30.07.2026

2 min read

Twelve leading North West arts organisations have joined forces to launch a new initiative designed to transform opportunities for dance artists across the region.

The new partnership has published the five-point Dance North West NOW Action Plan that aims to strengthen dance talent development through collaborative commissioning, national touring, professional development and audience growth.

The initiative comes at a time of significant pressure on the dance sector, with freelance artists and cultural organisations facing mounting financial and operational challenges. Rather than waiting for national solutions, the partners have committed to working collectively, pooling expertise and existing resources to create new opportunities for artists and audiences across the North West.

Founding members include Blackpool Grand, Bluecoat, Cheshire Dance (Chair), Company Chameleon, Contact, Culture Liverpool, Culture Warrington, hÅb, Lancaster Arts, Lowry, Storyhouse and Unity Theatre.

The partnership’s first priorities are to create new commissioning opportunities for North West-based dance artists, with emphasis amongst those whose voices are under-represented in our society, help new work reach audiences across the UK through a coordinated approach to touring.

Longer term, the Action Plan sets out ambitions to grow audiences for dance across the region while expanding opportunities in outdoor performance, rural touring, digital platforms, education and creative health. It also proposes a strong programme of continuing professional development to help artists build sustainable careers and develop specialist practice.

The partners believe the collaborative approach will help create a stronger and more resilient dance ecosystem in the North West, supporting artists while increasing access to high-quality dance for communities throughout the region.

Adam Holloway, Director of Cheshire Dance and author of the Action Plan, said:

“We’ve recognised that by working together we can achieve far more than any organisation can alone. This partnership creates practical opportunities for dance artists across the North West – from making new work and touring nationally and internationally to developing exemplary engagement programmes and sustainable careers. At a time when the dance sector faces significant challenges, collaboration isn’t optional, it’s essential. We’re building on the expertise and commitment that already exists across the region to create stronger conditions for artists, freelancers and companies to thrive.”

The partnership’s immediate focus is on Actions 1 and 2 of the plan, creating bespoke opportunities for North West dance artists to develop ambitious new work and present it to audiences across the UK through collaborative commissioning and touring.

The partnership will continue to grow, with Action 4, inviting outstanding dance from across the country to join North West talent in attracting audiences through coordinated touring and place-based audience development campaigns.

The ambition extends beyond performance on stage. Action 5 will expand partnerships into outdoor festivals, rural touring, digital platforms, education and creative health, while Action 3 will provide continuing professional development (CPD) for dance artists to strengthen practice, deepen artistic inquiry, build careers, partnerships and business models and support wellbeing and specialist work in creative health, learning and education.

Cheshire Dance is now inviting artists, organisations, funders and partners to use the Action Plan as a framework for future collaboration and to help shape the next phase of dance development in the North West.

Alongside the Action Plan, Cheshire Dance has also published the findings of an independent Dance Plan consultation led by Helen Palmer and Ian Tabbron. Together, the two documents provide fresh evidence to support investment in dance and encourage greater collaboration across the sector.

Read here.