Reignite 2025: Artist Residency Call-Out
Istanbul Queer Art Collective, Reignite 2022 Residency Artists. Image by Eda Sancakdar
Reignite is back for 2025 with three paid residencies for artists working in live performance.
Each residency gives artists time, space and money to focus on their practice in whatver way they need for this moment. That might mean developing new work, testing out an idea or finally getting on top of the admin.
We’re open to a wide range of artists, but we’re looking for people who are a ‘good fit’ for Home Live Art, an organisation that supports Live Art - a contemporary, broad and experimental area of practice based in the live moment. Artists working in experimental theatre, movement, text, sound or performance art will be prioritised.
You’ll find full details below, please read carefully before applying.
Reignite is Home Live Art’s artist development scheme, part of our ongoing commitment to championing visionary artists making bold new work.
Residency Details
1. Local Artist Residency
For artists based in Hastings and Rother only
Time and space to focus on whatever part of your practice needs attention.
Duration: 5 days in the Home Live Art studio, St Leonards
£1,000 Fee
£500 towards working with an “outside eye” (see FAQ for more details)
Deadline for applications: Wednesday 18 June 2025, 11pm
2. UK Artist Residency
For artists based anywhere in the UK
Time and space to grow your practice while connecting with Hastings’ creative community.
Duration: 5 days in the Home Live Art studio, St Leonards
£1,000 fee plus travel and accommodation
£500 towards working with an “outside eye” (see FAQ for more details)
Opportunity to meet local artists and/or organisations (dependent on artist needs and availability)
Deadline for applications: Wednesday 18 June 2025, 11pm
3. Giddy Up Residency
Giddy Up, Marlborough Productions and Home Live Art have teamed up to offer a residency for LGBTQIA+ artists in the South East. If you work in devised/experimental theatre and have a performance idea you want to try out in front of a friendly and engaged audience, this residency is for you. The offer:
What you get:
– 3 days rehearsal time in the Home Live Art studio, St Leonards
– A slot at the Giddy Up Scratch Night triple bill (September 2025)
– Professional photos of your work from the performance
– £350 fee
Deadline for applications: Wednesday 11 June, 11pm
Application Process
You can apply using the online form linked under each residency above. If access requirements make a written application difficult, you can send a video or audio recording (up to 5 minutes) answering the same questions. Please email Katy at katy@homeliveart.com for details on this.
Home Live Art is a queer-led organisation committed to inclusive practice. We work to remove barriers related to gender identity, race, class, neurodiversity and more. If you have any other access needs, questions or require support with your application, please get in touch with Katy at the email above.
Timeline
Deadline for Residencies 1 and 2: Wednesday 18 June 2025, 11pm
Deadline for Residency 3: Wednesday 11 June 2025, 11pm
All artists notified by: 20 June 2025
Residences must take place before 1 September 2025
We know this tight turnaround is not ideal, but we wanted to make the most of this temporary studio space while we have it.
Artist Access
There’s an available access budget of up to £250 per residency.
If selected and you have additional costs for example transport, childcare, or a personal assistant - this money can help towards those costs.
Please let us know about access needs in the online application form.
The Studio Space
FAQs
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Dates: Flexible, but all residencies must take place before 1 September 2025.
Location: Home Live Art Studio, St Leonards, TN38 0DG.
Studio facilities: 24-hour access, kitchen, WIFI, basic PA system with one speaker and mic and a projector (no screen, but there are white walls). There’s lots of natural daylight, so projection works best after sunset.
Studio Access: One high step-over at the entrance, followed by three steps into the main space. There’s a ground floor toilet (door width: 72cm) and a tight, free parking space directly outside, which can partially block direct access to the door. The mezzanine, accessed by 16 stairs, is used as a small office space and is not essential to access.
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Reignite is for artists with a performance practice working experimentally within (but not limited to) the following: performance art, theatre, dance, cabaret, performance installation and/or participatory and socially engaged practice.
Playwrights, actors, composers, circus artists and those working with traditional art forms are unlikely to be supported.
Residencies 1 and 2 give artists time, space and money to focus on their practice in whatever way they need right now. That might mean starting something new, picking up an idea that’s been on hold or finally getting on top of the admin, like emails, documentation, bios and making space to think. There’s no set outcome or expectation, just the chance to focus on what matters most to you at this moment.
Residency 3 is for LGBTQIA+ artists who want to try out a performance idea in front of an audience.
Solo artists, duos or small collectives are welcome to apply - please note the fee is the same whether you apply as an individual or a group.
You’re welcome to apply for more than one residency, where appropriate.
Applicants must:
Be based in the UK
Have at least 2 years of experience post-education (no formal qualifications required)
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Before the residency: Send an image and a short description (up to 300 words) for Home Live Art’s website and socials, explaining your work and residency goals.
Payment: Invoice 80% of your fee before the residency. The remaining 20% will be paid after you complete an online feedback form post-residency.
After the residency: Submit at least one image from your residency activities plus a brief written or recorded reflection on your process and outcomes.
Outside Eye: Please share the names of the people you’d like to bring into your residency as your outside eye(s). This should be confirmed by you before the residency begins. Home Live Art will pay them directly within two weeks of receiving their invoice, once their work is complete.
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We know it can be hard being in a room on your own as an artist — so we provide up to £500 towards bringing in another person (or people) to support your residency.
This could be:
– A director, choreographer, dramaturg or peer artist
– Someone offering creative feedback, dramaturgical insight or technical guidance
– A sounding board to help you reflect and move forwardSupport can be at any time during the residency and can be in person and/or online. You decide what’s most useful - we’ll cover the cost.
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We recognise that open calls take time for artists, and the chance of success is low. But this year, we want to widen the pool of artists we work with - including those we’ve worked with before and those we perhaps haven’t connected with yet (or for a while). We want to remind you that we’re here and our door is open for conversation.
The form is designed with that in mind. We simply want to know what kind of art you make and why this opportunity interests you. No trick questions and no need for fancy language.
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We know making live work is unique for every artist, based on your needs and creative process.
Therefore we are open to discussing how the residency can be tailored to suit your current practice and priorities.
Please Note: Dates cannot be changed and the residency must take place before 1 September 2025.
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Residencies 1 & 2:
Because we know so many brilliant artists will apply, it’s impossible to decide who ‘deserves’ this opportunity more than others - we believe all artists deserve support. For this reason, once we confirm your application meets the eligibility criteria and your work aligns with Home Live Art, we will use a lottery system to select recipients fairly.
Residency 3:
The Giddy Up Residency artists will be selected by a panel of producers and artists based in the Southeast: Hannah Fox (Giddy Up, Hastings), Katy Baird (Home Live Art, Hastings), Seyi Osi (Marlborough Productions / New Queers on the Block, Brighton), and Ash McNaughton (Queercall, Folkestone)
Going Forward:If you’re unsuccessful, with your permission, we’ll keep your application on file and contact you directly if other opportunities arise that might suit your practice.
We’re a small team all working part-time, so unfortunately we can’t provide feedback on individual applications.
