Links
A list of support organisations, development agencies, funding bodies, trade and workers' organisations, training and resource providers which may be of use to anyone working in the performing arts or the creative industries in general.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Actors Centre North
www.northernactorscentre.co.uk
Actors Centre North (formerly Northern Actors Centre) provides workshops for actors and other professionals in theatre, television, film and radio to enable them to continuously maintain and develop their craft once their initial training has been completed. The Centre is also a resource for information on venues, tutors, production companies, agents, performers, equipment, and offers general professional advice and guidance.
AmbITion
AmbITion is a virtual organisation helping arts and cultural organisations achieve their 21st century sustainability ambitions through implementing integrated IT and digital developments. The website and network provide the resources to communicate, collaborate, create and celebrate getting digital in the arts.
Arts About Manchester (AAM)
Arts About Manchester is the audience development agency for Greater Manchester. AAM is a membership organisation which acts as a central point of contact for the local arts community as well as an important research and intelligence resource. Their expertise in audience development and arts marketing also means that they work with non-members at both regional and national level.
Arts Admin
Founded in 1979, Artsadmin is a unique producing organisation for contemporary artists working in theatre, dance, live art, visual arts, and mixed media. Based at Toynbee Studios in London since 1995, the organisation offers a free advisory service for artists, mentoring and development programmes and a number of bursary schemes.
Arts Council England
Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts in England, distributing public money from Government and the National Lottery. Arts Council England work to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in experiences that enrich people's lives.
Artsnet
Artsnet is for people employed in or interested in arts and culture to engage with the wider strategic issues which affect your work, play and quality of life in the City of Manchester. The network is part of the Community Network for Manchester (CN4M) which is the voice of the community and voluntary sector and links to the Manchester Partnership.
Arts On The Move
Arts On The Move specialises in providing drama, theatre and creative support for schools, youth theatres and creative practitioners. The Arts On The Move website contains a huge range of free information, plus high quality resources, such as lesson plans, drama books to support best practice, and playscripts for young people to perform.
BBC Writers Room
An amazing resource for all script writers. Submission details, advice, news, and a huge selection of scripts to read for inspiration.
Business in the Arts: North West
Business in the Arts:North West exists to bring business skills and experience to the arts and museums in ways that are beneficial both to business and to the arts and museums, providing practical ways for businesses to support the arts and museums, providing management development opportunities for business managers and professionals, and providing opportunities for community involvement and fulfilment of Corporate Social Responsibility objectives.
Business Link Northwest
www.businesslink.gov.uk/northwest
Business Link Northwest is an independent, free-to-use business support and information service, providing relevant and up to date information and guidance for all businesses in the North West, and people thinking of starting their own company in the region. Business Link provides a huge range of information that could support your business development delivered by the dedicated Digital and Creative Industries team.
Cheshire Dance
Cheshire Dance is at the centre of development for dance across Cheshire. Their work includes a high quality programme of activity, which encompasses their whole community.
Community Arts Northwest (CAN)
Based in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, CAN is an arts development organisation working in partnership with voluntary sector communities, agencies and artists to encourage, develop, create, produce and promote cultural programmes of work.
Creative Lancashire
Creative Lancashire is on a mission to realise the combination of creative and commercial potential in the county and put Lancashire on the map as a centre of innovation excellence. The team have in-depth knowledge of business support programmes and partner projects for creative and digital businesses across Lancashire and the North West. Creative Lancashire run Sizzle, the creative industries network for Lancashire.
CrISP Creative Industries Support Project - Cheshire and Warrington
CrISP provides networking opportunities for creative industries in Cheshire and Warrington. Registered users can promote their business for free in CrISP's Creative Directory and sign up to receive monthly email updates of news, events, opportunities and vacancies in creative industries throughout the North West.
Cultural Diversity Network North
CDNN addresses disparities in the audio visual industries along race and ethnic lines by sharing good practice, making their members aware of the barriers and also by targeting and providing skills to those people who may not usually have the chance.
The Cumbria Network
An online resource for Cumbria’s artistic community which aims to encourage and continue the development of a sustainable rural arts model, a lively community of creative practitioners and a vibrant arts scene, through a range of interactive features.
Dance Initiative Greater Manchester (DiGM)
DiGM, (pronounced DIME!), is Greater Manchester's central dance organisation providing a whole range of opportunities for dance. DiGM's work covers a range of community projects in the districts, to the bi-annual international festival Urban Moves. DiGM works with dance artists and companies, arts organisations, community groups, venues, local authorities and funders.
DaDa - Disability and Deaf Arts
DaDa - Disability & Deaf Arts (formerly NWDAF) is an innovative disability arts organisation based in the North West. DaDa works with arts organisations and agencies to promote equal access to Disabled people, from arts training to audience development and programming. At its heart is the 'grass roots' work, engaging directly with Disabled & Deaf artists and communities to ensure every aspect of delivery reflects the wants and needs of Disabled & Deaf people.
Directory of Social Change
The Directory of Social Change, set up in 1975, aims to be an internationally recognised independent source of information and support to voluntary and community sectors worldwide. We enable the community and voluntary sectors to achieve their aims through being an independent voice, providing training and information.
Dramaturgs' Network
Dramaturges' Network is an organisation for UK theatre practitioners committed to developing dramaturgy and supporting practitioners' development in the field through sharing ideas, knowledge and resources. Dramaturgs' Network explore and promote the role, function and contributions by dramaturgs and literary managers through practice, debate and collaborations.
Full Circle Arts
Full Circle Arts is a North West based arts organisation that is led by disabled people. It works nationally with partners to provide creative solutions for inclusion of disabled people in aspects of the cultural industries and the arts.
Get Into Theatre
Get Into Theatre is a resource for young people to explore the huge variety of careers in the industry – and different ways to get there. The site offers descriptions of over 80 careers in the arts, interviews with practitioners, a CV clinic, and a list of resources and opportunities for people begining a career in the arts.
Independent Theatre Council (ITC)
The Independent Theatre Council (ITC) is the management association and industry lead body for performing arts organisations and individuals across the UK. ITC facilitate the creation of excellent professional performing arts by supporting, developing and representing the people who manage and produce it through a comprehensive package of advice services, training and professional development opportunities, networking meetings and exclusive service discounts.
ITC are a PANDA Partner organisation and offer a discounted rate on membership to PANDA members. See the Special Offers and Discounts section for more information.
Kadmus Arts
Kadmus Arts is a website for the festival community: the organizers, the sponsors, the artists, and most importantly, the audiences. Kadmus Arts is now the web’s most popular portal to every kind of dance, music, and theatre festival throughout the world. This site’s goal is to make festivals more accessible and to promote the meeting of cultures, performances, and artists.
Lancashire Writing Hub
www.lancashirewritinghub.co.uk
Lancashire Writing Hub is a writing development project. It exists to provide writers across the county opportunities to network, develop, publish and perform; whether poet or copy writer, novelist or screen writer, journo or blogger.
LANWest
www.lanwest.org
LANWest (Live Art North West) is a network of regional (and beyond) promoters and producers with an interest in live art and contemporary performance. The website is a one-stop video outlet for performance, contemporary theatre, and live art made in the North West of England. Selected and endorsed by the region’s key promoters, LANWest offers an online showcase of what to watch out for.
Ludus Dance
Based in Lancaster for over thirty years, Ludus Dance is Britain's leading dance in education company. Ludus Dance creates and tours contemporary dance-based performances and workshops specifically designed to explore themes and issues relevant to young people, and offers a comprehensive range of community dance activities for people of all ages, abilities, cultures and backgrounds, across Lancashire.
Manchester Business Consortium
Manchester Business Consortium is an Enterprise Agency and company limited by guarantee. The organisation has 20 years experience in delivering support to start-up and existing businesses. The Enterprise Agency is part of a network of referral and delivery.
Manchester Digital Development Agency
Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA) provides free and impartial ICT advice, support and guidance to small businesses, community groups, academic institutions and government agencies in the Greater Manchester area.
Manchester Youth Arts Network
www.manchesteryoutharts.org.uk
The Manchester Youth Arts Network aims to increase access to the arts for young people, aged 11-25, across Manchester. They aim to support young people, and those who work with young people, in gaining the knowledge to access what’s available across the arts and also the means to develop new ideas or projects.
Merseyside Dance Initiative (MDI)
Merseyside Dance Initiative (MDI) is the regional dance development agency for Merseyside in the North West of England. The aim of MDI is to inspire people through dance, strengthen the dance sector and provide access and support to all those who engage in dance activity (artists, participants and audiences), and find new ways of reaching those who don’t through its ethos of inclusivity.
New Work Network
New Work Network is a London-based organisation which promotes and supports the development of new performance, live and interdisciplinary arts practice by providing demand-led networking support for artists and by facilitating engagement and collaboration between practitioners nationally and internationally.
North West Dance
North West Dance: The Lowry Youth Dance Partnership is a collective of organisations working in partnership to provide and champion high quality dance in all its forms, for all children, young people, and youth dance leaders throughout the region; promoting increased access to opportunities, raising standards and improving progression routes.
North West Playwrights
North West Playwrights supports writers living or working in the North West of England. They aim to nurture emerging writers into sustainable careers and support established artists in exploring new areas of work and new approaches to their craft.
On the Move
On the Move is a web site dedicated to international mobility opportunities and information in theatre, dance, music and other contemporary performing arts disciplines. It is intended for artists and performing arts professionals from Europe and beyond.
One Central Place
One Central Place is a comprehensive source of contact information for voluntary and community sector (VCS) groups in Manchester, together with the details of organisations that support the work undertaken within the sector.
Own-it
Own-it provides free advice, resources and events on intellectual property (IP), including copyright, design rights, trade marks, patents, branding, licensing, royalties and contracts. Membership is free and members can attend events, download event podcasts and sample legal contracts, access legal advice and attend IP clinics.
Stage Management Association
www.stagemanagementassociation.co.uk
The Stage Management Association (SMA) is the national organisation for stage managers and those interested in stage management and other backstage work. All types of performances need great stage management, so SMA support, develop, represent and promote members, and the profession, with a wide range of services.
Sustained Theatre
Sustained Theatre is a network and a call to action for all artists to lobby for positive change - to keep issues relating to Black, Asian, and minority ethnic theatre artists and practitioners alive and in the national debate. The aim is to sustain an environment of progressive thinking and action that will redress the balance and shake up the national arts landscape.
Toolkit
The Toolkit is a website for individuals and groups who are developing creative enterprises and community arts projects in Manchester. It contains up to date, relevant information on organisations, networks, training and funding opportunities that can help make your project a success.
Visiting Arts
Visiting Arts' purpose is to strengthen intercultural understanding through the arts. The charity provides information and intelligence, creates opportunities for artists to explore new connections and exands the skills and knowledge of new and existing cultural players for a diverse and sustainable arts environment. Visiting Arts is also the new UK Cultural Contact Point for European opportunities.
Not found the organisation you were looking for? Contact us and we'll see if we can find the information for you. Or browse through the database of our members and their organisations to see if you can find the support you need.