Are you a creative living or working in Basildon?
Towngate Ensemble is our Artist Development programme for creatives 18+. The programme aims to offer a wide range of sessions and workshops to local creatives living and/or working in and around Basildon to build a supportive community of artists and changemakers. The programme aims to help support local artists and also support work being produced in the borough, whilst fostering a collective sense of support and togetherness. Find out all the sessions you can be involved in below.
Creative Coffee Mornings
Join us for our monthly meets in the Upper Foyer. Our Creative Coffee Mornings are a space to network with other performers, makers, and creatives in the area whilst meeting members of the Towngate team. The sessions are open to everyone, and are our staple piece of the Ensemble programme which aims to be a supportive and nurturing space for artists to take a couple of hours out of the real world. Want to chat about your work? Looking to network with other artists from different disciplines? Looking for a space to get away from it all for a moment? Our Coffee Mornings are for you.
Book your FREE space at our next Creative Coffee Morning or Networking Night
Ensemble Scratch Nights
Our monthly scratch nights are for early stage work of a maximum of 10 minutes. These pieces of work should be new material that haven’t had an audience outing before. The sessions are free to attend for both performers, and for audiences. The events will run like an open mic night; all you need do is sign up to show something in advance, and we will decide the running order for which each piece is shown. There will be no technical support on these evenings, just you and the audience in our Gielgud Room. Each scratch night performance piece will receive a £50 stipend to make the opportunity more accessible. Scratch Nights spaces will be prioritised for our Ensemble members, however are open to all to apply.
Any technical requirements should be noted prior to the performance date. Audience feedback will be collected on the evening in the form of written notes. To submit your piece for Scratch Night as a performer, please complete the form below. To book to attend our next showcase, please visit our Scratch Night page.
Basildon Community Micro-Commission
Supporting people living or working in Basildon to create the next piece of new work for our communities.
We’re looking for local creatives to bring new ideas to life. Towngate Theatre is offering 5 micro-commissions of £700 to support the research, development, or prototyping of new creative work that connects with Basildon communities. Whether you’re an artist, maker, performer, or creative practitioner, this is your chance to test an idea, explore something new, or develop something further. We aren’t looking for polished ideas, we want to support work in progress.
What’s included:
– £700 commission to develop your idea
– 1:1 mentoring (creative or producing support tailored to you)
– Peer support through group check-ins
– Opportunity to share your work and get feedback
– Connection into a wider network of local creatives
We’re particularly keen to hear from creatives with ideas that:
– Engage local communities
– Reflect diverse voices and experiences
– Bring something fresh to Basildon
To apply, complete our online application form.
Creative Funding Writers Lab
Got an idea but not sure how to fund it? The Creative Funding Writers Lab is a free support programme for creatives aged 18+ living or working in Basildon. You’ll get practical guidance on funding, help shaping your idea, and optional 1:1 support. No experience needed, and early ideas are welcome.
The Creative Funding Writers Lab is a support programme designed to help emerging and mid‑career creatives in Basildon build confidence and capability in applying for arts funding, particularly Arts Council England’s Project Grants. To be a part of the current cohort, you can apply via the application link below.
Creatives’ networking nights
Come and join us in the Gielgud Room for our next Creatives’ Networking Evening!
These events are for creatives, artists, and practitioners to connect, network, and collaborate. These sessions will be run once a month and are completely free to attend, all you need to do is book your FREE ticket online!
Light refreshments are provided for this evening and our Gielgud bar will also be open. Fancy making a night of it? Why not attend our Scratch Night beforehand?
Towngate Ensemble Scratch nights –
Pitch us your piece!
Thanks for your interest in performing at one of our scratch nights! Please use this form to let us know a little more about your piece and about you. Once your form has been received, a member of the team will be in touch to let you know about the outcome.
PLEASE NOTE: Completion of this form does not guarantee a spot at the next scratch night. Please keep an eye out in your emails for more information.