Bristol Old Vic Associate Artists and Associates Programme Opens
The coveted theatre scheme is open for applications
Bristol Old Vic is inviting Expressions of Interest for its next intake of the Associate Artists and Associate Companies programme.
Theatre-makers and companies in Bristol and across the South West region are invited to apply for the 2026-2028 cohort.
Literary and Director’s Associate, Lisa Gregan and Associate Artistic Director for Bristol Old Vic, Rikki Henry, said: “We want our Associates programme to support artists and companies at meaningful moments in their development, while also strengthening the wider creative ecology of the South West. We are excited to hear from theatre-makers who are ambitious, collaborative and curious about what can happen when organisations and artists learn from one another.”
There are spaces for two South West based theatre companies to join as Associate Companies from July 2026 – June 2028.
There is a further space for one new Associate Artist to join the programme across the same period of time.
Joining the scheme will see the creatives become part of the theatre’s artistic community. Previous success stories have included Diverse Artists Network, MAYK, Beyond Face, Theatre West and Saikat Ahamed.
The current Associate Artist on the scheme is Caroline Williams.
Associate Companies will each receive £15,000 in funding across the two year period. There will also be a tailored package of support from Bristol Old Vic.
The programme is aimed at companies who are at the stage of deepening their artistic practice and building relationships within the theatre ecology.
The theatre says that it is “keen” to hear from those whose work includes devising, movement, multidisciplinary performance, live art, participation, digital practice, community-rooted work and experimental theatre.
The Associate Artist programme will offer an extraordinary artist the chance to build a two-year attachment with Bristol Old Vic. Each year will focus on a different aspect of artistic development.
The Associate Artist will receive a £10,000 across the two years, including support from the theatre.
The second year is designed to focus on the artist’s own practice and artistic development, with Bristol Old Vic supporting them to shape a personalised programme of activity that nurtures their creativity and career ambitions.
The theatre is “especially” interested in hearing from artists whose primary practice is not writing.
Expressions of Interest from artists whose voices and experiences have historically been under-represented or marginalised on UK stages are also highly welcomed.
For more information about the scheme, visit: https://bristololdvic.org.uk/for-artists/associates
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