Dance Mapping - Arts Council England

Most recently he has been employed on a three-year contract as artistic director for Sydney
Dance Company. Cate Canniffe, BDC Producer, comments that this suits BDC as, ‘it
concentrates his external commissions on one location and is therefore easier logistically’.
His contract allows for regular trips to the UK so that he can create work with BDC.
Yet, income levels remain low and there is a major concern within the workforce that this is
not sustainable. The following quotes are drawn from the workforce survey:
‘The major challenge is still that dancers, dance-makers and those who support them (as
producers, consultants, administrators etc) cannot earn a decent living and keep their
professional skills honed within an infrastructure that offers very few opportunities for
supporting continuing professional development.’
‘Long-term funding and investment into the frontline troops like myself who through the
services that they deliver within the community at all levels from professional education and
performance all the way to a complete beginners within the community. The artist needs the
support to deliver quality and consistent service.’
‘Balancing jobs dancing which are the priority and work which “fills in the gaps” in order to
make the dance work or unpaid work viable is the biggest challenge I face at the moment.
Another seeming lack of paid dance work for contemporary dancers. Even as a dancer
employed by a company, this would only be for six months in a year (which I consider myself
lucky to have!) and it is difficult to find other projects which fit in.’
‘The lack of funding for small-scale projects and therefore the lack of work for freelancers.
This is creating even greater competition in an already saturated environment. 120 dancers
attending an audition for a 4-week project seems to be a good example of how little work
there is currently out there.’
As a field it is clear that concerted action needs to be taken collectively to address these
issues:
‘The lack of debate within the dance community about professional status, pay, quality and
ownership needs to be overcome to vocalise financial and qualitative demands, as well as
define professional frameworks’ Workforce respondent
There is a continuing London/south-east concentration of the dance field and yet there is
evidence that this brings advantages to those working within less competitive environments
as evidenced in the following illustrations.
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