New Theatre in Your Neighbourhood was a three-year research project from 2013 – 2015, which looked at new ways to tour live performance.

New Theatre in Your Neighbourhood aimed to explore ways in which Fuel could improve the way it tours shows; building stronger relationships with partners, connecting artists and the communities we visit in inspiring and meaningful ways and developing audiences.  It was a chance for us to work out how to tour and present interesting new performance more effectively around the UK.

We worked in partnership with organisations in six areas around England: The Lakeside in Colchester, Malvern Theatres in Malvern, Theatre Royal and The Tom Thumb Theatre in Margate, They Eat Culture in Preston, The Lighthouse in Poole and ARC in Stockton.  We took productions to these places and, in collaboration with Maddy Costa, hosted workshops and post-show events with artists. We sent artists on missions to these places, to help us get under the skin of the place and to begin the process of commissioning shows specifically for that place.

We want to create a following for contemporary theatre: one that is sustainable, growing and ever-changing.

We want to open up opportunities for artists to explore different starting points for their shows rooted in the community. The legacy of this will underpin how Fuel can make new, high quality and adventurous shows in the future, and how we tour existing shows, that these communities will enjoy.

We want to enable our partners to continue these conversations and local collaborations throughout the year, opening themselves up to new audiences and facilitating a richer, deeper cultural exchange in their constituencies.

We shared our discoveries, thoughts and experiences, artists missions and neighbourhood reviews through the New Theatre in Your Neighbourhood blog.

We’d love you to join in the conversation.

Funded by Arts Council England and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

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