Re-introducing Stagey

The Stagey Elves recently undertook a review of how Stagey can more effectively serve artists. As a result of this review, we decided to expand the ways in which we support those who apply to the Stagey Fund.

Stagey is now an incredible opportunity for artists to receive support in the process of producing their work. We're looking for groundbreaking new work that audiences should be able to experience and engage with.

We've now updated the website, and re-opened applications, so here's your chance to see your idea come to life.

Here are our vision, mission and values, taken from the review:

Vision

To many people, funding means 'money', and nothing else. Today, the amount of money to be allocated to public services is being squeezed. Considered to be a 'luxury', the arts are no longer financially funded in the way that they used to be. The purpose of Stagey is to give creative people the opportunity to realise their ideas - to develop them, and produce them; working with artists and practitioners, piecing together the resources, and allowing audiences to witness, experience and engage with groundbreaking new work that otherwise wouldn't exist.

Mission

Stagey invite artists to share their ideas with us by filling out and submitting an application form through our website. The Stagey Board read through all of the applications and shortlist a select few that they wish to learn more about; when the necessary resources become available to best help these ideas move forward, the Board meet with the team or individual to discuss their idea - its merits, and flaws. The Board then discuss the shortlisted selection and selects one or more ideas to take forward - to work with the artists in developing and producing their submitted work.

Every idea requires financial capital, and so Stagey works with the artist to secure funding for the work. Stagey finds people with the relevant skills to assist in the production of the work, and asserts itself with the understanding that the work created will provide a reputation for those who work on it.

Values

The artist must always remain central to the producing process. Stagey work with the artist to develop and produce their idea; the idea remains their own, and it is that idea that is produced. The Stagey team will contribute to the intellectual development of the original idea submitted using their experience, but they are primarily there to assist and encourage the artist, and not to impose on or pressure them.

Stagey have a particular interest in supporting students and recent graduates, and hope to encourage applications from both of these. This does not mean that such are given an unfair advantage during the selection process, as the ideas that are taken forward are selected for their own merits.

We each have a skill, most of us have many skills. Stagey relies on the skills of practitioners working within the industry to contribute to the development and realisation of groundbreaking, original work. Through an extensive range of contacts and experience, Stagey makes use of the resource of human knowledge and expertise, bringing collaborators together to create work that challenges its audience, and the arts world.

In every review of applications, previous applications that fell short of a shortlist, or were shortlisted, are also reconsidered for production. It may be that at the time the application was made, there was not yet deemed to be an audience for the work, or that Stagey did not have the required resources available in order to fulfil the potential of the idea.