Miami Light Project presents Here & Now: 2025

Dear Artists,

Thank you for your interest in Here & Now, Miami Light Project's signature commissioning program for South Florida-based performance artists.

Applications for Here & Now: 2025 are now open, and the deadline for submissions is Friday, October 18, 2024.

The review panel, which is comprised of the MLP artistic team, former Here & Now artists, and leading colleagues in the field of contemporary performance, will convene in November 2024 and applicants will be notified of the panel's recommendations in December 2024.

Launched in 1999, MLP's Here & Now program is an initiative that was created to support the development of new work by South Florida's most promising emerging performing artists. We have been the leading incubator for creativity by giving a stage to dozens of new and experimental works of art, by giving Here & Now artists the opportunity to leverage additional resources for their works, and by generating career-making visibility through touring.


Here & Now artists receive multiple layers of support including: a competitive commission fee; space for rehearsal and development of their work; masterclasses and workshops conducted by today's leading innovators in contemporary performance; and intensive professional development guidance from our accomplished team of production personnel. Here & Now artists become an integral part of the Miami Light Project community, in perpetuity.     

Remember:  Online submissions end October 18, 2024 at 11:00 PM EST.

GUIDELINES - Please read carefully.

1. What kind of work are you seeking?
Here & Now is a platform for risk-taking.  We seek new, short-form work from artists working across the disciplines of dance, music, theater, and spoken word.  We encourage artists to experiment and find or hone their artistic voices.  We encourage collaboration and cross-disciplinary approaches.  

2. Who is eligible to apply?
Here & Now is open to professional artists living and making work in South Florida. You must currently be living and creating work in this community to be eligible to apply to Here & Now. High school and undergrad student submissions are not eligible.

3. Is there a time limit on my piece or a limit to how many collaborators I may have?
Here & Now commissions are awarded for new ideas of short-form work. The work may not exceed more than 15 minutes in length, as it is presented alongside other work, in a carefully curated program.  This short work format (15 minutes) provides artists with the opportunity to develop an idea or concept that may be further developed into an evening length work.  Evening length work is generally acknowledged as 40 minutes or longer. There is no limit to the number of collaborators you may have.  However, we encourage you to consider the financial resources provided, and the intimacy of our performance space.
 

4. What is the commission fee offered to Here & Now artists?
Here & Now artists receive a commissioning fee between $3,000 and $5,000.  Artists are additionally provided with full access to our rehearsal and performance studios; technical production support; production design guidance, a well-crafted public relations, and marketing campaign with press interview opportunities; as well as professional development workshops and masterclasses offered on an ongoing bases, in perpetuity.

5. What support materials should I submit? 

Please submit at least 1 video or audio clip that best displays your work. Your work sample should be current, recorded in the last 3 years, and no longer than 3 to 4 minutes. Please provide a URL and password if applicable. If the video/audio exceeds four minutes, please edit the sample.  If you are unable to edit, please indicate which 4-minute segment you would like to be reviewed. If not indicated, panelists will be directed to view the first four minutes of the video or audio. 

Important: the preferred format for a video or audio work sample is a link to Vimeo or YouTube.

6. What needs to be included in the work proposal description?
Please be as detailed as possible in your proposal, explaining both what we will see onstage, and why you are creating it (the theory and inspiration behind your work). This description will allow us to have a full and deep understanding of the work  you would like to create.

7. What if my budget needs exceed what the commission fee is, will you give more?
The commissioning fee we offer is between $3,000 and $5,000. If your budget exceeds this amount, we encourage you to apply with the understanding that you will need to raise the additional resources required to realize your vision. DOWNLOAD BUDGET TEMPLATE.

8. I still have questions!
Please email MLP Artistic and Executive Director, Beth Boone, at beth@miamilightproject.com to set up an appointment.