Samānatā 2023

SOUTH ASIAN QUEER PERFORMANCE SEED COMMISSIONS (2023)

Jaivant Patel Company and Kala Sangam, Bradford are jointly offering seed commissions for South Asian LGBTQIA+ identifying artists/creatives to support the development of innovative new performance-based work. Samānatā translates as equality.

This is currently the UK’s only seed commission for South Asian Queer performance.

 Seed commission applications for this performance-based work will place South Asian Queerness at the forefront of its subject matter, to address current under-representation on the UK cultural landscape.

“Samānatā is an opportunity to contribute towards increasing South Asian LGBTQIA+ narratives in performance-based contexts across the UK cultural landscape. As an associate company of Kala Sangam who have been commsioners and advocators of of the South Asian Queer professional touring work of Jaivant Patel Company, it makes perfect sense for both organsiations to join forces in this initiative to aDdress under-representation of marginalised artists/creatives.” - Jaivant Patel

What we’re looking for:

  • New work: new ideas, or projects still at the early work-in-progress stage and performance-based in nature created by South Asian LGBTQIA+ identifying artists/creatives.

  • Work exploring lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual + (LGBTQIA+) and/or gender themes.

  • Work that reflects current social, political, or cultural concerns.

  • Bold, unconventional, and innovative work, that takes performance artforms in new directions. Applications involving cross-artforms welcome.

  • Devised, self-made and/or solo work.

What we’re offering:

  • £1250 seed commission.

  • An opportunity to test ideas, develop the next stage of work in early stages that is free of any expectation or finished end product.

  • 5 days R&D space in Bradford or Wolverhampton in Autumn 2023 (Sept-Dec) or Early Spring 2024 (Jan). Note this is subject to availability.

  • 2 days mentoring from Jaivant Patel, Artistic Director of Jaivant Patel Company.

  • Additional access, counselling, or coaching costs up to £250.

  • 1 day support for artistic and strategic development from Jaivant Patel Company.

Applicants must commit to:

  • A sharing in Jan 2024 in Bradford or Wolverhampton (w/c 29th Jan 2024)

  • An evaluation of the process including documentation i.e. social media, blogs etc.

This seed commission can used for match-funding. Seed commission can use cross-artform as part of the idea.

Applications open Monday 31st July 2023 with a deadline of 4pm on 11th Sept 2023.

Nikita Devi and Mithun Gill announced as the first recipients of the Samānāta South Asian Queer Performance Seed Commissions for 2023.

Nikhita will be working on I, Honeypot, a unique solo work blending Odissi with burlesque and clowning that explores the pressures of tradition and the joy of freedom of expression.

Mithun will be developing Moses, to explore grief and loss following the suicide of his close friend.