DAiR To… leaves the West Midlands Dancing!

Statistics
Legacy
DAiR To... Evaluation

DAiR To… (Dance Artist in Residence) was a project devised by DanceXchange and delivered in partnership with Dudley Community Dance Consortium, BORDERDance in Shropshire, Solihull Arts Complex and Stoke-on-Trent Theatres to benefit a broad range of young people, from pupils in referral units to asylum seekers and disabled children, both in rural and inner-city surroundings. 

The DAiR To... programme engaged young people in dance experiences that would otherwise not have been available or accessible to them.  The project raised youngsters’ confidence levels by way of responsive and creative educational work, enticed new audiences into theatres, combated the isolation of local dance artists, and helped to establish a thriving dance infrastructure across the region.

STATISTICS
Over the 27 months of the project, DAiR To… worked with over 9,230 young people and delivered more than 1,940 dance sessions.  Including the three tours, during which a new piece choreographed by the DAiRs travelled to all five partner areas with accompanying educational activity, the project provided a total of 2,068 events (education sessions and performances) for 32,586 attendees (both participants and audience members). 

LEGACY
The project partners are proud that the achievements of the project will continue beyond its duration:

• DanceXchange is piloting two new roles as a result of the project: a DanceXchange Dance Artist in Residence and a Project Manager for Access and Inclusion. Work for both roles will continue to respond to the needs of those at risk of exclusion and will now include work with adults as well as young people.  DanceXchange will also be continuing to support DAiR To… style development work through monthly class and network meetings for artists that will be rotated around the West Midlands, networking opportunities for dance agencies, and support for relevant funding applications being made by project partners.  For more information, click here
• Dudley Performing Arts (Dudley Community Dance Consortium’s parent organisation) will continue its rich programme of dance work and is exploring the possibility of coordinating a smaller choreographic commission.  For more information, click here
• The Shropshire DAiR, who moved to Shropshire when awarded the post, will remain in the county and continue to deliver work on a freelance basis.  For more information, click here
• Solihull Arts Complex has made a significant achievement by establishing a continuing post of Dance Artist in Residence (now part of the Council’s strategy), which is currently being filled by the former Solihull DAiR.  For more information, click here
• Stoke-on-Trent Theatres (The Regent Theatre and The Victoria Hall) shall continue to host the position of dance artist in residence to ensure the crucial youth dance development work, and associated performances, remain a priority within the venues’ robust education and outreach programme in the city and North Staffordshire. For more information, click here 

EVALUATION
To download a copy of the DAiR To… Evaluation Report, please click here. We would be very grateful if you could register your interest in this report (your details will not be kept or used) by clicking here.