A blog from the FE: PDN Early Career Group
By Josephine Leask
The Raze collective is a queer, artist-led organisation that nurtures and develops innovative performance in the UK.
Started in 2016, in response to the closure of LGBTQIA + venues, Raze was committed to supporting and providing creative spaces for queer artist communities in London. The organisation did this by creating opportunities for LGBTQIA+ performers and producers, as well as expanding audiences. Shaped by the artists it was set up to support, especially underrepresented performers of colour, Raze aims to be flexible, dynamic, shapeshifting and holistic in its approaches to artist development. The organisation, which has a board of trustees and an artist steering group, is run by a team of 4 producer/artists: director Lucy Hayhoe, access producer Gayathiri Kamalakanthan and co-creative producers Seyi Osibamowo and Fraser Buchanan. This core leadership team work from their Dalston office and devote a few days each week to Raze alongside their own careers. Although they don’t have a venue of their own, Raze collaborates with a number of queer venue partners around London, where they run workshops, performances and community events.
Speaking to co-creative producer and dance artist Fraser Buchanan, I was impressed to hear how effective the organisation has been in developing infrastructure for young artists as well as creating and expanding queer communities and understandings of queer dance, through the performances/events they present. In this respect, Raze is an excellent case study for future ecologies of dance and performance producing.
Reliant on project funding, Raze currently runs three different strands of focus: artist development, workforce development and community. The robust artist development programme includes professional workshops and labs for both early or mid-career artists where they can develop their creative work alongside guest artistic mentors as well as receiving production support and opportunities to show case work in progress. Community outreach is important to Raze and this is achieved by producing big, dazzling community events such as cabarets hosted by partner venues. The workforce support is provided through the Young Producers Club, which includes networking coffee mornings, traineeships and internships as well as a yearly queer arts symposium.
The Young Producers club, first piloted in 2022, focuses on developing tools and skills in all aspects of producing. With recent funding from Arts Council England (ACE) for the next two years, the club will run a 9-week programme starting in the summer. Participants, who are selected through a careful application process, will meet 1 night per week and learn about marketing, budgeting and funding, accessibility and queer producing. Delivered by Raze’s leadership team alongside guest producers, the programme provides participants with opportunities to visit other queer performance organisations and check out different models of producing. Finally, participants can put their producer skills into practice by working on the events and performances that Raze produces across venues and festivals in London.
The benefits of the programme surpass the 9 weeks, as Raze continues to support each group of young producers, offering them networking and job opportunities within the organisation. One recent example of this is a new paid QTIBPOC marketing traineeship which is intended to encourage artists of colour to pursue leadership roles in theatre, performance and dance. Raze’s aim with all its artist and producer schemes is to make sure participants have the tools and language to navigate their future careers.
The grass roots nature of RAZE is what makes it work. Fraser tell me that everyone involved in running the organisation learns about their roles through working as a collective. Jobs and opportunities therefore evolve organically within the organisation. The spaciousness of Raze allows them to prioritise mental health, a good work/life balance and positive relationships between all working within the organisation. This sounds like a productive future ecology.