R&D by the Sea is the Marine Theatre’s nurturing programme for new and developing work.
Whether you’re an established or emerging artist, you have an inkling of an idea or a fully formed play, the R&D project is set up to offer you time and space to think.
It’s not often ideas come fully formed. We all need time to delight, surprise, scare and confuse ourselves. To play, to ourselves fertile ground on which to develop, to invest in research and then follow a different path. Happy accidents come through experimentation.
Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, we invite writers, actors, theatre makers and practitioners of all kinds to unfold, unlock and explore a vision, a feeling, a thought. Draw inspiration from this stunning position in Lyme Regis, surrounded by 95 miles of Jurassic coastline with rocks recorded at 185 million years old.
Structure & Fee: They give you use of the theatre for free to develop your work, normally for 5 days from Monday-Friday. They provide you with budget for technical support. You have the opportunity to document your progress on our website via the R&D by the Sea blog. And at the end of your week they host a sharing with an audience. They will arrange and pay for your travel and accommodation in local homestays too.
How to apply: R&D by the Sea 2015/16 is now open for applications which can be found here. They accept applications from any UK based artists. You can be on your own, with a group or in a company. R&D by the Sea is open to everyone with ideas, however big or small.
The application portal will be open from June 1st to September 30th 2015. Places on the programme will be awarded to around 12 artists for slots between September 2015 and August 2016. To be kept in touch with future plans for R&D by the Sea you can be added to our mailing list here.
What happens after? Marine Theatre wants your week at the theatre to be the start of a relationship. When your idea becomes a play, they’d like to talk to you about acknowledging their support on your promotional material, and about putting it on at the Marine Theatre too. They work closely with the Dorset Theatre Promoters Consortium and together with Dorset Loves Arts can also recommend you to venues across our region, giving you a springboard for further touring.
Deadline: 30 September 2015
Do you accept playwrights from the United States?
Hi Cindy, We just repost opportunities, so your best bet is to contact the organisers directly for an answer. Good luck!