We’re fundraising to create new work at Lighthouse, support emerging artists and expand our Learning programmes for local schools and young people…
Lighthouse receives crucial funding from Arts Council England and the Borough of Poole. But as a charity we also depend on the generosity of the individuals, businesses and trusts/foundations who recognise the value of the arts to our shared community.
As we are celebrating our 40th birthday this year, Lighthouse is looking to the future and how we can make our mark as a creative force. This means maximising use of Lighthouse’s amazing facilities and expertise to enable new work to be made here in Poole by local artists. Led by our first-ever Artistic Producer this activity will encourage cultural exchange and risk taking and give Lighthouse refreshed vitality and an enhanced artistic identity and profile.
We’re creating three associate artist and artist-in-residence strands offering professional development, commissioning and touring opportunities alongside practical support, space and expertise to emerging artists. Our Sherling Studio is the only dedicated space in Dorset for supporting emerging talent across drama, circus, spoken word, dance and other genres. Our Studio is conducive to R&D and removes much of the risk for our artists and collaborators.
Can you help to support our new work, talent development and Learning ambitions?
Leading Lights is our figurehead strand, enabling partnerships that feed Lighthouse’s Main House theatre programme and demonstrate our commitment to excellence. We recently made integrated circus companies Diverse City and Extraordinary Bodies Associate Companies of Lighthouse.
Working Lights is about theatre that is in development, which will feed the pipeline of new work for our Sherling Studio whilst enabling emerging artists and companies to step up the ladder.
Bright Sparks supports artists at the research & development phase – lending expertise, space, technical support etc to exploring and testing new creative ideas, which may lead to commissions.
We are fundraising for this work now but need to raise £75,000 a year in private donations to enable our plans to go ahead in full.
Young Technicians and Programmers enables young people from disadvantaged locations and isolated groups to access training and pathways into employment preparing them for a venue-based career through hands-on, practical experience of curation, programming and event delivery. Compared to professional training opportunities for emerging performers, provision for practitioner roles (including producers, directors, writers and critics) remains limited. “I didn't know a great deal about Lighthouse before the course. I certainly didn't know how involved it was with young people, this has made me think very highly of it” Pilot participant.
We work with our Partner Schools to provide students with access to the arts. £3,000 enables us to support 300 hundred local children to attend performances with subsidised and free tickets, take part in tailored workshops, and bring their own work to our performance and gallery spaces.
Any contribution - large or small - really does make a difference. If you'd like to be in touch about supporting Lighthouse please email fundraising@lighthousepoole.co.uk or call 01202 781310.