Dance City are thrilled to announce that applications are now open for The Gillian Dickinson Residency Commission for 2026.
This is an open call out for a £20,000 commission and invitation to be at home in the North East.
Following on from the success of this year’s commission, The Gillian Dickinson Trust and Dance City are inviting an artist or company to embed their practice within the thriving dance community in the North East of England.
During each residency period, the commissioned artists will not only take advantage of Dance City’s studios and theatre to develop new ideas and present new works, but also engage with our communities, including professionals, students and audiences.
2024/25 successful commission
North East based dance company Pelican Theatre was the successful recipient of the 2024/25 Gillian Dickinson Trust, Dance City and Northumberland Dance Development Commission.
The company received £24,000 to develop Kylie Jenner’s Private Jet, a new choreographic work which premiered at Dance City on in April 2025.
Pelican Theatre, a dance and physical theatre company, is the combination of dance artists Ellie Trow and Pagan Hunt. The company’s focus is to create new, thought provoking and emotive dance works that speak to audiences. Pelican Theatre also specialise in community participation practice to improve wellbeing and connection.
On being awarded the commission, Pelican Theatre said:
“We were delighted to be the recipients of the Gillian Dickinson Trust, Dance City and Northumberland Dance Development Fund Commission for 24/25 and are so ready to take this next step in the development of Pelican Theatre. Being a North-East based company, we are so excited to premiere at Dance City before taking our work to other venues across the region. As alumni of Dance City’s Training Academy, we are looking forward to deepening connections with the CAT and BA students, as well as across Newcastle, Northumberland and beyond.”
The Offer for 2026
The artist/company will be provided with funds, space and staff support to work with students, connect with the artistic community and to develop their work to be ‘presentation ready’ by the end of the commission.
The commissioned artist/ company will be awarded £20,000 and significant in-kind support throughout the process including producing, marketing and technical support. Producing support for any desired wraparound activity.
The different departments within Dance City are working closely together so the residency enables an artist/ company to spend time working with the Centre for Advanced Training Programme (CAT), the BA (Hons) Professional Dance Programme and the Professional Artist Development Programme and develop a new work across 8 weeks.
The deadline for applications is 10am on Monday 1 September.
