January 13, 2020
Hidden Door is looking for new writing and innovative stage-based and non-stage-based productions for its Theatre Programme for the 2020 Festival, taking place from 9-18 October.
Application are invited until 24 February 2020.
Hidden Door 2020 will see a secret venue transformed into a temporary live music venue, theatre and performance space, alongside a multitude of art exhibitions and installations.
By stimulating the public’s interest in the potential of disused spaces, Hidden Door creates an exciting way for audiences to discover new artistic voices in Scotland. Through bringing diverse art forms together, Hidden Door aims to generate a wide audience for the arts and create high-impact events, providing the opportunity for contributors to reach new audiences and meet and work alongside a wide range of practitioners.
Individual artists and companies are invited to submit ideas for innovative projects, theatre practitioners from across the UK are welcome and can be at any stage of their career from established to emerging artists.
As the venue is yet to be announced we welcome applications with diverse approaches to staging, from end on and seated to promenade and beyond, those looking to develop and innovate their practice will be especially encouraged.
Hidden Door is committed to ensuring good conditions and rates of pay for its artists and performers and we have taken the decision that instead of paying “project costs” for each selected production, as per previous festivals, we will pay each selected production a performance fee based on paying £120 per performance per performer/person involved in the production. Hidden Door will not pay travel expenses. This is instead of a project budget as outlined in the guidelines below.
Apply by 24 February 2020.
Download the guidelines for the Theatre Call For Proposals (PDF)
When you’re ready to apply, complete this online form.
Hidden Door is an arts organisation which aims to open up urban spaces as a platform for new and emerging artists, musicians, theatre makers, performers, film makers and poets. Through organising temporary events Hidden Door works to showcase new work and create engaging environments for the public to experience, explore and discover.
Hidden Door has steadily grown in size and reputation since it began in 2014, when it cleared out the abandoned Market Street vaults to run a 9-day arts festival focused on showcasing local creative talent. In 2015 the festival moved to a hidden courtyard behind Kings’ Stables Road, and returned there in 2016, attracting over 12,000 visitors to experience a wealth of art, poetry, theatre, film, dance and music. In 2017 the festival breathed new life into the old Leith Theatre, attracting rave reviews and critical praise for its role in resurrecting “Scotland’s best new live music venue”, winning a Scottish Thistle Award for “Best Cultural Event or Festival”. It returned there in 2018 whilst also opening up the iconic State Cinema around the corner, then following a farewell weekender at Leith Theatre in 2019, organisers are now setting their sights on a mystery new location to bring to life in 2020.
Hidden Door will return in 2020 as a 10-day multi arts festival, taking place 9 – 18 October in an as-yet undisclosed derelict site in Edinburgh.