Independent Dance (ID) has been working alongside independent artists for over 40 years. In 2026 we are moving through a period of intentional reflection, taking time to ask ourselves some robust questions and reflect on how to continue to work with, and in collaboration with, our amazing community of artists and practitioners. This feels like an exciting time for ID, to build on our work and connections with artists, and to continue to be reflective and responsive in the years to come.
Anyone working in the creative sector right now knows how challenging the landscape is, particularly for freelance independent artists. ID wants to continue to be brave and clear, with a positive focus and commitment to the people we serve and move alongside.
Over the coming months, as we continue to do this work internally, with staff and trustees working very closely together, we are wanting to find ways to invite you to feed into this research too. We want to continue to align our ambitions and strengths with the needs of the creative sector, whilst challenging ourselves and our partners to think beyond the constrictions of the landscape we all find ourselves in. To that end, the aim with this phase of enquiry is for ID to develop the details that will guide us from now until 2032.
Questions we are asking ourselves include: ‘What role does ID have in supporting the people in our sector to do more than simply survive?’ ‘What do we want to take forward into our future, and what feels right to leave behind?’ And as the creative sector sits with so much precarity, we are asking: ‘Where does ambition sit in the face of such uncertainty?’
Research is at the heart of what we do, and so it feels right that we embrace the questions we are asking with rigour and care, leading us towards a re-defining of our purpose and direction as a micro-organisation.
ID has long had a tradition of evolution, experimentation, enquiry and supporting artists. We have been a place of connection and community over decades. And so as we reflect, we are inviting collaborators, co-conspirators, allies and friends to join us in conversation. Then in the autumn, we will share our hopes and ambitions, and the ways in which we might move alongside each other going forward. Read on to find out how you can be involved.
Get involved
We are interested in hearing from a wide range of people connected to ID, artists, participants, collaborators, partners – all responses are valued and will inform discussions during this period of reflection and ID’s future programming and development.
We invite you to answer these questions in any way you choose. If you would like to share feedback in an alternative format, please email info@independentdance.co.uk to arrange. Responses may be used anonymously for documentation and evaluation purposes, both internally and externally.
If you’d prefer to share your thoughts in person, we’ll also be gathering after Morning Class on Wednesday 17 June, 24 June & 8 July. Join us on the Mezzanine on the 1st floor the studios, 12:00-13:00, no booking required, all welcome.