Unity Theatre: Award-winning Open Call returns for 2024

Unity’s award-winning Open Call programme is back for its third year, providing even more Merseyside creatives with income and the opportunity to be part of their Spring season.

Open Call provides Merseyside creatives with a guaranteed income of up to £1500, a slot in the Unity Theatre programme and a package of mentoring and digital resources designed to help them grow their career and promote Liverpool talent globally.

The programme funds a huge variety of work including live performances of all genres, early-development work to be tested on an audience, visual art exhibitions, outdoor and offsite events, community and education projects, audio performances, digital productions and more, culminating in a two week-long eruption of art and culture in Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter.

With running costs rising and funding pots shrinking, Unity was faced with some tricky decisions about how to deliver this year’s festival; being uncompromising on the support and funding they give to artists as well as the experience they give to audiences has proved a challenge and lead to the temporary postponement of Up Next Festival. However, due to the public’s generosity and funds during a crucial crowdfunder raised in 2023 the Up Next Festival is now full steam ahead for Spring 2024.

To date Unity’s Open Call programme has funded 44 different Liverpool artists and companies, providing nearly £80,000 of support across two years.

Past Open Call supported events have included theatre, dance and comedy productions that have gone on to tour nationally and internationally, with multiple Open Call creatives winning national awards. As well as live performances, the programme has also funded life-changing community projects including events in schools and care homes, an interactive storytelling session with Alder Hey Hospital, hip hop dance classes for beginners, a walking-tour of Liverpool exploring women’s safety, monthly family arts workshops in the Toxteth area and an epic cabaret celebrating Liverpool’s incredible Asian community.

Some of the shows include:

Wo-man
By Andrew McKay / Filla Crack
Wed 24th April, 8pm

Using verbatim interviews of voices from within the drag community, Andrew McKay’s new show explores the highs and lows of having an alter ego of the opposite sex and living in the public eye.

Book tickets here.

Space Invaders x Liar
By Tip Tray Theatre
Fri 26th April, 6:15pm

Tip Tray Theatre presents a one act double bill of new writing by Maisy Gordon and Directed by Evan Byrne telling stories of what it can be like growing up whilst affected by disability.

Book tickets here.

BERBER BOY
By Daniel Foxsmith and Moncef Mansur
Fri 26th April, 8pm

Berber Boy is a subversive new autobiographical theatre show; part coming-of-age story, part culture-fuck, and a very Irish discussion about Tunisian identity – and if that confuses the hell out of you, you’ve got the idea…

Book tickets here.