Wildfire Rising is a programme that aims to remove barriers of inequality by investing in and supporting dance artists from the Global Majority to make way for the rising of their artistry, representation and development.
The programme has run for two years in North West 2021-22 and Sept 2022-23 in partnership with Cheshire Dance, and is now taking place in the Bristol area from March 2024, supported by Arts Council England.
Aims
Through ‘Wildfire Rising’ we are committed to:
- Investing in and supporting dance artists from the Global Majority to make way for the rising of their artistry, representation and development.
- Increasing representation of artists from the Global Majority in our organisations at all levels.
- Learning about what the barriers are to Global Majority artists engaging with our organisations. (With Year 1 in NW specifically focused on the barriers faced by African, South, East and South East Asian diaspora artists) And subsequently using the learning to develop the diversity of our organisations.
- Reducing inequalities in dance.
- Learning about the needs of artists from the Global Majority (with Year 1 in the NW specifically focusing on the needs of artists from African, South, East and South East Asian diasporas) and using our voices and platforms to feed this understanding into wider strategic conversations with ACE and Dance Consortia North West to ensure development of relevant support systems for artists.
- Generating and developing trust and shifting perceptions of our organisations as places where people of diverse cultural and racial backgrounds are welcome, valued and feel ‘at home’.
Wildfire Rising (Bristol) Year 1
From March 2024 we are launching the Bristol Wildfire Rising Programme. This will include supporting three Global Majority artists.
Wildfire Rising (NW) Year 1
The first year of Wildfire Rising ran from April 2021 to June 2022, supporting 3 Global Majority artists.
To read a review and recommendations by Inc Arts UK on the Wildfire Rising Associate Artist Year 1 Programme, please click here.
To view a complete Evaluation Summary Report for Year 1 from Cheshire Dance and Movema, please click here.
Wildfire Rising (NW) Year 2
The second year of Wildfire Rising ran from September 2022 to September 2023. It focused on deepening our impact by creating time and space for mental well-being, invested into artist development, and created platforms and events to host and promote the talent and skills.
As a woman of colour I am always interested in my back ground culture and this course has taught me so much and given me a massive confidence boost. I started off a bit worried because I have dyslexia and it makes me suffer with a bit of anxiety. The course really helped me overcome this and as the weeks went by I became more at ease and my stress moods have lifted
