Siobhan Davies, Shobana Jeyasingh, Alexandrina Hemsley & Paul Hughes Open Forum: Future Facing

What is the future for dance and the arts?
How can we navigate the world decades to come?

A vision for the future with artists spanning four decades of Dance Umbrella’s history.

We are living in a time of rapid change and instability. Scientists and futurists agree that we will see more innovation in the next 20 years than in the whole of the 20th century. Dance can embrace uncertainty and empower us to navigate it, but it is also vulnerable to shifting social and economic forces.

By 2045 nearly a quarter of the population will be 65 or older. Alarms about climate change are more pressing than ever. Migration movements are changing societies’ structures, and Brexit is looming with all its complex implications. Yet UK unemployment is now at its lowest in more than 40 years, and the Creative Industries are the fastest growing part of the economy.

The evening was a chance to discuss dreams and tactics for not just surviving but thriving, and how we can reach new audiences and shape the future of independent dance creation together.

Dr Cecilia Wee: Head of Artist Development at Artsadmin

Siobhan Davies: Choreographer and founder of Siobhan Davies Dance and Siobhan Davies Studios
Shobana Jeyasingh: Choreographer and founder of Shobana Jeyasingh Dance
Alexandrina Hemsley: Choreographer, performer and writer
Paul Hughes: Artist, dramaturg & writer. Currently, Writer-in-Residence at Dance4