“What we’re starting to see is the emergence of a new art form” – The Lowry searches for artists to contribute to latest digital performance project

Image credit: The Lowry Flickr. Licensed for re-use under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 (no changes made)

The Lowry is looking for three new artists to create digital art as part of their #LoveLowry programme this year.

The Live Now Commissions project is offering three £10,000 commissions for mid-career artists or companies to ‘create new work for the lockdown age’.

Claire Symonds, Senior Producer for Artist Development at The Lowry, said: “When venues first closed across the country, there was a rush to thinking about how you could show theatre or performance or dance online, but it was very quick and reactionary.

“Over the last year, we’ve seen artists take a step back and think ‘there’s actually a whole new way for us to make work and engage with audiences here’.”

In today's #LoveLowry feature, our senior producer for artist development @claire_roses introduces our new Live Now Commissions programme and talks all things digital, live audiences and new opportunities: https://t.co/1hEGcthCbL pic.twitter.com/iQEhcOhD61

— The Lowry (@The_Lowry) February 12, 2021

After a year of The Lowry adapting their exhibits for virtual audiences, the focus of the Live Now Commissions project is digital performance and what this development means for fans of the arts.

Claire explained: “We’re all working in different ways than we used to with digital.

“What we wanted to do was basically create an opportunity to explore with artists what this new approach to making work might mean for how audiences experience performance.

“What’s so exciting about this opportunity is that we want to understand what digital performance means on its own terms as a credible creative opportunity that is right at the start of its journey.”

As the government’s roadmap out of lockdown provides arts venues with a date to reopen, Claire believes online showcases such as the #LoveLowry programme will remain an important part of the industry.

She said: “It’s astonishing – what’s happened.

“I think that rather than this being a replacement or a stand-in for live theatre, what we’re starting to see is the emergence of a new art form that’s going to work in its own right and sit alongside theatre and dance and circus and live performance with a physical audience.”

Anyone curious about the Live Now Commissions project has until this Friday (26th February) to express their interest.

Further information can be found here.