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Play Space residencies

The Cultural Institute and stage@leeds have joined forces to offer a new summer residency programme for theatre, dance, music theatre and live art makers at the University of Leeds.

Play Space offers free residencies in June/July 2026 (each lasting five consecutive days) for professional theatre/music theatre-makers, dance artists and live art makers. Residencies will take place in studios or performance spaces managed by stage@leeds. 

Apply for Play Space (MS Forms)

Closing date: 12 noon, Thursday 29 January. 

The weeks available for residencies are: 

  • w/c 22 June
  • w/c 29 June 

It may be possible to schedule one residency in w/c 13 or 20 July if the above weeks are impossible for you.  

This scheme develops out of the support offered to companies and artists over the years by stage@leeds. These have included The Paper Birds, Gary Clarke and Vanessa Grasse among many others. 

The residencies are offered under two strands: 

  • Strand 1 – artists wishing to involve a research element in a current project by exploring a relationship with a researcher/s at the University of Leeds. 
  • Strand 2 – artists making work engaging with themes of environmental sustainability, nature and ecology, or adaptation to a changing climate. This can be either through the themes of the creative work, or through the methodologies being used to make it. 

What we offer (subject to availability)

  • Five days free space (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm) on campus at the University of Leeds. This will be in the stage@leeds main auditorium or a studio space (various sizes available) depending on need and availability. 
  • Technical support to set up the space and use of technical equipment. Additional technical support during the week may be available but is not guaranteed.  
  • Use of VR, 360 recording and Qlab projection mapping equipment. Please see the studio specifications and tech list for the kit that is available to you. 
  • Dramaturgical or producer conversations if required. 
  • Introductions to relevant academics in the field/s of research you wish to connect with, where relevant. 
  • £750 (including VAT) cash to support your ability to undertake the residency.  

Who can apply

Creative professionals making high-quality professional work in the fields of theatre, music theatre, dance or performance art. The scheme is aimed at artists/organisations who want to explore contemporary ways of making work, important issues of our time or whose perspectives have been historically underrepresented. 

As the opportunity offers a token bursary rather than a full payment, this opportunity will suit artists developing their work through a project or development grant. This could be part of a longer development project, with multiple other producing partners, for example supported through an Arts Council Project Grant.  

Applicants should be able to clearly express the focus of their work, what they would like to explore during the residency and a sense of how they might want it to develop further beyond the residency.  

Applicants’ previous experience should enable them to manage their residency independently and make the most of the opportunity. 

Applicants under Strand 1 should have a clear sense of a research area/areas that they would like to engage with and a clear rationale for how it will benefit their process. While we will make introductions to relevant academic researchers, it will be the responsibility of the applicant to arrange meeting them/inviting them to visit their residency. 

While the opportunity is open to UK-based artists, it may be most applicable to artists from Leeds and West Yorkshire as the opportunity does not include travel or accommodation cost.  

Current students are not eligible for this programme and should consider the YEP (Young Entrepreneurs Scheme) instead. For more details email stage@leeds.ac.uk. 

How to apply

To apply to Play Space, please complete the Play Space application form (MS Forms). If your application is successful we will arrange an online meeting to discuss and confirm the details of the residency.   

In case the viability of this residency is dependent on securing other project funding we will endeavour to reschedule should funding applications need to be resubmitted.  

Timescales and decisions  

If there are more applicants than residencies available, we will base our decisions on: 

  • Quality of response to the strand applied for. 
  • The criteria in the ‘Who it’s For’ section 
  • Supporting a range of work and artists from a range of backgrounds.  

Applications will close at midday on Thursday 29 January 2026.  We will aim to communicate decisions by 9 February 2026.