Emerging Directors’ Residency

Residency programmes afford professionals time and space away from the demands of daily work life to do much needed professional development. Outside of traditional longer term training and development, a paid residency allows artists time, however short, for contemplative study and exploration. In the Barbadian context, there is much focus on the training of performers, however there are considerably fewer opportunities for those theatre artists with a special interest in directing to hone and develop their skills. Highly skilled, culturally aware and visionary directors are needed, as we move nationally to advance our cultural industries sector, and to enrich the quality of small and large scale staged events, whether drama, music, dance, or indeed the multi media event.The Emerging Directors' Residency responds to these training and developmental needs. 

The Emerging Directors’ Residency is a paid artist residency partnership for early career theatre directors, which provides them with an opportunity to conduct much needed research into Caribbean theatre and to explore and create through threatre form and style. The residency sponsors two emerging Barbadian directors. Each residency is based at Fresh Milk Arts Platform in Workman's, St. George. 

The residency runs for 50 hours which the residents much complete in two weeks. There are two fortnightly time frames scheduled and each candidate may choose which frame is suitable. A mentor will spend 10 hours in total with each resident over each 50 hour session. Each resident will have access to two actors for 15 hours to experiment and/or create work. At the end of each period, there will be a short showcase where the residents share aspects of the work they have been contemplating.