Dance Mapping - Arts Council England

• ‘Due to budget restrictions there isn't a full dance performance programme
throughout the year. This means there is a very small dance audience and in the past
when dance has been programmed in the middle-scale theatre audience numbers
have been significantly low to medium and never full capacity. During the Fuse
Festival we utilise this opportunity to buy in professional dance companies to raise
the profile of dance through site-specific for audience development.’
• ‘Small- to mid-scale venues do not have the marketing capacity or resources for
dedicated audience development. Dance is programmed infrequently, and there is no
overall strategy behind programming decisions – this means that the quality and
diversity of the programme on offer is compromised.’
• ‘As this is a rural area with a higher than average older population it is more difficult
to get audiences for contemporary dance, although the two venues do have a
commitment to programming it within each season and do usually get reasonable
audiences, but not as high as for ballet or music.’
• ‘I am a team of one with no support staff, there are only two arts development officers
left in the district. We have managed to support an independent youth dance
company, with Arts Council support and have found a new permanent base for it in a
specialist performing arts school with good facilities. We had a one-off sum of money
to support dance £50,000 in 05/06 (charitable source) and have been eking it out to
bring in other funding since then; it has now all gone. There is no dance specialist in
children's services; the hard-working sports development officer has to earn his keep
by providing training and does not have a dance remit or a remit beyond schools,
although we have tried to work together.’
• ‘On the plus side we have formed a new group to strengthen creativity within
children's services and dance is at the top of the list of topics to be aired; the advisory
service has just been brought back in-house and this may give room for growth. We
are very fortunate to have a university base with a wonderful advocate for dance and
producing teachers who understand and can teach dance, as well as two inspiring
dance companies.’
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