programme is for you!
We’re looking to commission two Dance Artists to join Company Chameleon at our studio for a four-week residency in Autumn 2025.
WHAT’S INVOLVED?
The residency is an opportunity to develop new or unfinished work, with the support of:
💫 £2000 towards project costs.
💫 Four-week residency of free studio space.
💫 Mentoring and support from Company Chameleon’s creative team.
💫 Opportunity to perform at our November platform – a chance to share up to 20 minutes of your work and receive feedback in a supportive environment.
💫 Promotion of your work on Chameleon’s communication channels and professional photography for use in your future marketing.
WHO CAN APPLY?
At Chameleon, we’re committed to raising the bar and helping dance to flourish in the region where we live, the North West of England. For us, this means supporting dance artists with different voices, histories and stories. UPLIFT demonstrates this commitment.
UPLIFT welcomes Dance Artists or companies working across all dance and movement styles and at any stage of their career. We’re particularly interested in applications from people from marginalised communities.
Before applying, we ask you to check that you meet the following two essential criteria.
1) You’re based in the North West of England.
The North West of England includes Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside & Greater Manchester: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan.
2) You’re available this Autumn to take part in the residency.
Residency weeks run in September, October and November 2025. It’s important to indicate which residency weeks are the most suitable for you in your application. Residency date options are listed in the How to Apply section.
If you have any questions, get in touch at info@companychameleon.com.
HOW TO APPLY
You can apply in written or video format.
-Video submissions should be no longer than five mins.
-Written submissions should be no more than two sides of A4.
If you apply with a video, please send a link and any relevant passwords in your email.
All applications should answer the following eight questions:
Q1) What is your/company name?
Q2) What are your preferred pronouns?
Q3) What are your preferred residency dates out of the options below?
Option A = 22 September – 17 October 2025
Option B = 20 October – 14 November 2025
Q4) Where are you based?
Q5) Tell us about your creative practice and who/what inspires you. (Include details of any previous projects & collaborations, previous funding/opportunities received. Inspirations can take any form.)
Q6) Give a us brief outline of your idea, including:
-What you hope your developed work might look and feel like.
-What stage your idea is at (i.e. is your idea at the ideas stage or already in development)
-Previous funding/ opportunities received.
-Who might work with you in the studio.
Q7) How will this opportunity support your/company development?
Q8) Please provide up to three links to images or videos of previous works. This could be social media posts, rehearsal videos, improvisations or short clips from full scale shows.
Deadline for submissions is midnight on Monday 30 June 2025.
Please send all submissions and your contact information to info@companychameleon.com with the subject line (UPLIFT)
All applications will be reviewed by a panel made up of an independent artist, a representative from a partner organisation as well as Company Chameleon’s creative team.
All applicants will hear back by Friday 18 July 2025.
EASY READ GUIDE
Read the Easy Read Guide here – UPLIFT EASY READ GUIDE.
Photography by Joel Chester Fildes
Photo credits:
1, 3 & 6 – UMAMI (Maisha Kungu and Lily Antonia) UPLIFT 2024 artist.
2, 5 & 8 – Max Lee, UPLIFT 2024 artist.
4 – Jordan Sheard, UPLIFT 2023 artist.
7 – SHESOMADANCE (Maea Morgan and Lucy Halfpenny), UPLIFT 2023 artist.