The Horizons festival celebrates the enduring power of creativity by international artists who have made Manchester their home through migration. HOME and Community Arts North West (CAN) present a provocative and stimulating programme of film, theatre, music, visual art, workshops, and discussion.
The Horizons festival will take place on Friday 21 June, Saturday 22 June, and Sunday 23 June 2024 in the UK’s Refugee Week (Sunday 16 – Saturday 22 June).
The commissions are for visual artists, film-makers and theatre artists.
There is one commission for a visual artist, one for a film-maker and two separate commissions for theatre makers.
2024’s festival theme is Our Planet, Our Home which builds on the UK Refugee Week 2024 theme of Our Home. This theme was chosen and created through an open consultation with artists in Manchester who create work relevant to the Horizons festival.
We are interested in proposals that fit with this year’s festival theme Our Planet, Our Home and the festival’s values of kindness, honesty, justice, equality, and respect in their proposal.
This is an exciting opportunity for your creative work to be seen by hundreds of people.
To apply for any of the commissions, you must be:
A resident of Greater Manchester
Have lived experience of displacement or seeking sanctuary
Have the Right to Work in the UK
Be aged 18+
Visual Artist Commission
We have one commission for a visual artist.
Your work must be 2-D e.g., painting, drawing, printmaking, illustration, graphic design, textiles, photography, mixed media, and digital design.
Fee: £750 in total, excluding materials.
Deadline to apply: Friday 12 January 2024 (12pm noon)
Final artwork must be completed by Monday 22 April 2024
The commissioned work will be shown at HOME between Monday 10 June – Monday 15 July 2024.
Please read the commission information carefully to ensure your work meets the criteria.
Theatre Commissions
We have two commissions for theatre makers either as an individual or as a group of two.
The commission is for people who has experience of making theatre and is looking to develop their creative practice for Manchester audiences. We’re looking for theatre makers who work in theatre, storytelling, or multi-artform theatre.
Whilst you make and perform your piece, HOME’s team is available, e.g., a lighting/sound technician(s), as well as support from a dramaturg who can help with the development of your story.
Date of show: Friday 21 June 2024
Fee: £1000 for each commission in total. This excludes props and materials.
Deadline to apply:
Friday 12 January 2024 (12pm noon)
You must be available during some of April to develop your work and rehearse at HOME and on the day of the show which is Friday 21 June 2024
Please read the commission information carefully to ensure your work meets the criteria.
Film Commission
We have one commission for a film-maker.
Fee: £1000 of funding in total. This excludes props and materials.
£500 will be paid in February 2024, and £500 will be paid in June 2024.
The film-maker will receive one to two days of advice and support from HOME’s Creative Development Practitioner during the film’s production. There is the opportunity to borrow filmmaking equipment from HOME.
Deadline to apply: Friday 12 January 2024 (12pm noon)
The finished film must be delivered by Monday 27 May 2024.
The film will be screened on Sunday 23 June 2024. There will be a question and answer (Q&A) session and a panel discussion about the themes of your film and how you made it.
Please read the commission information carefully to ensure your work meets the criteria.
Image credits: Shirlaine Forrest and Jamal Jameel.
