Applications are now open for Midlands artists to take part in First Bite, a festival of new work programmed by independent theatre studio China Plate.
Ten artists or companies based in the Midlands will be selected to develop new work for touring;
• Selected artists/companies will share the work with audiences and industry professionals at China Plate’s First Bite Online Micro-Festival in September
• Successful applicants will receive £700 towards the development of their shows
• A further £3000 will be awarded to two of the artists to further develop their work for Bite Size 2022
First Bite has been showcasing and promoting the best of Midlands theatre talent since 2009, and this year will take place online in September. Ten Midlands artists will be selected to receive a fee of £700 towards the development of a new piece of work, and will share a ‘digital pitch’ of that work to audiences and industry professionals at the First Bite online micro festival.
Following the festival, two of the artists or companies will be selected for commission by the First Bite panel to take their work to the next stage of development. The commission includes a further £3000, two fully supported development weeks, and a place at Bite Size Festival at Warwick Arts Centre in 2022. The commissioned companies will also have an opportunity to show their work in London in partnership with Camden People’s Theatre.
The programmed works can take any format: theatre, dance, spoken word and beyond. It must be suitable for national touring.
For the two commissioned artists / companies, China Plate will act as producing, development and creative mentors. The development weeks will take place across the First Bite partner venues/organisations: Attenborough Arts Centre, In Good Company, Warwick Arts Centre and/or Midlands Arts Centre. Previous artists who have taken part in Bite Size include Caroline Horton, Rachael Mainwaring, and Paul O’Donnell.
Running alongside First Bite is China Plate’s Take a Bite programme, which champions the work of young creatives based in the Midlands. Artists aged 18-23 years are invited to submit existing pieces of digital work that they have created, and x3 pieces will be selected to be included in the First Bite festival.
Rosie Kelly, Senior Producer, said;
“During this particularly challenging period of time for the arts sector, we are really excited to relaunch our flagship festival First Bite in order to support artists across the Midlands to develop new work.”
Established in 2006, China Plate is one of the UK’s most prolific independent producers of contemporary theatre, producing work that engages 35,000 audience members annually.
The company’s central mission is to ‘challenge the way performance is made, who it’s made by and who gets to experience it.’ China Plate has worked with some of the UK’s most talented artists, including Caroline Horton, Inspector Sands, David Edgar, Chris Thorpe, Rachel Chavkin, Rachel Bagshaw, Urielle Klein-Mekongo and Contender Charlie.
They are Resident Producers at Warwick Arts Centre, partners in the Rural Touring Dance Initiative (RTDI) founded to bring contemporary dance to rural venues around the UK, partners in the ACE Ambition for Excellence funded Musical Theatre Development Consortium led by Royal and Derngate Theatres, Northampton and Derby Theatre’s Performing Arts Producing Hub.
The deadline to apply for First Bite is 10am, Monday 7th June. The deadline to apply for Take a Bite is 10am, Monday 28 th June.
@youroldchina | www.chinaplatetheatre.com
For more information and to apply, visit the China Plate website First Bite and Take a Bite is presented by China Plate and Warwick Arts Centre. Commissioned by Attenborough Arts Centre, In Good Company and Midlands Arts Centre. Supported by Camden People’s Theatre.
