Large grant awarded to Birmingham Royal Ballet

Jerwood Foundation is supporting BRB2 at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, through its award of a total grant of £100,000 over the next two years. BRB2 is an important strategic initiative to create a supportive talent development environment to enable the next generation of ballet dancers to thrive and to develop new regional audiences. Established in 2022 by Artistic Director Carlos Acosta, BRB2 seeks to attract emerging ballet graduates aged 18-22 from around the world on a 2-year training and performance programme to achieve a step change in their development and performance practice.

 

BRB2 dancers train and perform with the main BRB company in major productions and tour their own flagship production to mid-size regional theatres, to audiences across the UK. The annual tour is a unique opportunity for the BRB2 dancers to perform challenging repertoire that is typically performed by Senior Principal Dancers or Soloists. BRB2 inspires excellence by helping dancers excel in the formative years of their professional careers. The 2-year programme provides a supportive structure to bridge the gap between training and a professional dance company, with a deep commitment to developing artistic practice and excellence across the dance sector.

 

Lara Wardle, Executive Director and Trustee Jerwood Foundation said:

This major grant of £100,000 reaffirms Jerwood Foundation’s long-standing relationship with Birmingham Royal Ballet and underlines Jerwood’s commitment to supporting excellence in the arts. I am therefore delighted that Jerwood will be supporting BRB2, a unique talent development programme for the very best ballet graduates from around the world, which enables the next generation of exceptional dancers to realise their creative potential and forge careers as professional dancers.

Carlos Acosta, CBE, Director, Birmingham Royal Ballet said:

We are so grateful to Jerwood Foundation for its declaration of confidence in Birmingham Royal Ballet through its transformative support for our junior company, BRB2. BRB2 is at the heart of our mission to develop emerging talent and serves as a vital bridge enabling young dancers to make the important transition from training to commencing their careers as professional dancers. The programme offers specialist mentoring and performance opportunities that are rare for young dancers starting out in their careers. Since its launch in 2022, BRB2 has presented two extensive tours, enriching the experience of audiences with BRB2's ballet stars of tomorrow. Notably, these performances took place in towns and cities with limited access to world-class dance. Thank you to the Foundation for helping us to realise our vision to create an environment where the next generation of ballet dancers can truly thrive.

To find out more about this programme please visit Birmingham Royal Ballet

October 15, 2024