The #FundFreelanceDance Initiative
Part 1 - London
The COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 and subsequent period Lockdown has hit the Arts hard and Freelance Artists of all creative disciplines have seen their entire livelihoods and hard work disappear in a matter of weeks, regardless of their previous body of work and evidenced professional accomplishments.
Many of these artists do not qualify for any government furlough scheme currently available, and as a result have already had to move on with their lives and find new jobs in other industries.
I am in support of all social media campaigns, news articles and efforts to raise awareness for this issue, but as a salaried dance artist receiving furlough pay, I am now looking to take this support one step further by finding a way to directly support my fellow artists and do something in my own way to bring attention to this issue.
The Fund Freelance Dance Initiative aims to provide the freelance Dance community and its ancillary services with an opportunity to receive paid work and will seek to establish an exciting new style of creative engagement.
By evolving and exploring new ways of working, this project will give its public supporters and subsequent audience the chance to shape the freelance dance scene that they want to see kept alive by using a new crowdfunding model.
As the Freelance Dance community and services continues to shrink in number as a result of the pandemic, this innovative project will aim to become a regular series across several cities and create:
- An opportunity to return each Freelance Artist involved to their craft post COVID -
- Find new and innovative ways of working and contributing creatively in the studio setting -
- Access to the highest professional standard of hybrid ballet class, pianist accompaniment, dance photography and dance facilities for those dancers involved to then take part in a meaningful creative process using emerging technologies -
The Project
The Fund Freelance Dance Initiative will engage 8 Freelance Dancers, 4 Freelance Ballet/Contemporary Teachers, up to 4 Freelance class Pianists, a Freelance Composer, Up to 4 Freelance Dance Photographers, and receive an already agreed supported studio theatre hire rate at the Lanterns Studio Theatre, London, with non-contract venue staff receiving a standard pay rate.
After the initial funding round, the recruitment process will seek to fill these roles and engage a group of carefully selected artists for 4 session dates consisting of Class and Creative sessions, culminating in a short mobile film, shot on the final date at the same location.
The session dates are 27th September 4th October 11th October and 18th October 2020.
Those who choose to give support for this project are directly supporting the freelance dance community and will receive a regularly updated stream of social media posts and news on the progress of the project, including several Facebook/Instagram live casts and even a dancer led Instagram take over to ensure we are all getting the real version of how the initiative is progressing and evolving as we go.
The resulting Mobile Dance Film will then be shared across every media platform that will host the achieved creative work, but also provide context to its viewership and help raise awareness for what the Fund Freelance Dance Initiative is aiming to achieve.
Contracted/furloughed artists like myself, can also get involved, but will not be receiving a fee as part of the project – Instead using this as a creative opportunity to make new connections and to help sustain and support a healthy creative conversation via dance
Please visit our GoFundMe page to see a detailed reasoning and breakdown of how the costing of this crowdfunding project has been calculated and to see why each of the crowdfunded positions should be seen as an essential part of any complete freelance dance engagement going forwards.
If you have any other method of support or would like to take part in any aspect of the initiative, please do contact me at