Bradford Dance Consultation Report

Publication date: February 2024​

Report author: Lou Cope, Performance & Organisational Dramaturg, Facilitator & Creative Consultant - CoAD - The Centre of Applied Dramaturgy

This report was written by Dramaturg and Facilitator Lou Cope, as the result of a consultation process with the dance sector of Bradford, commissioned by Bradford Producing Hub (BPH).

Lou Cope is a Dramaturg and Facilitator, working primarily in the dance sector, across the UK and internationally, at all scales and across all genres.

Together, Lou and BPH developed a brief for the consultation process:

• To create an opportunity for dance artists based in Bradford to come together
• To give them the chance to get to know each other, to share what they do, where, how and who for
• To understand what they want or need going forward
• To explore what Bradford can/should be for in this context, and whether there is a role for BPH

To have a full picture of the findings we recommend you download the full report. Below is a summary of the recommendations:

1. Development of a new independent dance network, with a paid facilitator, that meets regularly (monthly/bi-monthly).
2. Development of a Dance Steering Group that meets quarterly to identify and maximise new opportunities to support and grow the sector including new local, national, and international collaborations and partnerships, mentoring, dramaturgy and performance platforms.
3. Clarify Bradford’s Dance USP.
4. Bring producers, emerging producers, and dance professionals together to support the development of more producer/dancer/dance company partnerships.
5. Arrange follow-up meetings with Bradford 2025 with the dance community/the new network.
6. Clarify BPH’s existing training and development programme to ensure it is open to and shared with the dance sector.
7. Venues and companies to consider what opportunities could be offered within existing activity (e.g. shadowing, open studios, studio time, performance opportunities) and whether funding could be brought in to support a development programme.
8. Develop clearer pathways to retain dance talent in Bradford, and turn dance participants into dance audiences.

We're currently exploring how these recommendations can be realised. If you are interested in being part of the conversation around Bradford's dance sector, drop us an email at hello@bdproducinghub.co.uk