Our next EVOLVE Artists will be on attachment with Oxford Playhouse from January to December 2024. The year is designed to be bespoke to each attached artist and company, with the year-round offer of mentoring and support.

Previous EVOLVE Artists have used their year in a variety of ways, including the development of skills and practice, research and development rehearsal, building administration and marketing infrastructure, and community and audience development.

EVOLVE Artists will receive seed funding of £1500 at the start of their attachment year. They will be offered regular online and in-person check-ins with Oxford Playhouse staff as part of their development, as well as the offer of mentoring and advice from specific departments in our theatre.

Our EVOLVE Artists join a family of artists, from both previous cohorts of our Artist Development schemes, as well as from our network of local and regional artists and companies. They will receive invitations for regular opportunities to share and develop practice, as well as networking events.

• Professional development and mentoring from staff across the many departments at OP
• Up to ten days of free rehearsal space for play, research and development
• In-kind support on specific tasks such as project planning and application writing
• Seed funding of £1500 to support the development of work or practice
• Free hot desk and meeting space
• Access to the OP network of artists, including beyond the timeline of the scheme
• Invitations and discounts to events and performances at Oxford Playhouse
• Opportunity to share and publicise work on our seasonal Artists Newsletter

Our EVOLVE scheme is open to emerging and mid-career artists and companies from any theatrical discipline or location. It particularly welcomes applicants who might benefit from OP’s programming interests and areas of expertise, such as children’s theatre, off-site work, and small- & mid-scale touring.

We particularly encourage applications from artists and companies who are currently under-represented across the theatre industry, including those with protected characteristics. We would also value applications from writers based in, or with connections to, Oxfordshire.

We are committed to developing sustainable practice, and value applications from artists and companies who have an interest in working with our communities, as well as joining our large network of local and regional artists.

The application window for our 2024 cohort of attached artists is now closed. We will be opening the application window for our 2025 scheme in Summer 2024.

To apply to our EVOLVE scheme, applicants will be required to:      

• Complete an online Application Form

• Submit examples of your work that best demonstrate who you are as an artist

A shortlist of applicants will be invited to interview, to determine the final cohort.