The dependency on funding and 'opportunity' and their restrictions on creativity and ownership within the making processes of theatre

Natalie Bangs, 13 July 2012

Rather than transcribing all conversations, I will leave you with a list of significant points raised within the session. Please do feel free to comment, debate, shout and moan, or offer advice!

Can you make work without funding? What are the reasons you require the funding in the first place?

Grassroots companies and individuals just starting out often feel that the funding not only aids them logistically, but adds a sense of value to their work and what they're doing. In todays society, the ways in which you earn your money often define you as a person - they give you a status etc.

What roles are there within the making process? How do these get shared out? What when the theatre makers/performers themselves encapsulate all roles of director, performer, critic, producer, administrator, props maker, costume maker, funder.

Determine what your agenda is, as a company or collective - what do you want to do, what do you aim to achieve? Why are you involved in theatre? Outlining this enables you to progress further in funding applications.

What when you use other people to write your funding application, do your ideas become dismantled if you don't write it yourself? The ownership of the idea is in your head and thus you should write it, what happens when you don't know how to approach funding applications?

There is a focus on what audiences want, its their money at the end of the day - they are the tax payers, thus the creative projects should fall in line with their interests also.

Potential to look to alternative avenues for funding, and being creative within this search for financial aid.

Whats the point of funding?

Communication - keeping people in the funding process aware.

Create a balance between community projects which will fund you, and then projects which fall in line with your creative agenda.

Steering groups - communicate with people, ask people for advice. DOn't ask them for things, but advice.

Always re-evaluate.

Does money equal value? If so why?

What when its a subversive political piece - will this still get funded?

Tapping into the right skills.

Taking other peoples agendas and using them for your own benefit.

Gain peoples trust

'Quality Control' - public to gain benefit from creative project.

People feeling that funding is an entitlement.

Read example funding applications.

Concluding point - Demystify the assumptions based around funding - create balance and communicate/network .

Tags:

financial aid, restriction, value, Arts Council, arts council, creativity, Funding, networking, Arts council, applications, funding, finance, volunteering, Value