First Bite 2015 application pack
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The First Bite Festival
Produced by
China Plate
Commissioned by
mac birmingham and Warwick Arts Centre
Supported by
greenhouse
and In Good Company/Derby Theatre
The First Bite Festival is a day of eclectic extracts and ideas from some of the region’s
most exciting theatre makers.
We are looking for submissions from collaborative theatre makers from across the Midlands to take part in
a festival of scratch performance on the 2
nd May 2015 at mac birmingham (www.macbirmingham.co.uk)
First Bite provides a unique opportunity for artists and companies to develop and perform new ideas in a
supportive and nurturing environment, to an engaged audience of theatregoers and regional industry
professionals. The festival operates an open-access application process and for the first time is seeking
applications from theatre makers based in the West AND East Midlands. All artists presenting work will be
paid a fee and two of the programmed companies will go on to receive a commission of £3,000 to
develop the work and to present it at its next stage, alongside a showcase of new performance work,
during Bite Size at
Warwick Arts Centre (http://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk) in November 2015.
Following Bite Size, the commissioned projects will be showcased in the South East region in partnership
with
greenhouse (www.housetheatre.org.uk)
First Bite and Bite Size Festivals
The First Bite and Bite Size programmes are designed to support theatre companies from the Midlands
making work through a collaborative process.
First Bite 2015
is a daylong festival providing a platform for new work in progress from theatre makers
based in the Midlands. Ten participating companies will present a performed pitch on 2 May 2015 to an
audience including the Bite Size partners:
China Plate, Warwick Arts Centre, mac birmingham and
greenhouse
.
From these extracts of work in development, two companies will be commissioned to take their piece to
the next stage for Bite Size in November 2015. The two selected companies will each receive a £3,000
commission plus two supported development weeks (one at
mac birmingham and one at Warwick Arts
Centre)
and producing support from China Plate.
Previous Bite Size commissions include:
Caroline Horton –
You’re Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy
Touring since 2010 and seen by over 10,000 people. Winner of The Stage Best Solo Performer Award and
nominated for an OFFIE and Olivier Award.
Untied Artists –
For Their Own Good and Al Bowlly’s Croon Manifesto
Two UK tours and a run in Edinburgh as part of The British Council Showcase. Winner of a 2013 Fringe First
Award.
Babakas –
Our Fathers
A run at Summerhall during Edinburgh 2013 and touring nationally and internationally since 2012 inc.
Beirut and Athens.
2
Bite Size 2015
is a daylong showcase for theatre makers from across the Midlands. The festival takes place
on 7th November 2015 at
Warwick Arts Centre and will platform the two commissioned companies’ work
alongside the pick of work available in the region.
Slots in the Bite Size programme will be reserved for a selected number of regional companies to perform
excerpts of work currently in development and a slot for up to two pieces from our partner
greenhouse.
Your First Bite Performance Pitch
Companies are invited to submit proposals for a
10-20 minute performance that pitches their show to the
panel and audience. This performance can take any format and can be for a brand new piece of work
or for a piece of work currently in development. Participating companies will be selected on the strength
of their pitch as an experience for the audience at the event as well as on the strength of the
application.
The nature of the opportunity is to raise your company’s profile and to increase touring opportunities
outside of the region, with this in mind work should be suitable for national touring.
The Venue
First Bite will take place at
mac birmingham and work will be programmed in the Theatre and the Foyle
Studio throughout the day. Tech specs for each space can be found here:
http://macbirmingham.co.uk/hire/type/performances-theatre-hire/
Once the full programme is finalised
China Plate will allocate a space to each selected company,
however, if you have a strong preference for either The Theatre or The Foyle Studio please state this in
your application – although we cannot guarantee that everyone will get their first choice. Please also let
us know if you propose to use one of the public spaces at
mac birmingham for your performance – for
example siting your work in a foyer space or bar.
Lighting, sound and projection resources will be strictly limited in both spaces (with short get-in times) and
applicants should not rely upon complex technical support. There will be a limited amount of rehearsal
time available at
mac birmingham in the week preceding the festival (subject to availability).
Financial Support
All companies invited to perform a pitch at First Bite will receive a fee of £200 to cover their expenses.
The two selected companies will each receive a commission of £3,000 to include two fully supported
development weeks at
mac birmingham and Warwick Arts Centre. China Plate will act as producing,
development and creative mentors for the commissioned companies during this period.
For more information please visit
www.chinaplatetheatre.com
How to Apply
Before applying please read the above project information carefully.
Companies applying to present work must be available to develop the piece in time for Bite Size in
November 2015, including two development weeks at
mac birmingham and Warwick Arts Centre, and
be interested in working in a creative partnership with
China Plate should they be commissioned.
They must also be available for technical rehearsals at
mac birmingham on 1 May 2015 (TBC).
3
All partners share a commitment to inclusive practice, and particularly welcome applications from Deaf
and disabled producers/makers, and where possible, will assist in meeting additional access/support
costs.
AT THIS STAGE WE ARE INVITING COMPANIES TO APPLY TO THE FIRST BITE PART OF THE PROJECT ONLY.
Companies that take part in First Bite, but are not selected for commission, may still submit work for
consideration for Bite Size in November 2015.
If you are excited by the prospect of pitching a performance at First Bite and wish to apply, please send
the following information to
info@chinaplatetheatre.com by 13 March 2015.
1) Company details (inc: company name, contact name, postal address, website, email and
phone)
2) The title of your piece and the number of artists involved
3) A brief company history - inc any images or footage you may have of previous productions (max
200 words)
4) A description of what you would like to show at First Bite (max 250 words)
5) The work’s current stage of development (max 200 words)
[Including any plans or capacity for future touring of the final piece]
6) Concise technical requirements
7) Marketing copy (max 100 words)
8) Any press quotes (max 100 words)
DEADLINE IS FRIDAY 13
th March 2015 @ 6pm
Successful companies will be notified by 27
th March 2015
NO LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED
For more information email iain@chinaplatetheatre.com
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