HYPOTHESIS retreats 2025

TELL ME MORE?
HYPOTHESIS retreats return for a fourth year in January 2025. Specifically targeted to support small theatre groups, companies & ensembles, our retreats offer your team a week away in our Studio Theatre in the beautiful medieval city of Norwich. What comes out of your retreat time will vary for each group - but it’s your paid time in a new context, to do everything, or very little - it’s time away to dream. curious directive is offering retreats for up to three theatre companies in January/February 2025. We’re offering £1000, free travel for your team (within UK), Airbnb self-catering accommodation (up to 3) and, again this year, during your retreat we are including three ‘surgeries’ from leading theatre industry figures - supporting you with demystifying self-producing, theatre journalism and use of digital in theatre.

GREAT, BUT IS THIS FOR US?
HYPOTHESIS retreats are for collaborative & devising groups, companies, ensembles and/or theatre-makers. We are actively seeking applications from groups living/working in the UK with global stories to tell and/or ensembles at a crucial moment of change. You may also be a solo artist looking to form a group, company or ensemble with others. We have a fully accessible creation space and will actively support access requests/requirements where possible.

We aim to offer: TWO retreats to groups/companies/ensembles who have made 2+ professional theatre shows to date.
We aim to offer: ONE to a group/company/ensemble who have made one professional show to date.

WHY IS CURIOUS DIRECTIVE DOING THIS?
curious directive is an artist-led devising company. We understand how important it is to have time to think and space to breathe with no strings attached. We want to support our fellow collaborative makers to develop their organisations by welcoming them into our home and offering up our resources. We want to champion each other.

THE OFFER - £1000
1. Sole use of a 8m x 5m rehearsal space - warm, creative, fully accessible, with some limited Sound, LX & AV capability.
2. Travel covered and 4* accommodation in central Norwich.
3. Free access to our tech library and support with using the kit.
4. Three ‘surgeries’ during your retreat.
2025 surgeons:
(1) Self-producing with Jo Crowley (1927).
(2) The company/journalist relationship with Lyn Gardner (The Stage)
(3) Digital Theatre with James Turnbull (RSC),
5. Our carefully-considered Artists’ Welcome Pack 2025, underpinning your experience here in Norwich.
6. Access to The Studio anytime from 10:00-18:00 - you will be given your own keys/induction.
7. Office space/resources if you need it, including printing etc.
8. Tinkering space (use of our workshop kit/materials).
9. A welcome dinner in our making space, with curious directive’s team, and members of our Cultural Community to share experiences together.

RETREAT WEEKS
Week X - January 13th - January 17th 2025
Week Y - January 20th - January 25th 2025
Week Z - January 27th - January 31st 2025

HOW DO I APPLY?
Please respond to the following 5 short questions via a video/audio file* (recorded on Zoom/smartphone or other methods)

1. Who you are and why do you need this opportunity? (tell us about you)
2. What is your Hypothesis? (maybe two things you’d hope to achieve in the week?)
3. Who from your theatre group, companies & ensemble would come to Norwich and why?
4. Where can we find out more? (maybe a website, social media channels etc)
5. What’s your order of preference weeks - week X, Y or Z?

WHY ARE WE ASKING FOR a video/audio file?
This year (taking into account feedback from previous years) we’re actioning the fact that written applications can make it tricky to convey your personality.
We would like to get to know you, without burdening you with an interview.
We have a strict Privacy Policy which includes deleting your file post-assessment.

SENDING US YOUR VIDEO/AUDIO APPLICATION
1. Please record for no more than 5 mins in total, and send via a WeTransfer link to info@curiousdirective.com.
2. Please type HYPOTHESIS 2025 (+ name of your company) in the subject line of the email.
3. After sending us your application, please submit an EDI form online, which can be found here.

OK, WE DON’T WANT TO RECORD OURSELVES. CAN WE APPLY USING A WRITTEN APPLICATION?
Yes, if you’d prefer, you can still fill in a written application form via this Jotform link, which will ask you the same questions and give you the opportunity to respond in written form.

DEADLINE?
Monday 16th December 2024, noon.

WHAT IS THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS?
1. You can read our 2025 Assessment Criteria.
2. A panel made up of our CEO/Board of Trustees will assess/score the applications against our published Assessment Criteria.
3. Those who meet the critera most strongly will be awarded the residencies.
4. We will contact you with the outcome of your application by 1pm, Friday 20th December 2024.
5. As with every year, all applicants will be contacted, promptly, with the outcome.

FAQs

We’ve applied before, can we apply again? Yes. In fact, you’ll see in our assessment criteria, if you’ve applied before, this is actively noted in the decision-making process.
Does my company need to be based in the East of England? No, we’re really happy to hear from groups/companies/ensembles from all over the UK.
Is there flexibility around dates? We’re afraid not, it’s too complicated to organise any cross-overs.
Can some of my team be working remotely? Yes, of course.
FAQs NOT COVERED?
Get in touch - info@curiousdirective.com (with HYPOTHESIS in the subject time) or call our office on 01603 614 425.
HYPOTHESIS retreat alumni