We're opening out Canada Water Theatre for artists to work with local Southwark audiences to develop new work as part of the Mayflower 400 Festival for two weeks in June-July 2020.

This is currently suspended until further notice

About Mayflower 400 in Southwark

2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower from Plymouth UK to Plymouth Massachusetts. Rotherhithe in Southwark is one of 11 destinations across the UK that will commemorate this exceptional voyage as part of The Mayflower 400 programme, with an exciting programme of events, public art and wider content exploring the themes of migration, tolerance, enterprise and community.

About Canada Water Theatre

The Albany is a performing arts centre with a history stretching back to the nineteenth century, and since 2013 we also manage two sister sites at Deptford Lounge and Canada Water library. Our programming is very much driven by the cultural diversity and creative mix of South East London, and involving our local community through participation, partnerships, and co-creation is central to our work and is essential to the delivery of our vision. The regular Canada Water Theatre programme includes music, spoken word and family theatre and music shows.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for ideas from artists, collectives or groups (performing artists, musicians, visual artists) who would like to develop new work addressing the Mayflower 400 themes

We are open to ideas that will work in the theatre and/or the whole building including the auditorium, café space, staircase, library spaces and outdoors

We want to hear how your work will engage with local audiences

We would like a public sharing of the work throughout your time with us – this could be an open studio/rehearsal, a workshop, work-in-progress…

We are offering

Two 5-day residencies – which will include use of Canada Water theatre and agreed use of other building spaces: 22 – 27 June / 29 June – 04 July 2020

Support in kind from the Albany creative, producing, marketing and technical teams

Residency fee of £500 for individuals and up to £1000 for companies/groups

To apply

You can apply in writing (no more than two A4 pages in total), by video (up to 5 minutes) or audio (up to 5 minutes). Please include:

A short introduction to you as an artist/ company

Examples of relevant works (this can be links to a website/ videos/ portfolio)

A description of your idea including how you will explore the Mayflower 400 themes, your discipline(s), choice of dates, and how you will work with local audiences or groups

Please send to: programming@thealbany.org.uk with subject line MAYFLOWER 400 AT CANADA WATER or by post to Lucy Warren, The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford, London SE8 4AG.

Deadline for expressions of interest: 31 March 2020