2024 Bursary Guidance and Info
Call Out and Guidance Information for the “Empowering International Relationships” Bursary
Listen below for an audio file of this guidance:
This year, Producer Gathering will offer 4 bursaries up to £750 for independent producers based in the UK to support their independent practices internationally.
We are excited to announce a new initiative to foster cross-cultural creativity and international collaborations among producers.
We’re happy to introduce the “Empowering International Relationships” Bursary.
Xavier de Sousa and Sally Rose co-founded Producer Gathering, which is currently led by Nassy Konan, independent producer, and David Sheppard, Executive Director of Marlborough Productions.
We are thinking, listening and trying to respond to the specific circumstances that producers are facing right now, and we want these bursaries to be a way of supporting Producers, recognising and supporting people who have been excluded and underrepresented in the current arts systems and structures, and to support people to develop their pathways in this role.
It’s always a challenge for producers to find financial support for their professional development or to cover unpaid work or rest/wellbeing time – so that is where our bursaries come in.
The last few years have been tough for many, and in response to this and how overstretched arts workers are, we have updated these bursaries to be ‘no strings’, or wholly self-directed. They can be used for whatever the recipient feels is most useful for them at this time, and in so doing, support this project in helping us define a bursary programme that is responsive to producers at all stages of their career.
About the Bursary
In an ever-evolving global landscape, building international relationships and collaborations is essential for creative growth. This bursary is designed to empower producers passionate about expanding their horizons and working with professionals from different cultures and backgrounds. The “Empowering International Relationships” Bursary is a testament to our commitment to nurturing cross-cultural creativity and fostering international opportunities for growth.
Shorter description: This bursary is tailored to empower producers at various stages of their careers who aspire to engage in international collaborations. Recipients of the bursary will receive financial support to facilitate their international projects, such as travel expenses, project development costs, and networking opportunities.
What is the offer?
£750 x 4 Bursaries available
- 1 bursary for a mid-career producer (3-10 years experience – getting some training or mentoring to nurture your practice, to make taking the leap as a producer more accessible
- 1 bursary for a more experienced producer (10+ years experience) – this might allow you to plan for a project that you’ve been dreaming up, to reconsider the direction of your work, or to take a risk or a rest to think and dream
- 2 bursary for a producer of any level of experience who identifies as (multiply) marginalised and underrepresented in this role – PG are aiming to acknowledge and address systemic bias and under-representation of people who experience (multiple) marginalisations in the world and our arts sector with this specific bursary. It gives an additional chance for an applicant to be selected in the random selection process by being in two pools (career experience and this one)
The bursary is for £750 per person – and can be viewed as a lump sum. The 4 bursary recipients will receive the £750 in one payment at the start of the period on receipt of an invoice, and the period can last as long as you choose.
You might choose to use this bursary to:
- Access international training courses and development opportunities abroad
- Travel/accommodation to an international networking meeting
- Cover mentoring time with an international producer
- Pay for overheads
- Put towards admin time to develop an international project
- Or… anything else you need – tell us what this is!
How we can support you:
- We’re happy to offer introductory sessions to those who need more information before applying. Please state this in your application.
- In addition to financial support, Selected recipients will have access to 2 x mentorship and advisory sessions with Nassy Konan from Producer Gathering and a member of the Marlborough Productions team.
- We will facilitate networking events and platforms to connect bursary recipients to meet one another online at the start of the process and have a closing reflection session.
- We will also support arranging online meetings with potential collaborators, both locally and internationally.
Eligibility
Freelance producer – if you are full-time, part-time or trainee independent – but not in full-time education.
Bursary timeline
Deadline: Thursday 29th February
Review and Evaluation: March 1st – March 10th
- Assess applications against review criteria.
- Shortlist candidates who meet the eligibility
- Inform non-successful shortlist
Final Selection: March 11th – March 15th
- Assess the final 10 applications
- Select 4 Bursary recipients
Public Announcement: 18th March
