Image: Atlanta Eke, Body of Work, Gregory Lorenzutti for Dancehouse

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Image: Atlanta Eke, Body of Work, Gregory Lorenzutti for Dancehouse

KEIR CHOREOGRAPHIC AWARD

Major award for contemporary choreographers now open for entries

TheKeir Foundation, Carriageworks and Dancehouse are pleased to announce the second Keir Choreographic Award is now open for entries. The biennial competition, dedicated to the commissioning of new choreographic work and promoting innovative, experimental and cross-artform practice in contemporary dance, will accept entries until 2 October 2015.

The first major Australian choreographic award, the Keir Choreographic Award was 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 atCarriageworks 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.

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 inSydney 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 Entrants will be judged by a jury of international and national peers to be announced in the coming months.

In making the announcement,Keir Choreographic Award Founder Phillip Keir said: “The Keir Foundation is very excited to be partnering with the Australia Council, Carriageworks and Dancehouse on this second iteration of thechoreographicawards.Over the last twelve months, we were thrilled to see how works commissioned as part of the previous awards have developed: works have been performed in gallery contexts, in theatres and en plein air; in international festivals and local platforms; in works of extended duration and of short. We look forward with great anticipation to the new directions that choreographers, dancers and performance artists will take us on, over the course of the next season of awards.”

Carriageworks Director Lisa Havilah, said:‘Supporting artists and the making of new work is at the heart of the Carriageworks Artistic Program. Carriageworks is pleased to again be working with Dancehouse and The Keir Foundation to nurture this next generation of dance makers. We are pleased to once again be pushing the boundaries of dance and providing solid career paths for emerging artists to develop their creative processes and provide solid career opportunities to build on their practice.”

Dancehouse Artistic Director Angela Conquet, said: “Dancehouse is once againthrilled to partner with Carriageworks and the Keir Foundation for the second edition of this unique initiative. The KCA offers a fully funded opportunity forindividual 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.”

Award entry requirements call for professional artists with an established practice to enter by submitting a 5min video pitch with a choreographic idea of 20min in duration. The Keir Choreographic Award jury will assess the initial video applications and the eight short-listed works will be provided with commissioning funds. Dancehouse and Carriageworks will produce the final eight works, with the same jurythen being called upon to collectively select foursemi-finalists to present their work at Carriageworks in Sydney. The judges will also select the major winner of the Award at the closing night of the Carriageworks season.

The Keir Choreographic Award was created to bring significant support and expand the profile and debate around choreographic practicesin Australia and internationally.

The Keir Choreographic Award captures the new territories evolving in the realm of movement and performance, highlighting the cross-disciplinarity and interconnectivity of art-forms expanding current understandings of choreography.

MEDIA CONTACTS: For further information, images and interview, please contact:
Kym Elphinstone (Carriageworks) , 0421 106 139

Claire Hielscher (Dancehouse) , 0409 789 694

ENTRY DETAILS FOR THE KEIR CHOREOGRAPHIC AWARD: To enter, please visit the website for further details on the competition and contacts:

TIMELINE:

Entries Close 2 October 2015

2016 Commissioned Choreographers Announced2 November 2015

New works developed November 2015 - April 2016

Dancehouse Season (Melbourne)26 -30 April 2016

Carriageworks Season (Sydney)15-7 May 2016

ABOUT CARRIAGEWORKS:

Carriageworks presents a contemporary multi-arts program that engages artists and audiences with contemporary ideas and issues. The program is artist led and emerges from Carriageworks’ commitment to reflecting social and cultural diversity. The Carriageworks artistic program is ambitious, risk taking and unrelenting in its support of artists. Carriageworks is a cultural facility of the NSW Government and is supported by Arts NSW. The Carriageworks program can be viewed at

ABOUT DANCEHOUSE:

Dancehouse is the Centre for independent dance in Melbourne. Through its programs of residencies, performance, training and research, Dancehouse is a space for developing challenging, invigorating, and socially engaged moving art. Dancehouse is also a hub of knowledge and resources, a presenter of outstanding programs targeting multiple communities and a fierce advocate for the vibrancy and literacy of the Australian independent dance sector.

ABOUT THE KEIR FOUNDATION:

Established by Phillip Keir and Sarah Benjamin as a private ancillary fund, the Foundation’s purpose is to foster innovation and excellence in the arts, particularly among new and emerging practictioners.The Keir Foundation has previously worked in commissioning dance projects and this choreographic award has emerged from an ongoing involvement with the dance community both nationally and internationally. Phillip Keir worked for twenty years in media, specifically as Chief Executive, Publisher and Founder of NextMedia. He is a board member of the Biennale of Sydney and Lift International Theatre Festival.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the

Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.

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