Bristol Old Vic's Ferment on the hunt for 2019-20 Leverhulme Arts Scholarship recipients
28 Nov 2018
Announcing the return of the Leverhulme Arts Scholarships in 2019 for its third year!
Supported by the Leverhulme Trust, Bristol Old Vic’s Ferment team are again offering 5 Leverhulme Scholarships to brilliant artists across disciplines, living and making work in the South West.
Each recipient will receive a £5000 bursary and a bespoke 12 months of support from Bristol Ferment, including plenty of opportunities to engage with Ferment activity - from sharing a piece of work-in-progress during the Ferment Fortnights, to having a space to work regularly, to spending time away with other scholars on a week-long residential; it’s all part of the package.
This opportunity exists to support individuals to think about their own creative development; we understand that sometimes the best way to support artists is to fund the individual, without the pressure of outcome – a previous Leverhulme scholar described their year as an opportunity to ‘breathe in’, a chance to sustain and reflect before moving forwards with renewed ambition.
Ferment Producer Ben Atterbury said: “I’m delighted to launch the next raft of applications for our Leverhulme Scholarships, generously supported by the Leverhulme Trust. Over the past two years these vital scholarships have enabled Ferment to work with ten brilliant artists from the South West across a range of disciplines; we’ve seen this opportunity give space and time for thought, reflection and research as well as vital financial investment in them and their practice.
Ferment’s support is always driven by people rather than outcomes and two years into this scheme, we’re beginning to see the fruits of this opportunity emerge in the ambitious projects our previous scholars are now working on, and the peer support they continue to give to each other. I can’t wait to work with our next group.”
The Leverhulme Trust was established by the Will of William Hesketh Lever, the founder of Lever Brothers. Since 1925 the Trust has provided grants and scholarships for research and education. Today, it is one of the largest all-subject providers of research funding in the UK, distributing approximately £80m a year. For more information about the Trust, please visit www.leverhulme.ac.uk
Bristol Old Vic is the longest continuously running theatre in the UK, and celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2016. The historic playhouse aims to inspire audiences with its own original productions, both at home and on tour, whilst nurturing the next generation of artists, whether that be through their 350-strong Young Company, their many outreach and education projects or their trailblazing artist development programme, Bristol Ferment.
They use their funding to support experiment and innovation, to allow access to their programme for people who would not otherwise encounter it, or be able to afford it, and to keep their extraordinary heritage alive and animated.
On 24 Sep 2018, Bristol Old Vic completed its 2-year multi-million pound redevelopment project, which transformed its front of house space into a warm and welcoming public building for all of Bristol to enjoy, created a new studio theatre and opened up its unique theatrical heritage to the public for the first time.