The Next Level Creative Mentorship Program will provide five (5) artists working in the performing arts with $3000 in project funding and access to a mentorship within a leading performing arts organisation to develop an innovative new project. Writers, musicians, dancers, choreographers, actors, directors and/or producers with disability or who are d/Deaf are invited to apply.

Mentorships will take place within one of our Partnering Organisations (listed below) and will result in the opportunity to develop a project concept brief and prepare it for effective pitches to relevant companies, venues, artistic directors, and producers. This is a hybrid program with both professional and project development outcomes.

Over a period of three months, the mentor will work with you to:

• Assess your creative concept.
• Develop your concept into a project brief.
• Provide advice on drafting a detailed project outline, including budgets, timelines, deliverables, and key contacts.
• Provide guidance regarding potential pitch meeting opportunities with relevant companies, venues, artistic directors and/or producers.

The program will involve facilitated sessions with your mentor and self-directed tasks. The mentor will be available for a total of 20 hours. The Next Level Creative Mentorship Program will be undertaken and completed between March – June 2024.

Partnering Organisations

Next Level is supported by grants from the NSW Government through Create NSW and in-kind contributions from Accessible Arts and our Partnering Organisations:

• Bangarra Dance Theatre
• PYT Fairfield
• Griffin Theatre Company
• Sydney Opera House
• Merrigong Theatre Company
• HotHouse Theatre
• Belvoir Theatre
• Penrith Performing and Visual Arts

Access

Applicants will need to provide information on their access requirements via the application form. Successful applicants and partnering organisations will be provided with Disability Confidence Training facilitated by Accessible Arts. Accessible Arts will provide access support to both the host organisations and the mentees throughout the mentorship program.

Who can apply?

• Applicants must identify as being d/Deaf or a person with disability
• Applicants must reside in NSW
• Applicants must be an emerging or mid-career writer, actor, musician, dancer, choreographer, director and/or producer
• Applicants must be over the age of 18 when applying
• Applicants must have previous experience at any level in the performing arts industry

Apply Now

Before applying, please read the Next Level Program Application Guidelines: Word | PDF

You can apply via Survey Monkey or to download the application form: Word | PDF

If you cannot access the online Survey Monkey application form, please note that applications will be accepted in other formats that are accessible including Auslan, audio, video, printed, dictated, electronic and handwritten formats.

Applications close at 11pm Sunday 25 February 2024

Applications will be assessed by a panel of Accessible Arts staff, including people with disability. Compatibility of the applicant and the project idea with the host organisation will be considered. Applications will be reviewed and selected in consultation with the host organisations, who may wish to interview applicants before the final selection of the mentees are made. In this instance, interviews will be facilitated by Accessible Arts with staff from partnering organisations also in attendance

All applicants will be notified of the results by early March 2024.

ENDS

Image Description: Multi-coloured block text reads: Next Level. Underneath white text reads: Next Level Creative Mentorship.