At Birmingham Hippodrome, we work to support local artists and companies.
We believe in Birmingham and the West Midlands, and want to do everything we can to make sure that the creative talent of our region is able to develop, thrive, and make careers from a base here.
Our New Work & Artist Development team has been created to make the Hippodrome a vibrant and supportive home for West Midlands creatives with regular activity on weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, seasonal and annual cycles.
Current Opportunities for Creatives
If you need any support with applying for any of the opportunities below, please email us at the link below.
Hippodrome Origins
We are excited to open applications to join the first cohort of Hippodrome Origins, a bespoke artist development programme. In the New Work and Artist Development department we are passionate about serving local artists, creating a community and a home for West Midlands creatives, and getting a chance to support and see the brilliant new work that’s being made by artists in this region.
We want to support artists to work on the ideas that energise them, immerse themselves in cultural experiences, and develop their practice as part of a diverse cohort. The Hippodrome Origins artists will take part in the programme for 18 months from November 2024.
What we’re looking for:
Theatremakers, playwrights and devising artists in the West Midlands who want to develop their practice and work on an idea.
What we’re offering:
- Workshops and bespoke artistic development
- Dramaturgical support and an outside eye
- Rehearsal space and technical support
- A bursary of £2500
- Free theatre tickets and discounts
- A platform to share your work
This opportunity is open to artists 18+. Applications are now closed.
Hippodrome Creatives
For artists, producers and creatives living or working in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Sign up for our updated Hippodrome Creatives community for FREE where you can benefit from:
- Free rehearsal space
- Artists Lounge – a relaxed space for Creatives to be at home in the Hippodrome with drinks making facilities, a lounge and library (open weekdays 10am – 5pm).
- Creatives support sessions, socials and workshops
- Ticket offers to shows on the Hippodrome main stage and in the Patrick Studio
- Monthly e-newsletters
Drop in to our Artists’ Lounge any time Mon – Fri, 10am – 5pm. This is a relaxed space for Creatives to be at home in the Hippodrome with drinks making facilities, a lounge and library.
Writer’s Block
We are excited to be the home of Writer’s Block, a quarterly scratch night hosted by Grace Barrington and Sophia Griffin, where artists get to test out ideas and share works-in-progress to a group of people for feedback.
Here’s a bit more from Sophia and Grace about the event:
“It’s an intimate space where we get to talk through the knots, the sticking points, the stuck points, the “idk if this is even an idea” stages. It’s a space for artists to gather; to remind ourselves of the incredible thinkers and makers in the city, and have time to connect and collaborate with each other.
We ask three different writers to share something which they are writing/devising for the stage. Every writer is given a 20 minute slot; we listen to what they are working on, and then we give feedback. At the end, there’s time for drinks and socialising.
If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, then please come along – share your work, or lend an ear to someone else’s.
Next event: Wednesday 19th February
Save the date for the next Writer’s Block, a scratch night for artists to test out new ideas for the stage. Applications are now open and tickets will be available soon.
Playspace
For three days every month, Playspace will allow a different artist or team access to space at Birmingham Hippodrome to explore an idea with no pressure to create a piece of work.
What we’re looking for:
- Theatre creatives in the West Midlands with an idea to explore
What we’re offering:
- Three days of free rehearsal space
- Access costs
- A small materials budget
- An outside eye if useful
These opportunities are open to artists 18+
Applications are now closed.