The Sunderland MAC (Music, Arts and Culture) Trust and The Cultural Spring wish to commission a participatory programme that culminates in an exciting, large-scale, public event to celebrate the opening of Sunderland’s new participatory arts space, The Fire Station, in November 2017.
The participation programme will comprise three separate strands delivered by Live Theatre and Dance City (which are taking up satellite tenancies in The Fire Station) and Sunderland Music Education Hub (SMEH).
The participation programme will be delivered in The Cultural Spring wards of Hendon, Millfield, Pallion, St Anne’s and Sandhill but will be open to participants from elsewhere in Sunderland and could include previous wards, Castletown, Red House, Fulwell, Southwick and St Peter’s. It should engage new participants as well as existing groups within these areas.
The participatory programme activities will be primarily focused on music, dance and drama, whilst being open to other art forms and they will culminate in a performance or performances as part of the large-scale public event or events which will mark the opening of The Fire Station.
The event should be innovative and ambitious in scope and of the highest artistic quality. Obviously it will include the participatory element and should utilise as much of the building as is feasible—both internal and/or external. It should align with at least one of the three City of Culture themes—Light, Invention, Friendship—and be relevant, diverse and inclusive for the Sunderland community. It should attract a minimum of 2,000 spectators.
The amount of the commission will be £55,000, but this is dependent on support from Arts Council so applicants should include a “Plan B”, a modified version of the ideal plan which could be delivered within a budget of £25,000. Some costs—participation programme costs, marketing, the documentation of the project and its evaluation—will be met by The Cultural Spring.
Proposals are invited from individuals, organisations or partnerships and the deadline for submission is 22 May 2017. Full details as well as instructions on how to apply will be found on the MAC Trust web site.