Your monthly Hippodrome Creatives update

Hippodrome Creatives Newsletter

Hello and happy December! I hope you're having a wonderful start of the festive season❄️It's been a wonderful year and we have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for (scroll down to read about our recent announcement!). Thank you to everyone that has come to one of our events this year, has gotten in touch with us, met us our weekly drop-ins, or has been using the Artists' Lounge. We can't wait to share more with you and see you again next year!

Our team is planning a programme of workshops for the new year (first workshop now open for sign ups further below in this email!) and we would love to hear your thoughts! What would you like see? Is there a practitioner that you think is great we should know about? Is there a workshop you really enjoyed and would like us to run again? Let us know by filling out the form below!

LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!

Rehearsal Spaces, Artists' Lounge & Hipp Creatives on Instagram

We offer free last minute rehearsal spaces. Our studios can be available Monday – Friday between 10am – 5pm. Email creatives@birminghamhippodrome.com by 11am Wednesday with requests for the following week. Please drop us a message with a bit of info on what you’ll be using the space for, as well as how many people will be in attendance. This ensures we can book you into the most appropriate space available!

The Artists' Lounge is a relaxed space for Creatives to be at home in the Hippodrome with drinks making facilities, a lounge and library (open weekdays 10am – 5pm). Best accessed through our Thorp Street Reception Entrance. Please note that the Lounge will be closed from Monday 22 December and will be back open on Monday 5 January.

We've also now set up Hippodrome Creatives as a Community over on the Hippodrome's Instagram account! We'll be sharing the latest on what we're up to, updates on the Artists' Lounge, content and news! Click here to join!

Current Hippodrome Opportunities

We recently announced Origins Festival, a week-long festival celebrating new work, taking place from Monday 11 to Saturday 16 May 2026.

Origins Festival will showcase new work from the eight Birmingham-based artists who have been part of Origins, the Hippodrome’s New Work & Artist Development residency programme. The festival celebrates the culmination of the cohorts’ 18-month programme, which offers artists the time and space to develop their practice, explore new ideas, and connect with a community of peers.

Across six days, you can expect innovative double-bills, hands-on workshops and lively discussions, showcasing the richness and originality of the creative scene in the West Midlands.

Find out more here!

Visioning Workshop - 16 January 2026

After such brilliant feedback last January, Lou Robbin is back for a 2026 Visioning Workshop, where we will be reflecting and dreaming for the year ahead, and creating your own vision board for 2026. The workshop will take place on Friday 16 January, 4pm - 8pm at the Hippodrome. You can drop-in at any time during the workshop!

Set your dreams for the next phase of your creative practice in motion in this vision board workshop led by Lou Robbin. Opening with body based practices, to ground, and create space to build from a sense of play and openness, allowing you to walk into this next phase with intention.

Materials will be provided, but please feel free to bring along any images, words of affirmation, or materials you might want to include.

Let the team know if you'd like to attend by filling out the form below. Spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and confirmed in the new year.

LET US KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO ATTEND!

Young Advocates - Applications Open

Our Creative Partnerships team are recruiting people aged 16-25 for our fourth cohort of Birmingham Hippodrome’s Young Advocates. As part of Young Advocates you will receive:

Mentoring from a dedicated Hippodrome Team
Career advice and support to progress
Paid opportunities and hands-on experience within the arts industry
Training and skills sharing
Industry Access
Work Development

– Open Online Information Session – Wednesday 10 Dec 6pm – 7pm

– Access Evening at the Hippodrome – Wednesday 17 Dec from 5.30pm/6pm

– Deadline: Tuesday 6 January, 10am

Find out more here!

Other Opportunities for Creatives

Flatpack 2026: Submissions Open!

Flatpack are now accepting all types and genres of short films to be considered for their next annual festival in 2026! Flatpack is a mobile arts organisation which exists to show amazing work, bring people together and develop new ideas.

Earlybird deadline: Sunday 14 December, 11:59pm

Final deadline: Sunday 25 January, 11:59pm

Find out more here!

Pentabus - Local Young Writers course

Pentabus Theatre is looking for emerging voices aged 18–30 from Shropshire, Wales, and the West Midlands for their Local Young Writers course!

Over 6 months, you’ll:
- develop a new short play with guidance from professional writers & directors

- collaborate with a creative cohort

- see your script brought to life by actors at our Young Writers Festival

Deadline: Monday 5 January, 9am

Find out more here!

Birmingham Rep - Foundry

The Rep are looking for three West Midlands writers for their artist development programme, Foundry.

What you’ll get:

• 1:1 dramaturgy & practical writing workshops
• Time and support to develop your work
• Behind-the-scenes access The Rep-produced productions
• Masterclasses on navigating the industry
• A rehearsed reading of your work

• Guidance on funding applications

Deadline: Sunday 14 December

Find out more here!

Street Art Solihull – Free Audio Drama Workshops

Are you:

Aged 16-25?
Someone who identifies as neurodiverse? EG Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia (DCD), dyscalculia, Tourette Syndrome, amongst others
Interested in stories, sound or street art?

If yes - this project is for you!

Calathea Arts presents Street Art Solihull, an opportunity to create your own audio drama, inspired by local street art! Supported by the Audible Future Stories Fund, you will work with professional writers, street artists, directors and audio experts and will have the opportunity to write, perform and record your piece that will be part of a special exhibition event in Feb 2026!

Deadline: 12 December

Find out more here!

From our Creative Community

Actor call out for a series of short surreal visual films

Ansa Khan and her team are producing a series of short surreal visual films (1-2 minutes) for their new multimedia brand creating storytelling-led apparel and conceptual visuals aimed at audiences aged 18-35.

They are looking to cast student actors who want hands-on experience, creative material for their portfolios, and the chance to collaborate on expressive, atmospheric micro-films.

Project Details:

Location: Birmingham
Format: 1-2 minute conceptual film clips
Audience: 18–35
Dates: TBC
Compensation: Travel expenses (£10–£20) + final edited footage + credit

You can get in touch at coalfibre@gmail.com for more information.

If you'd like us to share any events, sharings, shows, readings or anything you're working on in this newsletter, please get in touch through creatives@birminghamhippodrome.com.

We include many opportunities in the monthly newsletter, some sent to us and some we come across online. While we do read through all opportunities included, these are not endorsements for the companies or organisations they're published by. If you have questions or there are any issues with opportunities shared in the newsletter, please get in touch with the organisations directly.

Thank you for being part of the Hippodrome Creatives community. See you soon!

Maria-Magdalena (New Work & Artist Development Coordinator)

creatives@birminghamhippodrome.com
0121 689 3043 (local call charges apply)

birminghamhippodrome.com/creativesbenefits

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Registered Charity Number 510842
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