CURRENT WINNERS

Damara Velázquez
Daughters Beyond Borders is a new 30-minute site-specific choreographic work created and performed exclusively by Latin American women living in the UK. The project explores non-forced migration and belonging, addressing the systemic invisibility of the Latin American diaspora by reclaiming space through embodied movement. Using a language of adaptability, the choreography serves as a living metaphor for the migrant experience—the continuous reconfiguration of the self in response to new geographical frameworks. The project will premiere at Latin American House in London before expanding to public squares and festivals, bringing contemporary dance to non-traditional audiences and fostering a universal reflection on the human condition of seeking home

Jackie Kibuka
Jajja 15 is a new dance-led theatre work that blends dance, storytelling and magical realism to explore intergenerational memory, legacy and identity within the British-Ugandan diaspora. Drawing on real stories of African activism, the work combines Ugandan cultural movement with hip hop and street dance to create a dynamic, educational and family-friendly experience, connecting audiences of all ages to history, culture, and social change.

Jacob Wye
The Kitchen is a contemporary ballet–dance theatre work by Jacob Wye (People On The Move), exploring endurance and transformation through austerity. Set in an understaffed events kitchen, Jacob Wye use movement and text to tell a timeless, human story, following a head chef and sous chef navigating a turbulent beginning.

Matthew Rawcliffe
Hades & Persephone is a sensory dance performance for young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). For the first time the performance is being presented in an academic setting, at The Classical Association Conference - the largest annual Classics Conference in the UK. Smell sweet pomegranates, feel the rough earth against your skin and get lost in the whole-hearted journey of an epic love story.

Ruaidhrí Maguire
Palladio is a new ballet for Ballet Victoria that explores Carl Jung’s concept of the shadow self and the contrast between the masks we present to the world and the parts of ourselves that remain hidden. Set to Karl Jenkins’ Palladio, the work uses structure and symmetry to reflect order, while moments of disruption reveal the true self beneath. Neoclassical in style, Palladio invites audiences to consider how identity is constructed, concealed, and ultimately revealed.

Ruth Ese Ighorae
"Between the Lines" is a powerful and timely play that delves into the nuanced experiences of two dark-kinned Black women navigating microaggressions, positive discrimination, and the complex dynamics of solidarity within a predominantly white-led theatre company. At the play's heart is Jess, an ambitious, witty young woman who dreams of breaking free from her day job to become a full-time writer. Alongside her is Shanice, her close friend and fellow creative, who has a different perspective on dealing with the subtle biases they encounter.

