The Black Girl Live Fellowship is designed to empower black queer women storytellers in South Africa with resources and business skills that will equip them to become sustainable creative entrepreneurs.
The fellowship produces and commissions experimental, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary stories made by black and queer women storytellers. It is an experimental space – where the creative process meets a business Bootcamp that covers everything from funding models to producing, intellectual property, and more.
Fellows are paired with mentors in their respective disciplines, allowing for knowledge exchange, research, ideation, and network building between the fellow and their mentors. The three-month project consists of one-on-one mentorship, workshops, guest lectures, and the making of new works, which are later showcased to the public and industry professionals.
DEADLINE, APPLICATION, AND ELIGIBILITY
The Fellowship
During the fellowship period, the fellows will be tasked with applying their research and time spent with their mentors to their proposed project or creative ideation.
Selected fellows will receive:
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A mentor who will serve as dramaturgical support throughout the fellowship period.
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A mentor who will serve as entrepreneurial support throughout the fellowship period.
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Guest mentors who will serve as technical support
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Access to professional networks
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Seed capital to test and develop an idea or new work and create a toolkit for harnessing funding and investment opportunities to further develop their proposed project.
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A space where the work can be developed
The selected fellows will be expected to:
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Be based in Cape Town for 3 months (1 February - 9 April 2022)
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Submit a statement about their proposed idea and why they want to develop it; why is it important and what does it say about the world we live in? Address the development of the production. Where did the idea come from? How will the fellowship assist them in developing their career and practices?
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Develop a new idea or creative work no longer than 45 minutes.
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The final piece must require no more than 2 performers.
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Be in regular contact with their mentors for three months
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Draft a short proposal of how the work will further be developed, funded, and monetized outside of the fellowship
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Application Deadline: 20 January 2022, 23:59 GMT+2
YOUR APPLICATION
Please submit the following in one PDF document, saved as “BGL 2022 Application, Your full name”:
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Name and contact details on the first page.
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A cover letter containing one project idea for the fellowship. The cover letter must also address project idea development (at what stage of development is your proposed project and what do you hope to achieve through the fellowship. Proposed project idea may also be the continuation of a project first developed as part of your training).
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How does your proposed project shift narratives about black, queer, women on and off stage?
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2- 4 pages writing sample OR treatment OR scene breakdown of the proposed project.
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Curriculum vitae
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Artistic dossier, in particular, links to video recordings, visual material, and press reports of your own work, preferably digital)
An important aspect of the fellowship is the business bootcamp that covers everything from funding models to producing, intellectual property, ticketing, marketing and more, with this in mind, please also provide:
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A statement answering the following questions: what business models are you familiar with, what business models have you integrated into your artistic practice, what do you think is the relationship between business and one's creative practice. Please include this in your application document.
ELIGIBILITY
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Applications are open to black, queer, women storytellers based in South Africa.
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Applicants must be above 21 years of age.
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Applicants must have graduated in the last 5 years from any South African training program.
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Applicants with experience in the following disciplines can apply: Theatre, performance art, dance, multidisciplinary, poetry.
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Applicant must commit to the fellowship period: 9 February - 9 April 2022
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Must be based in Cape Town for rehearsals, production week and showcase: 21 March - 9 April 2022.
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The proposed project must not be longer than 45 minutes.
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The final piece must require no more than 2 performers.
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The proposed project idea may also be the continuation of a project first developed as part of your training.
SELECTION PROCESS
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Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
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Fellows will be notified before the announcement.
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Applicants who are not shortlisted or selected for the fellowship will not be notified, so if you don’t hear from us your application was unsuccessful.
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Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted or reviewed.
KEY DATES*:
Applications open: 7 January
Applications close: 20 January, 23:59 GMT+2
Fellowship Period: 9 February - 9 April 2022
Rehearsals, production week and showcase in Cape Town: 21 March - 9 April
*Please note: we reserve the right to change the date of the shortlist and winners announcement if required for any reason.
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