The Lowry arts complex in Salford has announced the artists who form its 2024-2026 Developed With Lowry group.
The scheme offers support to independent artists and companies, based in the North and committed to creating ambitious work and developing their skills.
The 2024-26 group includes actor, writer and theatre maker Aarian Mehrabani; artist, puppeteer and visual theatre maker Beka Haigh; sculptural installation artist John-Paul Brown; multidisciplinary environmental artist Sophy King; interdisciplinary dance artist, choreographer and stand-up comedian Lewys Holt; dance, circus and parkour artist Louiseanne Wong; composer Stephen Hyde, and writer and director Ella Langley.
Supported by Arts Council England and Salford City Council, the arts centre's artist development programme is one of the UK's most innovative creative initiatives. Since its launch in 2009, 52 productions and an exhibition have been commissioned as part of the scheme, including BAFTA award-winning comic Sophie Willan’s first stand-up On Record; Theatre Ad Infinitum’s Ballad of the Burning Star; Memory Stone, by Nikta Mohammadi and FADE by Alice Christina-Corrigan.
The Lowry will deliver a bespoke package of support for each of the artists, as well as investing over £40,000 in the development of six new works for the venue's studio theatre and gallery across the next 18 months.
Antonia Beck, who is senior producer for artist development at the Lowry, said: “Working across dance, movement, puppetry, new musicals, comedy and sculptural installation, the artists are all exploring urgent themes through their work.”
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Note, FYI, that following a rebrand, "The Lowry" is now just "Lowry".