By Grace Hatchell
You’ve made a show. You’re excited about it. Then comes the mysterious next step: getting it in front of a venue. Who do you contact? What do you send? And how do you explain months of work without delivering a 47-minute monologue beside the tea urn?
Pitch Up: Beginning is designed to make that part of theatre feel less mysterious. Run by house southeast theatre network, the event brings early career artists and companies together with venues from London and the South East at Stanley Arts on Friday 13 November. It’s a chance to learn how venues work, hear what support they offer and begin conversations about where your work might go next.
The day includes introductions from venues, discussions about building relationships and taking work to theatres, and a practical session on marketing your show. Up to 20 selected artists and companies will each get a three-minute slot to share a snapshot of their work and the opportunities they’re looking for. Three minutes may sound short, but it does mean nobody can accidentally explain the entire plot, lighting plan and history of their company before lunch.
Venues listed for the event include artsdepot, Cambridge Junction, Colchester Arts Centre, Norwich Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre and Stanley Arts. For artists just beginning to make those connections, having so many people in one room could be valuable. You can ask questions, hear how different venues support artists and meet the humans behind the programming decisions.
I particularly like that this event starts with the beginning. You don’t have to pretend you’ve already worked out the whole industry before you’re allowed into the conversation. Applications are open across theatre disciplines to artists and companies in the early stages of their careers who want to build relationships with venues in the South East. Applicants can be any age over 18.
Applications close at 5pm on Wednesday 14 October 2026. You can apply in writing or submit an audio or video response through the application form. A limited number of bursaries are available for freelancers who face a cost barrier to attending. The event takes place in person, with no online option.
If you’re sitting on an idea, a finished show or the beginnings of a company and wondering how to approach a venue, this looks like a useful place to start. Bring your work, your questions and your three-minute version of the story. You can save the 47-minute version for the show.
As for me, I’m always pleased to see an event that invites artists to ask the questions they’ve been quietly Googling at midnight. If you apply, I’ll be cheering you on from my end of the country. You’ve got three minutes to introduce your work, so perhaps leave the full cast list, childhood backstory and lovingly laminated mood board at home. Then again, if the mood board fits in a satchel, who am I to judge?
Pitch Up: Beginning | house southeast theatre network
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