SOUTH ASIAN QUEER PERFORMANCE SEED COMMISSIONS (2025)

Jaivant Patel Company, Wolverhampton and Kala Sangam, Bradford are once again offering seed commissions to a South Asian LGBTQIA+ identifying artists/creative to support the development of innovative new performance-based work. Samānatā translates as equality.

Seed commission applications for this performance-based work will place South Asian Queerness at the forefront of its subject matter, to address current under-representation on the UK cultural landscape.

What we’re looking for:

• New work: new ideas, or projects still at the early work-in-progress stage and performance-based in nature created by South Asian LGBTQIA+ identifying artists/creatives.
• Work exploring lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual + (LGBTQIA+) and/or gender themes.
• Work that reflects current social, political, or cultural concerns.
• Bold, unconventional, and innovative work, that takes performance artforms in new directions. Applications involving cross-artforms welcome.
• Devised, self-made and/or solo work.

What we’re offering:

• £2800 seed commission.
• An opportunity to test and develop ideas in the early stages that is free of any expectation or finished end product.
• 5 days R&D space in Bradford or Wolverhampton in Autumn 2025 (Sept-Dec). Note this is subject to availability.
• 2 days mentoring from Jaivant Patel, Artistic Director of Jaivant Patel Company.
• Additional access, counselling, or coaching costs up to £200

Applicants must commit to:

• A sharing in Autumn 2025 or Spring 2026 in Bradford or Wolverhampton (to be mutually agreed)

• An evaluation of the process including documentation i.e. social media, blogs etc.

Supporting evidence:

• Please upload a letter of support/critical review of previous work

AND/OR

• Footage of no longer that 2 mins that best demonstrates your practice/work.

This opportunity is for:

• Emerging and early career artists with a minimum of 2 years experience of developing independent work (This will need to be demonstrated in the application).
• Ideally will have some experience of sharing own independent work (please demonstrate this in the application).

Find out more and apply here: https://jaivantpatelcompany.com/samnat-2025