RAWspace x Mona Foma
The Theatre Royal and Mona Foma are joining forces by seeking proposals from Tasmanian based sound artists, composers and musicians for a very special RAWspace in February 2024.

RAWspace x Mona Foma will seed and develop an artist or an artist collaboration that is focussed on sound installation and / or music performance.

Learn more about the successful project. 

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS 
Supporting the development of new creative ideas and projects 

The Theatre Royal is seeking proposals from Tasmanian artists for RAWspace 2024. 

RAWspace 2024 will seed and develop new performance and public engagement projects that have the potential to be presented in our venues, public spaces, or on digital platforms.  

What is RAWspace? 

RAWspace  is a program aimed at supporting independent Tasmanian artists to develop new work. Ultimately, we would like to see some of the projects supported through RAWspace appearing in future Theatre Royal seasons, diversifying the type of work we present and the audiences we reach. 

We are seeking to support projects that will engage audiences or the public through live performance or performance installation, working in any art form. Proposed projects may have an intended outcome in a venue, site, or digital platform. 

Works can be at any stage of development and, while an outcome is expected at the end of the program, this could take the form of a research sharing, work in progress showing, or public performance. 

We expect to support three individual artists, or groups to be selected in 2024. 
 

What we offer
 

Funding of up to $5,000 per project 

Funds will contribute to creative fees, materials and/or production costs (you will need to provide a project budget - see below). 

No funding from other sources is required. 

Theatre Royal will provide the Studio Theatre to be used as a development / rehearsal space with some access to technical equipment and technical support – to be negotiated, depending on project requirements. 

 

Development & presentation space 

The Theatre Royal’s Studio Theatre will be available to each project for up to 5 days, (see available dates below). 

Office space may be available, depending on requirements and capacity. 

Other Theatre Royal spaces can be made available, depending on project needs, and the theatre’s operational requirements. 

 

Access to mentors and industry professionals 

Advice and support will be available on aspects of performance, marketing, technical production and project management. Note, this assistance will need to be scheduled with Theatre Royal staff in advance and is contingent on their availability – successful applicants will be responsible for managing their own projects. 

 

An opportunity to present a work-in-progress showing, or public performance 

All projects will share the outcome of their development in a suitable format, which could include: 

a talk/presentation of research or concept development; 

a short showing, or excerpts of work-in-progress; or 

a full performance. 

The main purpose of the presentation will be to facilitate critical feedback from professional practitioners, producers and technicians. Artists may also like to present work to the general public, seek feedback from audiences, or test audience engagement strategies.  

 

WHO SHOULD APPLY? 

The RAWspace Program is open to:  

Independent Tasmanian artists, or groups of artists, at any stage of their career. 

Lead artists must be residents of Tasmania. 

It is understood that artists may be working with or receiving support from a funded company, however, proposals will only be accepted from the individual artist and not a funded company. 

 

WHAT TYPE OF WORK WILL BE CONSIDERED? 

We want to support the development of new work or provide the space and resources to realise an existing work in development. 

We are interested in performance works that, at some point, intend to have a public outcome. Projects may be at any stage of development, and we encourage diverse form and content. 
 

WHAT TYPE OF WORK WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED? 

We are not looking for: 

Work that has had or about to have a public outcome. 

 

SPACE AVAILABILITY 

The below dates in 2024 have been reserved in the Studio Theatre for artists participating in RAWspace.  

4 to 8 March 2024

18 to 22 March 2024

29 April to 3 May 2024

20 to 24 May 2024

27 to 31 May 2024

17 to 21 June 2024

15 to 19 July 2024

5 to 9 August  2024

26 to 30 August 2024

23 to 27 September 2024

 

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION 

We encourage proposals from artists from diverse cultural backgrounds, people with disability, and LGBTQAI+ artists. 

 

HOW DO I APPLY? 

Proposals should include the following information:  

 

Project description (500 words max.) 

What is the idea? 

What is the form of the work? 

What development has already taken place? 

What creative outcomes are you seeking to achieve through RAWspace 2024? 

 

Audience engagement (250 words max.) 

Who is your intended audience (if you have one yet)? 

What will be the audience experience? 

 

Project management 

Provide a timeline outlining the proposed development process – please refer to space availability above and identify a first, second and third choice of preferred dates you intend to use the Studio Theatre. 

Give a brief overview of any technical requirements you might have, noting the Theatre Royal will provide basic needs (the space and work lights), while additional resources will need discussion with our Operations team and possibly a budget allocation. 

Provide a budget outlining project expenditure, any income sources received or expected, and the amount requested through RAWspace 2024 (max. $5,000) – a template is available to download if you need one. 

 

Support material 

Please provide artists bios and some examples of key collaborators’ previous work, as well as any existing material for your proposed project.  

Written material to a maximum of 5 pages and up to 5 images should be attached to your application. Our preference for audio and video material (up to a maximum of 5 minutes duration) is to be linked to a URL. If attaching files, they should be no more than 5MB. 

 

If you think you will have difficulty submitting your support material, please contact us via email rawspace@theatreroyal.com.au 

 

Email your proposal as a pdf document to rawspace@theatreroyal.com.au by 5pm Monday 29th January 2024. 

 

WHAT HAPPENS TO MY PROPOSAL? 

A selection panel, chaired by the Theatre Royal, will consider all proposals. Applicants will be notified in the week commencing 19 February 2024. 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION  

Please contact Simon Wellington, CEO or Steve Mayhew, Program Manager at the Theatre Royal by emailing rawspace@theatreroyal.com.au 

 

RAWspace 2023 is supported by the City of Hobart, Performing Lines and founding patron of the RAWspace Giving Circle, Belinda Kendall-White. 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

 

Will the Theatre Royal produce successful projects? 

Theatre Royal does not currently have the capacity to produce new work, however, we will work with artists to identify the most appropriate resources and process required to realise their project.  

 

Will the Theatre Royal present successful projects? 

We are interested in presenting new work within our annual Season or at different times during the year, in our venues, public spaces, the surrounding precinct, or on digital platforms. There are a range of factors that we consider when curating our program, which we will discuss with creative teams. 

 

What venues would Theatre Royal present work in? 

We have two theatres – the 698-seat heritage Theatre Royal and 284-seat Studio Theatre. We are also keen to use other spaces in and around our building, including the Ian Potter Recital Hall or The Salon within The Hedberg. Off-site works are also a possibility. 

 

If I take up this opportunity must the work be presented by the Theatre Royal? 

No, not everything will be relevant or suitable for the Theatre Royal. Part of the program will be helping successful projects realise the most appropriate long-term production ambitions and how to achieve those. Future presentations of the work will require an acknowledgment of support received through the RAWspace program. 

 

What do you mean by “any art form”, or “diverse art forms”? 

We’re trying not to be too prescriptive. We know that the type of work artists are making and the ways they are making it, are constantly changing and being redefined. The interests and demands of audiences are also continually changing. 

 

While we would like to support performance projects that engage audiences in some way, they could take a range of different forms, including: 

Devised performance  

Text-based plays 

Dance 

Spoken word 

Performance lecture 

Musical theatre or cabaret 

Performance installation 

Digital outcomes, including Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) projects 

Radio plays or podcasts 

Multidisciplinary projects 

 

You don’t have to fit into a category, just tell us what your form is, or you think it could be, and how people might experience or engage with your work. 

 

What if I don’t know who the audience for my work will be? 

Don’t panic, you don’t need to know everything yet. We have asked applicants to identify potential audiences or audience experience because, ultimately, we are interested in work that engages with the public in some way, either as audience members or participants. Your idea might not have reached that stage yet, but at some point, we want you to think about and develop an audience for your work. 

 

I’ve already received funding, is my project still eligible? 

Yes it is. We won’t discriminate against projects with or without funding, as you long as you can demonstrate that you have adequate resources to undertake the project and that artists are being paid. 

 

We are a company with annual funding, can we apply? 

We are prioritising support for independent artists and groups who don’t currently receive annual funding. If you receive annual funding to develop and present work, we should have a separate discussion about how you might partner with the Theatre Royal. 

 

What technical equipment is available in the space?  

We can provide you a standard rehearsal kit: 

Projector 

Screen 

Mixing Desk  

Speakers 

2 x Microphones 

Tables 

Chairs 

DSLR Camera for stills and 4K video 

 

We will discuss any requirements excess to the above.  

 

The Studio Theatre will be provided with basic work lights, not access to the full lighting grid.  Access to and experimenting with additional lighting or technical equipment, and appropriate personnel for their operation, can be discussed. 

 

We will help by providing in-house support where we can, but the extent of this will depend on the project and our capacity at the time. For example, if you have a work that has a high level of tech needs and requires constant operation, you will probably need to factor in a tech or production manager within your team and budget. Here’s a link to what we have available in the Studio. 

 

If I have my own technician, can they operate Theatre Royal equipment? 

This will depend on the equipment and personnel. As a rule, the use of our equipment requires supervision from the Theatre Royal’s technical staff. We have allocated some technical support to each project, however, and will work with you to assess your requirements, available equipment, the capacity of personnel, and any other requirements around training or supervision.  

 

Will I still own the copyright in my work? 

Yes, you will. We will have an agreement with you that explicitly states artists retain all intellectual property rights, and moral rights, in work they create. 

 

Does marketing support include a photographer for a hero image? 

No, it does not. This would need to be an external contractor who you would have to source and pay for. We can help with some great contacts though. 

 

My collaborators are outside Tasmania? Is there reliable internet inside the venue? 

Yes, we have great Wi-Fi, which will be made available to your team.  

 

Can I use other areas in the Theatre Royal & The Hedberg and bring the public into it? 

Possibly. This will depend on the production schedule across our venues and what you would like to do. Use of the space and some equipment may require an induction or supervision. 

 

What kind of support can you offer regarding performance, dramaturgy, set design, film and projection advice? 

It is best that you factor creative expertise and collaborations into your plan and team. We can certainly help identify potential collaborators or advisors. As mentioned above, all projects will share the outcome of their development. We would hope to use a showing to facilitate critical feedback from professional practitioners, producers, and technicians. Artists may also like to present work to the public to seek feedback from audiences, or test audience engagement strategies.  

 

SUCCESSFUL 2023 RAWSPACE PROJECTS 

Feras Shaheen, Street Pavilion  

Street Pavilion (working title) looks at how busking and street performers are perceived in the art world by subverting the traditional relationship between dancers, musicians, and audiences.

Through this project, Feras will explore various ways to make work in public spaces, creating multiple points of engagement for audiences. Through RAWspace, he hopes to create a small-scale prototype for further feedback and development that will assist in answering the key question - how do audiences interact with music in both new and familiar spaces?

Seeded at the Performing Lines TAS Tarraleah Residency 2022.

Rod Anderson, Sex Enlightenment Death  

Sex Enlightenment Death is a three-chapter performance cycle exploring the life and insights of one man’s deepening experience of travelling life’s highway, potholes and all.  The story will be told in different forms, using musical cabaret for the first chapter, to create a conversation with the audience.

RAWspace will support experienced artist Rod Anderson to produce a new work that is a commentary on contemporary society reflected through his own personal and diverse experiences of life, art making and performance. It is hoped the RAWspace residency will assist in bringing the first chapter to a level where is can be viewed by producers and industry professionals.
 
Nancy Mauro-Flude, Matt Daniels & Margie Medlin, Rhapsody  

Rhapsody is a computer game installation that tackles the intergenerational impact of family violence. Through this new art form, the project explores the interface between audiences, technology and performance and how storytelling is changing in response to new technologies. The game’s protagonist is Rhapsody, a playful sorceress. Users play the game from Rhapsody’s perspective, providing an audience with opportunities to interact and engage in real time. 

The RAWspace residency will enable this experienced group of artists from the digital frontier to expand the concept of Rhapsody and scope how best to narrate, create, design and deliver the work for a diverse audience, with the aim to develop a basic playable prototype. 

Amanda Hodder & Nicholas Tolputt, Rumpelstiltskin  

The idea for this project is to create a solo opera for countertenor and keyboard based on the story of Rumpelstiltskin. Amanda and Nicholas intend to take a fresh perspective on this classic fairy tale and frame it as an exploration of masculinity, loneliness, shame and pride. 

RAWspace will provide the artists with the opportunity to condense thematic ideas into a story arc and work with other creatives as they begin the formal writing process and explore options for the libretto.

Seeded at the Performing Lines TAS Tarraleah Residency 2022.

RAWspace 2024 is supported by the City of Hobart, Performing Lines TAS, Mona Foma and founding patron of the RAWspace Giving Circle, Belinda Kendall-White.