From the Artist: Katie Green

Made By Katie Green have worked with artsNK/Terry O’Toole Theatre on the development of new work for several years now, premiering the full version of Matters of Life and Death at the Terry O’Toole Theatre in October 2011, and our most recent piece, The Imagination Museum, in November 2013.

Both of these productions have gone on to be very successful, and this is due to the support we have been given by artsNK/the Terry O’Toole Theatre in the earliest stages of research and development.
The team we work with at artsNK/the Terry O’Toole Theatre are very experienced, and invest a great deal of time in learning about their audience and their local community. This means that when we begin discussions about a new project, we are able to have an open, constructive dialogue about how we can make our residency work, how we can open up our activity to the local community (e.g. through open classes and sharings of work-in-progress) and how we can develop our audience for example. The team offer support and advice, and in spite of already having a very full workload, they are always incredibly generous with their time.

The Performing Arts team understand the requirements of a small-scale dance company, and they provide in-kind resources that are essential to the rehearsal process, including space and technical time as well as help at the funding application stage and support marketing events. I always enjoy the time I spend in rehearsal in North Hykeham and Sleaford more than anywhere else that we rehearse, as we are made to feel so welcome. We are given freedom to go about our business without any external pressure, whilst also feeling there is someone available to give feedback if we need it.
The Performing Arts team support our interest in engaging new audiences for dance in Lincolnshire. We aim to create accessible performance work, and also to provide opportunities for all individuals to participate in workshops so that they can have an insight into the working process, which we hope gives them more confidence in their own interpretation of a professional dance performance. In spite of this commitment to engaging audiences, which we know is shared by all of the Lincolnshire One Venues, dance, and particularly contemporary dance, continues to be a hard sell in this particular area. artsNK/the Terry O’Toole Theatre are not afraid of this, and they include dance of all kinds as part of their diverse programme of events. I am hugely thankful for the great faith they have shown in my ability, as a Lincolnshire-born choreographer, to create new work, and perhaps in doing so to shift local attitudes to contemporary dance in whatever small ways I can.

Photos from The Imagination Museum in rehearsal at the NK Centre and Terry O’Toole Theatre Theatre and open company class with Lincolnshire-based dance artists.