Manchester-based theatre company Monkeywood is to join Idle Motion, Kill The Beast and Theatre Ad Infinitum as an associate artist at The Lowry in Salford.
The scheme, supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation, and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, appoints just one new company a year and provides it with a package of financial support, rehearsal space, technical and marketing support, professional development and mentoring.
Monkeywood, formed in 2003 by Martin Gibbons, Sarah McDonald Hughes and Francesca Waite, received support from The Lowry's "Developed With" scheme in 2010, from which it developed its acclaimed show Once in a House on Fire.
Sarah McDonald Hughes, co-artistic director of Monkeywood, said: “We're thrilled to have been invited to become an Associate Artist of The Lowry. This support will allow us to carry out vital organisational development as well as to develop new work.
"We’re looking forward to working closely with The Lowry to develop our company structure and skills, and feel incredibly lucky to have this time and space to create and test a brilliant new production for 2015. We hope this will be our biggest and most ambitious yet.”
Matt Eames, associate studio producer at The Lowry, said: “Monkeywood has been on our radar for quite some time. Their production of A Song for the Lovers formed part of our first ever Studio season back in 2008 and, since then, we’re proud of the part we have played in bringing their work to audiences’ attention.
"They have a great reputation for producing new and exciting work and we look forward to seeing what they bring to our programme in 2015.”