We’re offering £1000 to individuals, community groups, grassroots organisations, artists and companies. Anyone who has a creative idea that they’d like to make happen.
It could be a performance, a workshop, an interactive fashion show, a pen-pal project, a phone-poetry recital, a socially distant scavenger hunt, a Whatsapp murder mystery, an exhibition, a talk or discussion, a party, a protest or something else entirely! It just needs to hit these criteria:
It should be artistic/creative in some way.
It can be for any audience, but should be accessible and free for audiences to engage with (attend, watch, listen).
It can be an online ‘digital’ project, an offline ‘live’ project, or a bit of both.
It should connect with the local communities of Lewisham and or Southwark. It should connect with our Albany Values which you can read about here
We know that £1000 is not a huge amount of money to make a project happen, so we are looking for ideas which are achievable for this amount of money. The Albany can also help with marketing, equipment, space use and technical support if you need it.
How does it work?
From the application five ideas will be chosen by a panel made up of members of the Albany community; Young Leaders, Meet Me at Elders, community artists and Albany staff who don’t normally have a say in our creative programmes. The 5 ideas shortlisted will pitch their ideas both online & live at the Albany as part of our Pizza & Pitches Party.
This is a hybrid Pizza & Pitches including a digital & physical vote.
The shortlisted 5 pitches will be asked to make 2 minute elevator pitch video (we can help you make this happen so don’t worry & you don’t have to be in it if you don’t want to be on screen).
Then the 5 pitches will give a 5 minute pitch and a quick Q&A at the live Pizza & Pitches event. At the live event we’ll all eat some pizza and have a chat with each other whilst we tally up the votes from the panel, online & live. With the results announce live on the night. The winner will receive £1000 to deliver their activity and runners up will receive £100 each which can be used to develop the idea further.
Who can enter?
Anyone! Individuals, community groups, grassroots organisations, artists and companies. – You don’t need to have done something artistic/creative before, it might just be an idea you’ve had, that you’d like to try out. You should live, work, or have a connection to Lewisham/Southwark/South East London.
What is the Albany?
The Albany is a performing arts centre in Deptford, South East London. We believe in involving people, through participation and partnerships, and are a hub for the arts and community. We present a huge range of events and opportunities each year, across artforms and for all ages.
At the Albany we have 3 different venues. These are available to be used for your project, or you’re welcome to use another space, if it’s the right one for your idea. The Albany Deptford Lounge Canada Water Theatre
What access support is available?
We would be happy to discuss any access requirements at any stage of the process. There is a small access budget available if needed, and we are able to support with anything technical too. To request access support, you can email us on pizza.pitches@thealbany.org.uk
How to apply
There are questions we’d like you to answer so we can understand your idea.
You can answer the questions either in writing or as a video/audio file.
You can submit the answers or attach a link to your audio/video file through our online form at the bottom of the page.
Here is a word document of the questions so you can prepare before filling in the form. If you have any trouble with the online form you can apply by sending the word document or the video/audio file with your answers back to us. The word document is available in additional formats if required.
If you have any problems with the application process or need additional support then do get in touch pizza.pitches@thealbany.org.uk.
If you prefer, you can send your application by post to: The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG
Applications close at midnight on Sunday 26 February 2023.
We will be running a second round of Pizza & Pitches in the autumn with a deadline of early November.
What happens once applications have been submitted?
1. Applications Close on Sunday 26 February 2023
2. The applications get sent to our panel.
3. The panel meet to discuss applications and decide on the 5 shortlisted to pitch to audiences, you’ll find out if you’ve been successful by Thursday 2 March 2023
4. The 5 shortlisted pitches will then be asked to make a short 2 minute elevator pitch video (our team can help you do this & you don’t have to be in it), we’ll need the video by the 8 March 2023
5. The videos will go up online on Friday 10 March 2023, people can watch & vote for ideas online through our website.
6. On Tuesday 14 March 2023, the live pizza & pitches event will take place. The 5 panelists pitch to a live audience & we all eat pizza!
7. Whilst the pizza gets eaten, we chat to each other & have a lovely time, our team will tally up the votes across the panel, the live audience & digital votes and announce the Winner!
How does the voting work?
The decisions at each of the following stages are turned into numeric values;
1. The Panel
2. The Live Audience
3. The Digital Vote
In each case the pitch with the most votes receives 5 points, pitches then decrease in value in line with votes so the lowest in each case receives 1 point. (A bit like Strictly come dancing or Eurovision)
These are then added up across all 3 to find out which pitch has the highest score and is the subsequent winner.
What happens next?
We will let you know whether or not you have been shortlisted no later than Thursday 2 March 2023 – we will get back to everybody. Please keep Tuesday 14 March 2023, from 6pm, free, as this is when the live Pitches and Pizza Party will take place, which you will need to ‘attend’ if you are successfully shortlisted. – If you are unable to physically attend, don’t worry, we’ll work out how we can still host your pitch.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss access support, please email pizza.pitches@thealbany.org.uk or phone 020 8692 4446. Please note that we may take a few days to respond so get in touch plenty of time before the deadline.
ONLINE FORM :