Nonsuch Studios announces £150,000 Esmée Fairbairn Foundation funding to launch Stage the City

Nonsuch Studios has been awarded £150,000 from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation ‘Creative, Confident Communities’ fund to deliver Stage the City,  a bold two-year creative programme placing Nottingham’s people and places at the heart of a major new theatre celebration.

Launching this autumn, Stage the City will focus on three key areas of the city - Bulwell, Sneinton and The Meadows, where communities will have the opportunity to  work with professional artists to develop not just their theatre and performance skills, but to to create their own shows inspired by their personal and community stories, histories, and hopes for the future. This will culminate in a major collective outdoor performance in the heart of Nottingham City Centre in 2027, weaving the unique stories of these communities into a spectacular celebration of our beloved city.  

The programme aims to develop creative confidence in those who might never have stepped into a theatre before, let alone onto the stage, and raise the creative profile of Bulwell, Sneinton and The Meadows through celebrating local stories and sharing those tales with the city as a whole.  By bringing people together through creativity, Nonsuch Studios aims to build an unforgettable production that Nottingham can be proud of, driven by the belief in our vision that Creativity is Power. 

The project aims to engage over 280 participants, celebrating local stories and embedding creativity for long-term impact. Stage the City will create space for creativity and developing performance and storytelling confidence through the delivery of open-access weekly drama and theatre sessions.  Along the way, we will identify local community champions who will feed into the planning of Stage the City, ensuring the voices of each ward are clearly represented and heard. These community champions will also receive support through creative leadership training to raise their voices and centre themselves at the heart of the project, leaving a legacy of self-sustaining groups and ongoing cultural activity.

In May 2027, the project will culminate in a spectacular outdoor theatre event in Nottingham’s Old Market Square, coinciding with the start of the centenary celebrations of Little John, the city’s iconic Council House bell. Just as hearing the bell chiming out across Nottingham connects each one of us in the city, Stage the City will weave together and link the stories of our communities, building towards a thriving, connected future. Hundreds of Nottingham residents will come together to perform in a mass-participation spectacle, showcasing the creativity and diversity of the city.

Caroline Rowland, Community Engagement Producer at Nonsuch Studios, comments:

“It’s so exciting for Nonsuch Studios to be embarking on this new, ambitious project, and it's amazing for us as a theatre company and arts organisation to really connect with the people of Nottingham, and to build stories and performances that tell the story of who Nottingham is today in a way that we haven’t seen before!’’ 

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Bethan Davies, Executive Director at Nonsuch Studios

“We’re incredibly proud to have been successful in gaining this funding and grateful for the support of the Esmée Fairbrain Foundation. Stage the City will not only create opportunities for new creative experiences and to nurture new artistic talent; the programme will boldly support our city’s communities to raise their voices and feel empowered to work together to celebrate Nottingham's unique story in spectacular style.”

Get Involved

At the heart of Stage the City is YOU! We want to hear from you, your neighbours, your friends, and the organisations you care about. Whether you’re a community champion who knows the voices that need to be heard, a school or youth group looking for creative opportunities, or a local organisation that wants to welcome workshops into your space, we’d love to work with you. 

To register your interest, sign up to our newsletter and keep up to date with Stage the City updates: www.nonsuchstudios.co.uk/projects/stage-the-city 

If you are interested in getting involved in shaping Stage The City, please contact our Community Engagement Producer to set up a meeting or find out more:
Caroline Rowland | caroline@nonsuchstudios.co.uk | 0115 8371950

For general media enquiries, contact Nonsuch Studios Marketing Manager:
Madara Vimba | madara@nonsuchstudios.co.uk
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