Entries due for Keir Choreographic Award

2016 Keir Choreographic Award applications dueToday’s your last chance to apply for the 2016 Keir Choreographic Award! Entries are due at midnight!

 

The Keir Choreographic Award is the first major Australian choreographic award. It launched in 2014 with eight artists commissioned by a national and international jury to each make a new piece of original work. Melbourne’s Dancehouse hosted the semi-finals with the finals featuring the chosen four choreographic works hosted at Carriageworks in Sydney. The major prize of $30,000 was awarded to Melbourne artist Atlanta Eke and the People’s Choice Award went to Sydney artist Jane McKernan.

 

Now the Keir Foundation, Dancehouse and Carriageworks have invited choreographers to apply for the second Keir Choreographic Award. The biennial competition, dedicated to the commissioning of new choreographic work and promoting innovative, experimental and cross-art form practice in contemporary dance, will accept entries until October 2.

 

In this anticipated second edition, eight finalists will once again be selected for the semi-finals in Melbourne in April, with the top four chosen to perform in Sydney in May 2016 to compete to win this major award. As in 2014, the chosen eight for 2016 will compete for the accolade of the award, including a cash prize of $30,000 for first prize and $10,000 for an audience choice prize that will be decided by Sydney audiences.

 

Participants can enter the competition by downloading and reading the full application, with regulations available at www.carriageworks.com.au or www.dancehouse.com.au. Entrants will be judged by a jury of international and national peers.

 

Dancehouse Artistic Director Angela Conquet said, “Dancehouse is once again thrilled to partner with Carriageworks and the Keir Foundation for the second edition of this unique initiative. The KCA offers a fully funded opportunity for individual artists to create and present new work, as well as to experiment with what choreography can do or say today. This award and the partners it brings together is an outstanding conduit to foster new thinking in contemporary dance and a significant investment in nurturing exceptional talent and new audiences.”

 

The 2016 commissioned choreographers will be announced on November 2!

 

Photo: Atlanta Eke in Body of Work. Photo by Gregory Lorenzutti for Dancehouse.