Words in the City Micro-Commissions – Apply Now!

Do you have a great idea for a new creative event, art project or performance based on poetry or spoken word?

Do you need a small amount of financial support to realise your idea?

Are you based in Bradford or have a strong connection to the city?

We’re offering 3 awards of up to £500 to support poets and artists to create new work that can be shared or performed at Words in the City 2016 (part of the Bradford Festival, 8-10 July).

We want to fund projects that explore new ways of creating or promoting poetry or spoken word in Bradford. Your idea can be all about the word, or it can combine poetry with another art form/discipline.

Our micro-commissions are open to professional and amateur artists based in, or with a tangible connection to, the Bradford district. You can apply as an individual or as a collective.

This is an opportunity to test an idea, experiment and think about how poetry is presented and experienced in venues, pop up spaces or on the street. We’d like you to think about who the potential audience is and how you will engage them during the Festival.

Your project must be shared/exhibited/performed during Words in the City as part of the Bradford Festival (8-10 July). Words in the City is an annual weekend celebrating poetry and spoken word in Bradford City Centre, and is programmed by Ilkley Literature Festival. We run a range of events across the weekend, from performances by headline poets in City Hall to street entertainment, pop up spoken word and hands-on family activity in and around the mirror pool.

So if you’ve got an idea you would like to try out let us know!

Venue/space hire will be negotiated with individual venues/spaces but please note that we don’t have a venue hire budget. We do use a range of venues including marquees on City Park so do get in touch if you want to discuss venue further.

Download the application pack
Deadline for applications: 15 April