Open Call for Artists
Kakilang Commission Opportunity

We invite you to apply for a commission opportunity to create or redevelop work and be presented in Kakilang’s 2025 Season.

We will be awarding one £3,000 commission to an artist with a background in Performing Arts, and a second £3,000 commission to an artist with a background in Non-Performing Arts. Note: artists may only apply to one of the two commissions.

About the Commissions

We are looking to commission artists of Southeast & East Asian backgrounds, cultures, and/or identities whose work is exciting, bold, innovative, and addresses urgent contemporary issues. As we face rapidly-evolving technologies, the integration of AI, existential climate crisis, rising inequality, and the challenges of political, social, and cultural transformation - we dare ourselves to ask: 

What will our Future Legacy be?

Commission 1 - Performing Arts:

Artists with a background in Performing Arts who wish to apply can be working in any or multiple disciplines - including but not limited to theatre, dance, live music, circus, spoken word, stand up comedy, puppetry, drag, cabaret, immersive and/or participatory performance - with a particular emphasis on interdisciplinary practice.

    • A theatre show that might bring together dance, circus, physical theatre, and/or puppetry

    • An immersive experience that might use digital technology/projection/VR/AR, exploring the intersection of live performing arts and technology

    • A drag show that might integrate live music and fashion design

    • Participatory theatre that might involve audience collaboration in storytelling, narrative food preparation/cooking, and/or the collective creation of digital/multimedia/visual art

Commission 2 - Non-Performing Arts:

Artists with a background in Non-Performing Arts who wish to apply can be working in any or multiple disciplines - including but not limited to visual arts, digital arts, fashion, and art and technology - with a particular emphasis on interdisciplinary practice.

    • A visual art exhibition, which might include interactive installations, live performance art, binaural sound experience, and/or site-specific theatre

    • A fashion show that brings together elements of live dance, circus, drag, and/or cabaret

    • A digital art experience that might integrate video projection and live music

    • An immersive VR, AR, or digital gaming experience, exploring the intersection of art and technology

Proposals for both commissions can involve elements of both Performing and Non-Performing Arts. However, artists may only apply to one of the two commissions.

Proposals for both commissions might be intended to engage with audiences in a dedicated arts venue/space, or potentially reimagine a non-arts venue, outdoor, or public space.

The selected artist(s) will receive funding and support to develop and present a new, or previously developed piece of work.

Eligibility

  • Open to individual artists or artist collectives/groups

  • We are seeking applications from artists of Southeast & East Asian backgrounds, cultures, and/or identities

  • We especially welcome applications from outside London

  • Applications can be for new work, or work that has been developed and presented to a limited extent previously

  • We are not funding material which is considered fully developed, and has already been presented in its finished form

Commission Details

Each commission will be awarded seed funding of £3000, with additional producing, fundraising, and marketing support as follows:

  • Input and guidance from Kakilang’s team with further funding applications

  • Working with Kakilang’s artistic and management team to build venue partnership, and realise the work

  • Work will be presented during Kakliang’s 2025 season (between January and December 2025)

  • Working with Kakilang’s Head of Marketing & Audience Development to promote the work

  • Working with Kakilang’s Arts & Community Producer on community engagement/outreach for the work

  • The final work will be documented by Kakilang, either through image and/or video as agreed with the commission recipient, and this will be shared with the recipient

How to Apply:

To apply for this commission opportunity, please click on the Apply Now button to submit the following materials:

  • Artist biography (maximum 100 words)

  • Artist CV

  • Description of proposed project, including concept, themes, and artistic approach (maximum 500 words)

  • Proposed timeline for development and presentation of the work (maximum 50 words)

  • Proposed budget, any fundraising ideas, and outlines of how funds will be allocated (maximum 100 words)

  • Work samples, such as video recordings, images, audio files, and written excerpts showcasing the proposed project, or previous work relevant to the proposed project (maximum 3 samples), or alternatively you can submit a single PDF presentation pack (maximum 3 pages)

Note: You will need an existing google account (or create a google account) in order to submit an application. If you are unable to create a google account you may submit by sending a single PDF document with all above information to si@kakilang.org.uk

Deadline for Submissions

The deadline for submissions is Friday 31st May 2024.

Selection Process

Submissions will be reviewed by our team. The selection will be based on the artistic merit of the proposal, the feasibility of the project, and the work’s potential impact on audiences. The selection process will also take into consideration how a project supports visibility and representation for people with Southeast & East Asian heritage in UK arts, media, and society. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview/presentation to further discuss their proposal, week commencing Monday 24th June. 

Important Dates:

  • Deadline for Submissions: Friday 31st May 2024

  • Notification of Shortlisted Applicants: Friday 14th June 2024

  • Interviews/Presentations: w/c Monday 24th June 2024

  • Announcement of Selected Artist(s): Monday 1st July 2024

See Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here.

About Kakilang

Kakilang produces and presents world-class interdisciplinary art from a wide spectrum of Southeast and East Asian voices. We pioneer work across multiple art forms and showcase artists working at the intersection of diverse practices.

Kakilang was founded in 2005 and became a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England in 2018.  Since then we have partnered with the Barbican, Southbank Centre, Rich Mix, Soho Theatre, The Place, Horizon, Leicester Curve, York Theatre Royal, Cambridge Junction, Oxford Contemporary Music, LSO St Luke’s, BFI, Young Vic, Tamasha, Dance Umbrella, and more.

We believe in partnership and collaboration with commissioned artists with a shared vision:

  • We bring people together through art

  • We champion art that demands equality

  • We create with artists at the core

  • We generate a space where art forms intersect, inspire, play with and talk to each other

  • We raise awareness, and seek ways to address larger global issues, by engaging people through the arts

Contact Information

For inquiries or further information, please contact Si Rawlinson at si@kakilang.org.uk

Access

Please get in touch if you require this information in a different format or have any access needs that we can support with.

We look forward to receiving your creative proposals and supporting the development of exciting new work from Southeast and East Asian artist perspectives.