Tara has been striving to establish a Dance Network for Sheffield for the past 12 months and Yorkshire Dance identified Tara as a ‘catalyst’ individual to support and develop. Tara was chosen to be one of the Regional 12, new initiative offering individually tailored support and advice.

Subsequently, Tara took part in Dance Transports regional CPD, working with Stopgap, Dance United and 2Faced. Yorkshire Dance then supported her to achieve her first Grants for the Arts bid Cityscapes, which will build on The Dance Network Sheffield and deliver a site-specific project linking with local festivals including Sheffield Design Week and Tramlines Music Festival.

“Being in the Regional 12 has had a positive impact on my development as a professional artist. My aim at the start of the year was to attend more professional performances that reflect my areas of interest, including physical theatre, site specific work, and theatre-based productions. It has been great to have my own little pot of money to fulfill these ambitions.

“Recognition of the Regional 12 programme has been particularly useful at networking events; as a result I had the opportunity to join professional artist Gerry Turvey in the creation and performance at Leeds City Gallery in March, working with other professional dancers and Regional 12 artists, and with Leeds College of Music students, towards a collaborative public performance.

“My involvement has also provided me one-to-one mentoring and support from Yorkshire Dance in writing and successfully receiving my first Arts Council bid. I’ve really valued the support and feel I’ve developed a key set of management skills needed to operate the activities of the Dance Network.”

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9 May 2015