
Arts Council England
The national development agency for creativity and culture.
Every one of us is on a journey. Wherever you are on yours, we’ll do our best to help. Our wealth of experience, gained over more than 30 years, makes us a great sounding board and source of information on all aspects of creating live performance.
We’re here to help you make the connections you need and find your professional community.
See how we've helped others navigate the unique challenges of making theatre, dance, outdoor or site-specific performances.
We provide sources of information on all aspects of creating live performance, including funding opportunities and jobs.
We’ll give practical advice, moral support, and help you reach your potential.
Discover articles, case studies and practical guides to support you in your creative work.
The national development agency for creativity and culture.
A free online resource hub for cultural professionals that brings the collective intelligence of the sector together, by you, for you.
The 5 Guiding Principles - a toolkit to help support the performing arts sector. Nearly half of our workforce are freelancers and the Freelance Taskforce (and Activate) think it imperative that - as the sector still suffers from the knock-on effects of the pandemic - organisations & freelancers collaborate to improve working practices.
A versatile tool for freelance creatives to articulate access needs, aimed at creating supportive work environments rooted in disability justice and intersectionality.
Access a variety of practical resources on topics like creating community projects, crowdfunding, setting up arts organisations, fundraising, managing budgets and more, all aimed at supporting cultural and creative development.
Find curated resources for live art and contemporary performance, including funding bodies, venues, networks, and professional development opportunities, designed to support artists and their work.
A toolkit offering best practices for supporting freelance artists, fostering clear communication and mutual care between artists and venues, developed through conversations with underrepresented artists.
A guide for outdoor artists to outline environmentally-friendly needs alongside technical riders, promoting sustainable practices in collaboration with festivals and venues.
Keep up to date with the latest jobs, training, funding and opportunities.
Inside Out Dorset, the biennial international outdoor arts festival, is set to return this autumn with a series of free-to-see…
Andrea Gilling, a Nationwide employee and volunteer at Activate’s inclusive performance group The Remix, has secured a £10,000 grant for…
Dorset artist Tilly Ingram will be attending the Mudlarks International residency at Hawkwood Centre for Future Thinking in March 2025.
Our Inside Out Dorset 2023 festival takes silver in the Tourism Event / Festival of the Year category.
Nature Calling, a ground-breaking national project led by National Landscapes Association and executive and creative producers, Activate Performing Arts are…
WHAT A NIGHT. A HUGE THANK YOU to the various arts groups from across Dorset who came together for a…
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