Opportunity: Six in the Attic

Six in the Attic and Six in the Virtual Attic is Irish Theatre Institute (ITI)’s key artist development programme. This year-long programme provides playwrights and theatre makers with the space and resources to develop your practice and build a community of peers. 

Six in the Attic was established in 2011, focusing on supporting a community of playwrights and theatre makers to engage, explore, develop, debate, and collaborate on their projects. Since the foundation of the programme, Six in the Attic alumni have gone on to great successes – creating new works, winning awards, and founding theatre companies, amongst many more accolades and achievements. 

2024/25 marks the second time the programme has included strategic local authority partners to ensure the virtual programme reaches the entire country. This year the nine partners include: Cork County Council Arts Office, Fingal Arts Office, Galway City Arts Office, Galway County Arts Office, Kilkenny Arts Office, Kildare County Arts Office, Tipperary Arts Office, Waterford County Arts Office, and Wicklow County Arts Office. These sectoral collaborators are supporting ITI to identify artists across the country to ensure they avail and participate in the programme. There will be twelve artists selected in total (both virtual and in person), with a minimum of six spaces held for artists living in the local authorities listed above.

 The ITI are interested in receiving applications from artists who: 

• Have ambitious creative plans for the period December 2024 to November 2025. 

• Are seeking mentoring and peer support alongside provision of space, time, and practical resources to create over a 12-month period.  

• Are resident on the island of Ireland.  
• Have an established theatre practice and track record of 1 full-length production produced or programmed by an established production company, festival, theatre venue or independent producer. 

Selected artists engage in a thoughtfully curated programme of: 

• Weekly gatherings online and two in-person meet ups to establish a community of peers. 

• Professional development workshops from ITI and external experts focused on areas identified by the group for upskilling. 

• Introductions and networking with other independent artists and arts organisations nationally and internationally. 

• One-to-one mentoring and application support from Irish Theatre Institute’s Director, Niamh O’Donnell and Programme Manager, Katherine Murphy, as well as optional coaching from Creative Facilitator Lian Bell. 

• Dublin artists will have access to a shared workspace with a desk, as well as access to rehearsal/meeting room spaces for development and collaboration sessions in ITI’s offices in 17 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. 

• Non Dublin artists will have access to short-term dedicated desk in a venue or cultural space in your area, as well as meeting with your Arts Office to facilitate local networking opportunities.  

• An artist practice honorarium of €1,300 (Please note, travel, overnight accommodation and per diems are additional for the in person meet ups.) 

ITI is now calling for applications from playwrights and theatre makers seeking to realise their artistic ambition, enhance their professional skills and build peer supports. The deadline for applications is 12 November at 4.00pm.

For more information and the application form, visit irishtheatreinstitute.ie

The ITI are happy to accept video applications (no longer than 8 minutes) stating the relevant information outlined above. Please use wetransfer.com and email us a link to your video application. Here is a guide of how to do that.

Specific access supports and access costs are also available. These supports are for applicants with disabilities to cover any requirements you may have in order to remove barriers that might stop you from completing your application. ITI can cover access costs, as defined by the Arts Council.  If you’d prefer to meet one of the team to talk through these guidelines or would like to submit your application in another format (for example, video), please contact Katherine Murphy, on kmurphy@irishtheatreinstitute.ie.  

If you are selected for the programme, the ITI will complete an access requirement audit as part of the induction process to identify and make a plan to meet your needs. If you have any queries or there are barriers you feel limit your access to the programme or application process, please get in touch directly so they can best support you within the means available to us.   

ITI, and their strategic partners, are determined to ensure the artists supported through this programme are representative of Ireland today.  If anyone has any questions, worries, or concerns or before anyone potentially rules themselves out of applying, please contact the ITI.

Please contact Katherine Murphy at kmurphy@irishtheatreinstitute.ie or call on 01 670 49 06.