“Wainsgate is a brilliant context to make dance work in and I cherish my time there.”

Roberta Jean - Artist

Wainsgate Dances is dedicated to holding space for artists to practice, make and share their work. Residencies are at the heart of our programme.

Artists come at different points in their process, and their time in the studio and the surrounding rural area - away from other pressures and distractions, makes a spacious, concentrated and supportive context for exploration and discovery.

There is an enthusiastic, curious and supportive local audience who enjoy having an informal window on the processes of resident artists, many of whom have shared early stages of their work as a means of airing ideas and to have some reflection on what they’re working on from outside.

“Wainsgate is a contagious place in which anyone who passes through seems to contract a deeper affection for dance and artistic practices.

It’s a place that cushions artists so that they can afford to take risks, and in doing so, creates space to artistically jump and fail.

Between the chapel and its neighbours, from the horses to the Post office, there’s a communal chemistry that makes Wainsgate an undoubtedly special place to dance and be danced.”

Connor Scott - Artist

"One thing that I got…was a rare sense of trust, combined with curiosity from the organisation that allowed those two pieces to begin in a space of true openness…

Wainsgate is the perfect combination of local and international, spacious yet held…”

Seke Chimutengwende

We offer a number of residencies throughout the year for artists working with movement, performance, and related practices.

We don’t currently have core funding for residencies. Instead, we’re testing a flexible model based on a sliding scale—making space available in a way that stays accessible while supporting the ongoing life of the building.

We can offer:

  • Studio space

  • Time and space to think, make, and test ideas

  • Outside eyes / sounding board support from the Wainsgate team

  • Connections with other artists where useful

  • Support to organise informal sharings or work-in-progress moments

  • Support with finding affordable accommodation locally

We work on a sliding scale depending on your circumstances:

Funded projects:


If you are working with Arts Council or other funding:
 £200 per day / £1000 per week (Mon–Fri, from 10:30am)

Independent artists / small project funding
:

£100–£150 per day (10:30am–5:30pm)

Last-minute/micro-residencies
:

We sometimes offer short, informal residencies for a donation—particularly if space becomes available at short notice.

If you’d like to talk, get in touch with Rob at wainsgatedances@gmail.com

“What Wainsgate Dances manages very well is the idea of supporting a project or a process in a way that is held but not too tightly… you manage to hold whatever needs holding with just the right amount of tension.”

Samir Kennedy - Artist

Past residents have included:

Lisa Nelson; Connor Scott; Serafine1369; Áine Reynolds; Olive Hardy; Pepa Ubera; Madinah Farhannah-Thompson; Eve Stainton; Kate Brown; Lauren Potter; Julie Cunningham & Company; Ella Tighe; Temitope Ajose; Bun Kobayashi; Cooperative Dance; Charlie Morrissey; Alejandra Gissler, Théïa Maldoom; Annie Edwards; Katye Coe; Markéta Stránská; Seke Chimutengwende; Vanessa Grasse, Hannah Buckley;  Alexandrina Hemsley; Wendy Houstoun; Samir Kennedy; Leah Marojević; Florence Peake; Bakani Pick-Up; Anushiye Yarnell; Theo Clinkard; Roberta Jean; Claricia Parinusa; Andrea Buckley; Neil Callaghan; Janina Rajakangas; Lucy Suggate; Charlie Ford; Siobhan Davies; Patricia Okenwa; Inari Hulkkonen; Colin Poole; Gillie Kleiman; Crystal Zillwood; Grace Surman; Jane Mason; Soul Roberts; Makisig Akin & Anya Cloud; Matthias Sperling; Natifah White; Northern Rascals; Jenna Unwin; Deborah Light; Nicola Singh; Gemma Higginbotham; Ali Matthews; Elisa Vassena; Katy Hewison; Hannah Parsons;