Former NPO gets funding for digital theatremaking ‘laboratory’

Theatre company curious directive has received financial backing from the Department for Culture Media and Sport to explore digital theatremaking.

The former National Portfolio Organisation, based in Norwich, was one of scores of grassroots organisations outside London to be affected by Arts Council England investment decisions for its 2023-26 investment programme.

The Stage reports that it will receive £25,000 towards a digital theatremaking 'laboratory' project that will allow creatives and the public to experiment with technologies including those that merge digital worlds with reality.

Jack Lowe, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of curious directive, said: "Since 2008 we have, in our own understated way, been committed to searching out the future of theatre-storytelling. 

"Be it Frogman (with live performance and VR) or Gastronomic (which used AR in a live theatre setting) we’ve consistently performed a sort of midwifery for digital technology in the ensemble devising theatremaking process."

"Despite this significant heritage, this is our first mainstream grant to support our exploration of digital technology and, like everything in our analogue making space in Norwich, the funds will also be used to secure resource, which will be shared with other artists."