University of Bradford
Contact: Iain Bloomfield, Artistic Director
The Theatre in the Mill was established by Bradford University and remains a part of it. As a university specialising in Science and technology, the original idea was conceived of hosting four fellowships in the arts.
Today, the Theatre in the Mill, an Arts Council England NPO, plays the role of influencing the institution by commissioning work through its open space programme. This can be the development of new work or development commissions but rarely is the work shown in full.
Although there is no formal training as such, artists develop through their experience, using their skills and being supported mentors who ask probing questions and enable their progress. The emphasis is therefore not on skills, but development based.
Being based at a university in this way, this unique model of working also emerges from years of experience in theatre. The three staff operate using a porous model of thinking about the work being made.
The artists tend to be non-mainstream artists, people doing Queer work, people of colour, those who have not had the benefit of a drama school or university education – all these groups are championed by the Theatre in the Mill.
There are 6 commissions per year. 10-12 Open spaces opportunities. Artists have included: Slung Low – Invisible Flock, Selina Thompson and Jamal Gerald – a new voice in Queer art from Yorkshire.