Black Country Digital Firsts programme launch
Black Country Digital Firsts
Calling Black Country artists, creatives and cultural organisations. Do you want to develop a digital project/skills?
This is an opportunity for artists and creatives from across the Black Country to build confidence, develop creative digital skills and access development support for a potential digital commission.
Theatre-makers, musicians, artists, writers, visual artists and community organisations from Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley are invited to apply to the Black Country Digital Firsts programme.
Black Country Digital Firsts offers access to:
Support and guidance from digital experts
Inspirational talks and masterclasses
An opportunity to connect and learn with your peers
One-to-one mentoring sessions with digital producers to help develop your project
Access to written resources to help you hone your idea
Potential commissioning
About the opportunity
Black Country Digital Firsts is a unique partnership between Creative Black Country and The Space that aims to build digital creative confidence, inspire excellence in the area, foster digital creativity, commission artists, and offer creative support via mentoring and advice sessions.
We want this opportunity to reflect the diverse perspectives, creativity, people and ideas across the region. We are looking for projects that are bold, brave and imaginative.
Send us your idea. It may be personal or political, fact or fiction, intimate or epic. You may wish to create a piece of music, visual art, dance, drama, documentary, poetry, prose or animation – anything that can be enjoyed by audiences digitally.
If your application is successful, we will provide bespoke mentoring and financial support to help you realise your project.
And even for those whose ideas don’t make it this time, everyone taking part will be offered further learning and development opportunities as part of the process, to help you plan future digital projects.
The programme will run until the end of December 2024, with further development commissioning opportunities throughout this time. It has been made possible with funding from Arts Council England.
How to apply
You can apply online here.
Our short expression of interest form asks for a brief overview of your idea for a digital project and artistic experience.
You can apply as an individual creative or as a community or cultural organisation. You should be based in the Black Country.
All applications are welcome. We are looking to provide you with the production support to help you produce your project. This includes finding partners to help you make your project if required.
The deadline for applications is 12pm (noon) Thursday 22nd February 2024
Applicants must be currently living, working or studying in one of the four boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
Support for applicants
We can arrange help to complete the application form, to apply in different ways, or for information to be provided in different formats.
If you need support to access, complete or submit the application form, would like more information about the process or information in a different format, please contact us by emailing commissioning@thespace.org or telephoning 0121 663 1488 and leave a message including your contact details.
An Easy Read version of the Commissioning Brief is available on the resources page.
Further information
To find out more about this opportunity, please read the Commissioning Brief and Terms and Conditions on this resources page.
This programme is delivered by The Space and Creative Black Country with funding from Arts Council England.