Reach

Supporting 5 emerging disabled creatives to develop shows.

Reach is a space for disabled storytellers to create work that does not have to be explored through a non-disabled gaze. It allows you to write universally, to talk about disability in your work – or to not talk about it – and to be free to create what you want to create, instead of what you’re expected to. It gives you the space to define the future trends in theatre instead of responding to them, choosing new directions, new work, and new stories. It moves you beyond the tropes about disabled people and the stories we’re encouraged by non-disabled people to share, and enables you to create work that is bold, intimate, and your own.

Who we’re looking for

Reach supports five emerging UK-based disabled* theatremakers to develop a full-length show through a 6-month development programme. We’re looking for artists who have a strong idea of what their show is, what makes it unique and the audience it’s for. We’re also looking for people who like to work in collaborative group settings, and feel the structure of Reach will be beneficial in helping them to develop their work.

The piece can be a solo show or an ensemble piece (for up to three performers) and we’re open to applications from writer-performers and those who just want to write.

*When we talk about disabled people, we mean “people who face disableist [including audist] barriers”, or “people who identify themselves as deaf or disabled – or are identified by others as deaf or disabled in society”. To find out more about what we mean by this, please look at our website.

What the programme involves

The nine-month programme features writers group sessions, 1:1 dramaturgy sessions and workshops, as well as a midpoint residential focused on writing, and a final residential geared towards embedding performance skills, culminating in a sharing of excerpts of the work, with an invited audience including industry professionals. This programme is run by Nickie Miles-Wildin.

Peer facilitated sessions, 1:1 dramaturgy sessions and workshops will take place online, with captions, rest breaks, and BSL interpretation where required, and we aim to meet other access requirements across the programme as far as possible. As an access requirement, we can also create a hybrid offering for the residentials.

Payment

Reach artists will receive a total of £1,100 for the development of their script at peer facilitated sessions, 1:1 sessions and the residentials, and the final script delivery. Hotel, travel and per diems for the residentials will also be provided by CRIPtic Arts as required.

More information

If you want to hear more about this opportunity, we are hosting a drop-in to discuss the project with Artistic Director Jamie Hale on DATE 2025. Book your space for the drop-in here.

Please also read our FAQs below, which contain more information about the programme and what we’re looking for.

How to apply to become a Reach artist

To apply, please fill in the below forms by 5pm on DATE 2025:

Application form (with BSL)
Diversity & monitoring form

You can also submit an audio or video file in spoken English or BSL (7 minutes max), or download and send the questions as a Word document to team@cripticarts.org. Please find the Word versions of these forms below:

Word version of application form
Word version of diversity & monitoring form

an help out – just email team@cripticarts.org. We’re able to support applicants with transcribing answers on a 1:1 Zoom, but cannot provide or fund individualised access support for applications beyond this. If you have any queries about this, please contact us on team@cripticarts.org to discuss.