Lyra’s Young Artists are looking to commission an experienced Lead Artist to create a new live performance for the 2027 Bright & Wild festival.
Artists from any live performance background can apply including dance, parkour, music, circus, installation, theatre, storytelling, live art, moving image and more.
The commissions will be selected by and created in collaboration with the children in their Thursday Young Artist (age 9-11) group.
THE COMMISSION INCLUDES:
-Lead Artist fee of £6,750
-A budget of £1,500 for materials and collaborators
-Free theatre, studio and hot desk space at Lyra
-Facilitator and Youth Arts Worker to support the sessions
-A Festival Designer to bring the work to life.
-Producer and dramaturgical support
-Creative mentoring.
-Opportunities to share your work with industry professionals.
SCHEDULE
The successful Artist(s) will deliver weekly sessions with the Performing Arts group after school on Thursdays from October 2026 – June 2027. The standard weekly call time is 2.15pm – 6pm (including briefing and debrief). Additionally, there will be two induction days, one tech/dress day and four days in the festival week (30 days total at £225 per day). The final performances will be presented in the w/c 17 May 2027. See the callout documents for full schedule.
HOW TO APPLY
Stage One: Submit your Expression of Interest to lyra@lyra.co.uk by Tue 1 September 2026, 12 noon. Your Expression of interest should include the following:
– your CV
– a link to your website (if you have one) or three examples of your work
– a short Biography (no more than half a page)
Stage Two: Shortlisted Artists to submit a Commission Proposal to the Young Artists by Mon 14 September 2026 at 12 noon. Candidates will be informed whether they’ve been invited to Stage Two by Thu 3 September 2026. If you have been shortlisted, you’ll be invited to prepare a commission proposal, responding to the Bright & Wild 2027 programming theme – Brave New Worlds: The Creators. Proposals should be in video or audio format and no more than five minutes. The Young Artists will then review and shortlist their favourite proposals.
Stage Three: Pitch Your Idea to the Young Artists on Thu 24 September 2026. Applicants shortlisted by the children in Stage Two, will be invited to lead a practical workshop with the Young Artists, where they will have the opportunity to pitch their idea. Applicants will be paid for this workshop.
The Young Artists will vote for their preferred idea after the practical workshops. Workshops will take place on the afternoon of Thu 24 September 2026.
For further information, please contact lyra@lyra.co.uk, call 0131 659 4759 or visit https://www.lyra.co.uk/workwithus.
