The Genesis Foundation and The Sixteen are pleased to announce Charlie Perry as their 2023/24 Genesis Sixteen Conducting Scholar.

Charlie is a conductor and singer from London. Since graduating from the University of Manchester with First Class honours, he has been working in the Northwest across a wide variety of musical projects, most notably as Director of Music at the Manchester Oratory, Musical Director of Stafford Choral Society and Assistant Conductor of Stockport Youth Orchestra. He also frequently delivers workshops for adults and children on behalf of groups including The Hallé and Manchester Collective, most recently preparing the children’s chorus for the latter’s production of Noah’s Flood at the Manchester International Festival.

The conducting scholarship offers young conductors the opportunity to be mentored by The Sixteen’s conductor Harry Christophers and associate conductor Eamonn Dougan, as well as the chance to work with some of the best young ensemble singers in the country.

Charlie will lead rehearsals with this year’s Genesis Sixteen cohort, which was announced last month, as well as singing with the choir, and conducting several pieces in performances throughout the year. This includes Choral Evensong on 13 July at St Alban-the-Martyr Church in Holborn, London, which will be recorded for BBC Radio 3 Broadcast.

Find out more about the scholarship.

The Genesis Foundation is pleased to announce that Matt Armstrong has joined its Board of Trustees, effective 30 June 2023. 

Matt is Head of Policy at the National Theatre, helping to lead the theatre’s relationships with Government. He is a Trustee of award-winning theatre company Wise Children, and The Curious School of Puppetry, which trains the next generation of puppeteers. 

His prior roles include Chair of science-inspired theatre company curious directive, and positions at the Royal Shakespeare Company and Kneehigh Theatre. He holds an MA in English Literature, with a specialism in Shakespeare, from the University of Warwick, and is currently studying for an MBA from the University of Exeter.  

Matt Armstrong said: “I am honoured and thrilled to be joining the Board of the Genesis Foundation. I loved working alongside John, Harriet and the team in a past role at the National Theatre, and it is a treat to be able to continue doing so as a Trustee. The Foundation has supported extraordinary programmes at some of my favourite arts organisations, and I cannot wait to assist the Foundation in helping them to develop emerging artists whose work entertains, inspires and challenges us.”

John Studzinski, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, said: “Matt has been instrumental in setting up the Genesis Music Theatre Programme, launching our first ever partnership with the National Theatre. He’s impressed the team from the very beginning with his sharp insight into the industry, his dedication and passion for the sector. I am delighted to welcome Matt as a Trustee and I look forward to working with him in this new phase of development for the Genesis Foundation.”

Images: Here Lies (Tala Lee-Turton, Photo: Zavod Studio), Recovery in Vision (Outside Edge Theatre Company), Orbits (Birds of Paradise Theatre Company)

Dance

Orbits | Birds of Paradise Theatre Company 

Birds of Paradise Theatre Company premiered new film Orbits at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh last month. 

Featuring Portuguese dancer Diana Niepce, the piece explores the experience of losing things close to, and how this change affects our experience of ourselves. 

Birds of Paradise Theatre Company will be announcing future screening dates of the film soon. 

Stay informed 

Here Lies | Tala Lee-Turton  

The next iteration of Here Lies, a 10-minute ballet/ physical theatre duet between a dancer and a cellist, will take place as part of a dance-based triple bill this Autumn. 

Produced and performed by dancer and creative producer Tala Lee-Turton, Here Lies is a collaboration with Sheffield General Cemetery, exploring the unrecorded lives of women buried in the cemetery. Tala’s creative team features choreographer Krystal S. Lowe and cellist Roxanna Albayati. 

The piece will form Act II of the triple bill, titled parler femme, which is themed around celebrating innovative and inspiring stories about women. 

An open dress rehearsal takes place at Production Park, South Kirkby on 6 November, before premiering at Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds on 9 November. The piece will then move to Sheffield Theatres on 11 November, and finally The Civic, Barnsley on 25 April 2024. 

Read more about parler femme 

Visual Arts 

Acme Alternative Pathway Awards | Acme 

An exhibition of works by three Acme Alternative Pathway Awards recipients is taking place at Unit 1 Gallery in London from 15-24 June. 

Supported by the Genesis Kickstart Fund, the Acme Alternative Pathway Awards aim to support artists that are within their first five years of practice and are from groups currently underrepresented in the arts.  

Curated by artist Shamica Ruddock, Time, Labour, Process will showcase works by Dita Hashi, Elora Kadir and Natasha Muluswela. 

Find out more and book tickets for Time, Labour, Process

Theatre

Recovery in Vision | Outside Edge Theatre Company 

Two short films have been released as part of Recovery in Vision, a project run by Outside Edge Theatre Company which supports 12 participants affected by addiction in writing, producing and editing their own short film about recovery. 

Made in collaboration with TEA films, the two films titled The Choice and The Hurricane are available to watch on Outside Edge Theatre Company’s YouTube channel. 

Watch The Choice 

Watch The Hurricane 

View all our Genesis Kickstart Fund projects

The Genesis Foundation and The Sixteen are pleased to announce the names of the 22 young singers who will join Genesis Sixteen’s 13th cohort this autumn.  

Supported by the Genesis Foundation, Genesis Sixteen is The Sixteen’s free young artists’ programme for 18-23-year-olds which aims to nurture the next generation of talented ensemble singers.  Now entering its 13th year, Genesis Sixteen is the UK’s first ever fully funded programme of its kind and this year. Participants, of which there are now more than 250 throughout its history, have gone on to perform, record and tour across the world with professional groups, including The Sixteen.  

The new cohort are: 

The new Genesis Sixteen Conducting Scholar is Charlie Perry.

During the course of a year, a series of week-long and weekend courses are led by key figures from The Sixteen, including founder and conductor Harry Christophers and Associate Conductor Eamonn Dougan, who provide one-to-one coaching to the singers. Participants also receive group tuition, individual mentoring, one-per-part consort training from members of The Sixteen and masterclasses run by some of the world’s top vocal experts. Support from the Genesis Foundation means participants receive free tuition and a bursary to cover all additional costs. The current cohort of Genesis Sixteen will culminate their training the day after the Sounds Sublime Festival – The Sixteen’s annual showcase of young choral talent –  with a performance of two 40-part motets, Tallis’ monumental Spem In Alium and David Bednall’s moving Lux orta est iusto, at Kings Place, London, alongside Genesis Sixteen alumni (Sunday 16 July).   

Harry Christophers CBE, Founder & Conductor of The Sixteen and Eamonn Dougan, Associate Conductor of The Sixteen said: “While the arts in this country are facing constant cuts and uncertainty, Genesis Sixteen gives us more than a glimmer of hope for the future. We cannot thank John Studzinski and the Genesis Foundation enough for having the vision and determination to help us make this programme the success story it is. This will be the [thirteenth] year of Genesis Sixteen and we have assembled another excellent group of singers from all walks of life and backgrounds. Both Eamonn and I feel a buzz of excitement at each new intake. Allowing personalities to develop and express themselves through their singing and to communicate to everyone around them without inhibition is at the forefront of what we are about – the rewards are plentiful. But above all, singing is fun, it’s collaborative and with Genesis Sixteen lifelong friendships are created. With Genesis Sixteen there is most definitely a future.” 

John Studzinski CBE, Founder & Chairman of the Genesis Foundation said: “More than 250 singers have now participated in Genesis Sixteen since this ground-breaking programme began 12 years ago. Our initial goal was to identify and nurture young artists with potential and provide them with world-class mentoring and training. To say the programme has surpassed our expectations is an understatement. Seeing the heights these singers and conductors reach as they graduate from Genesis Sixteen is a testament to their talent and passion and to the quality of the mentorship provided by Harry Christophers and Eamonn Dougan. At a time of crisis for the choral tradition in the UK, we are delighted to see this programme flourish as it does.” 

In training the choral singers of tomorrow, The Sixteen is committed to reflecting the diversity of our present-day society in each new cohort of Genesis Sixteen. This year marks the beginning of new partnerships with London Youth Choirs and the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme, offering young diverse singers in London and Leeds the opportunity to develop their skills and discover pathways into the industry. This programme will predominantly be for young people from under-represented groups within the industry, and there are plans to expand this programme to communities across the UK in the coming years. 

“I’m so looking forward to meeting everyone in this year’s cohort, and to singing with an amazing group of musicians under Harry Christophers and Eamonn Dougan.” 

Toluwani Idowu, Alto

“I’m most looking forward to learning from some inspirational musicians, not only Harry and Eamonn, but also the other singers on the course. Having spent so much time blitzing through music in the hour before it is due to be performed in a church service, I am also really looking forward to the opportunity to work on some music in greater detail and explore how my voice fits into a different choral context.”

Lizi Vineall, Soprano

“I’m still at an early stage of my musical development, so I’m really looking forward to absorbing the knowledge and experience of the musicians we get to work under. Whilst I’ve sung in ensembles before, I really like how we’ll get to intimately work on different passages and appreciate the variety of ways we can approach phrases.” 

Kevin John, Bass

Learn more about this year’s cohort

Read more about the Genesis Sixteen programme

(Andrew Nethsinga, The Choir of Westminster Abbey His Majesty’s Chapel Royal & St James’s Palace Singers)

Nine alumni from Genesis Sixteen, the Genesis Foundation and The Sixteen’s choral music programme, performed in His Majesty the King’s Coronation service on 6 May. 

In the Coronation’s pre-service, seven alumni performed with the Monteverdi Choir, conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Samantha Cobb (Cohort 5, Soprano), Jack Comerford (Cohort 4, Bass), Hilary Cronin (Cohort 5, Soprano), Jonathan Hanley (Cohort 6, Tenor), Charlotte La Thrope (Cohort 2, Soprano), Timothy Morgan (Cohort 3, Countertenor) and Daisy Walford (Cohort 2, Soprano) performed three pieces by Bach with the choir alongside the English Baroque Soloists. 

Two alumni sang with choirs in the main service under the direction of Andrew Nethsingha. Tristram Cooke (Cohort 5, Countertenor) performed with The Choir of Westminster Abbey, whilst Alexander Hume (Cohort 8, Tenor) sang with His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace Singers. 

The two choirs were joined by girl choristers from the Chapel Choir of Methodist College, Belfast, and Truro Cathedral Choir. Their performances included works by some of the Genesis Foundation’s earliest commissioned composers: Roxanna Panufnik’s ‘Coronation Sanctus’, Roderick Williams’s ‘Be Thou my Vision – Triptych for Orchestra’ and Tarik O’Regan’s ‘Agnus Dei’. 

Supported by the Genesis Foundation, Genesis Sixteen is The Sixteen’s free young artists’ scheme for 18-23-year-olds which aims to nurture the next generation of talented ensemble singers. Now entering its 13th year, Genesis Sixteen is the UK’s first ever fully funded programme of its kind. Participants, of which there are now more than 250, have gone on to perform, record and tour with professional groups, including The Sixteen.  

Watch the Coronation pre-service or listen on BBC Sounds 

Watch the Coronation service 

Find out more about the Genesis Sixteen programme 

(Gbolahan Obisesan, ULTZ, Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey and John Studzinski. CR. Adrian Myers)

Six people with no previous formal training in performance design have been chosen from more than 50 applicants for the pilot Genesis Theatre Design Programme and have begun their studies. 

A new iteration of the renowned Motley Theatre Design Course which ran as a one-year full time programme from 1966 to 2010, the Genesis Theatre Design Programme is a free, two-year part-time course which will train and support six designers with the aim of increasing global majority representation among theatre designers in the industry, expanding the pipeline of talent and opening more career opportunities.  

It is a partnership between the Mulberry Creative Industry Training College, the National Theatre, The School of Historical Dress and Brixton House and is funded by the Genesis Foundation and the National Theatre Foundation, with additional support from the James Family Charitable Trust.  

The programme includes tutorials with world-class designers and directors, lectures and research projects with staging and costume experts, design projects with global majority directors and artists, practical training with production and technical staff, placements as assistants to designers, and experience in theatres. Participants will also network with and receive mentoring from leading industry professionals. 

The Genesis Theatre Design Programme is delivered on a part time basis over two years to allow the trainees to keep their current jobs to support their living costs. Classes are held on Monday and Wednesday evenings and on Saturdays. Towards the end of the second year of the programme placement opportunities will be sought for the cohort across the industry.   

During induction week in April, the trainees were welcomed by Paul Handley, Head of Production and Technical Director of the National Theatre, who gave them a detailed tour of the National Theatre including the design studio in which they will be studying and working.  This was followed by a site visit to The School of Historical Dress where many of their costume classes will take place, taught by Professor Jenny Tiramani and colleagues. The trainees have also settled into their permanent workshop space at Mulberry UTC. 

The Genesis Theatre Design Programme is led and delivered by Sadeysa Greenway-Bailey, Gbolahan Obisesan and ULTZ, in collaboration with Clint Dyer, Deputy Artistic Director of the National Theatre, and other industry leaders.  

Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey, Gbolahan Obisesan and ULTZ, course leaders, said, “We have now started the programme after four years of planning. Our first cohort has individuals from many different walks of life, bringing their own experiences, stories and perspectives. We will be developing, stimulating and supporting them on their creative journeys over the next two years of the programme, and for many years to come” 
 
Theatre designer Es Devlin, alumna from the Motley Theatre Design Course said: “In the theatre, objects and environments can be given voice and invited to sing with performers. Through the care, curiosity, skill and imagination of designers, environments framed by theatre can cast their spell on audiences, and help shift  perspectives in ways most urgently needed in our time of civilisational crisis. The Genesis Theatre Design Course has this knowledge at its roots: I look forward to witnessing its first cohort flourish, and to learning from them while supporting their progress.” 

David Lan, Trustee of the Genesis Foundation, said: “The Genesis Theatre Design Programme is a rebirth of a much valued tradition and, at the same time, the start of something new.  Whether ‘the space’ of performance is empty or filled, theatre design is at the heart of theatre, is as expressive of meaning and feeling quite as much as acting or directing. Huge appreciation to Paul Handley, ULTZ, the Mulberry School and Genesis for keeping the faith during the long dark covid winter – and welcome to this happy coming together in the spring” 

Mark Dakin, Trustee of the Genesis Theatre Design Programme, said: “Ever since working as an assistant alongside resident designers at Stratford East and The Young Vic in the 1980s and in The Model Room of The Royal Opera House in the 1990s, I have understood and advocated the value of design based training for the full breadth of backstage crafts in the performing arts, live experience and beyond. I am in no doubt of the profound impact The Genesis Theatre Design Course will have on the institution in which it is based and the sector more widely and I’m thrilled at the prospect of the worlds of the stories which are told on our stages being seen through more representative eyes.” 

John Studzinski, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, said “For more than 20 years, the Genesis Foundation has been investing in the careers of exceptional creative professionals, enabling them to develop their skills, networks and resilience. At the National Theatre, the Genesis Music Theatre Programme has been running successfully since 2017. We look forward to see the first ever cohort of the Genesis Theatre Design Programme through their training, which will nurture outstanding talent while addressing a striking imbalance in the creative industries, to benefit from two years of mentorship from some of the UK’s leading design professionals. Structured, collaborative programmes like this are vital to the UK’s cultural sector, ensuring that it thrives and that it leads by example when it comes to innovation, professionalism and representation.” .  

Find out more about the Genesis Theatre Design Programme

Panellists include Amanda Parker, Bob and Roberta Smith,  Dr Gus Casely-Hayford OBE, Nadia Fall and Sanaz Amidi

The Genesis Foundation and the Mayor of London  today announce the full line-up for the Genesis Conversation to take place at City Hall on Monday 5 June.  

Chaired by Brenda Emmanus OBE, the discussion will focus on People Make Places: the role of art and culture in placemaking and regeneration and will feature: Amanda Parker (Vice Chair, Mayor’s Culture Leadership Board), East London based artist, Bob and Roberta Smith, Dr Gus Casely-Hayford OBE (Director, V&A East), Nadia Fall, (Artistic Director, Theatre Stratford East) and Sanaz Amidi (Chief Executive, Rosetta Arts). 

 Art and artists have long been at the centre of the economic transformation of cities, with a well-established relationship between the arts and the commercial sector involved in urban regeneration. From the meanwhile use of buildings in post-industrial urban areas as studios, galleries, and sites for temporary art works, through to the permanent tenant status of flagship educational, gallery and museum institutions. Alongside the commissioning of public artworks within urban redevelopment and regeneration projects, artists often precede the revival of a neighbourhood. “Follow the Artists” is the long-standing mantra of property developers.  

East London has been a home for artists for decades. The Olympic legacy heralded the arrival of major national cultural organisations. How do we ensure vital community-led organisations are not dwarfed by them but included in the regeneration process? How can the newcomers learn from the existing cultural community? What is the role of those working in the cultural sector, developers and policy makers in working towards inclusive regeneration, rather than gentrification? What is the role of the arts in this process?  

Genesis Conversations is a series of free discussions, which gathers cultural leaders and rising talent in the arts to examine key issues in today’s cultural world, hosted in partnership with the Barbican Centre, Bristol Old Vic and City Hall. These discussions are free live events with the option to watch the live-stream or a playback online.  

John Studzinski CBE, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, said: “The Genesis Conversations are intended as free resources of the highest quality for artists to thrive in an increasingly tough industry. Providing healthy debates on key issues of our time, an exchange of ideas and practices from emerging artists as well as established, well-known figures, these talks aim to equip audiences with a new perspective and hopefully useful advice to take their practice, be it as an artist or a cultural leader, forward. The GLA play a pivotal role in the cultural revitalisation of London and Justine’s team delivers a strategy showcasing the role of culture in transforming people and places.” 

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: ”Artists play a huge role in shaping our city and maintaining our identity as a world class creative capital. So it’s vital that as London grows and develops, artists and creatives are at the heart of plans.  By bringing together artists, venues, government agencies and the commercial sector, we can ensure that development serves those it is intended to benefit. I’m delighted that City Hall is working with the Genesis Foundation to host one of these talks. It is another example of how, by working together, we can build a better London for everyone.”  

The Genesis Conversation at the Greater London Authority is the third of the 2022/23 season: the Barbican Genesis Conversation, Networks, chaired by Will Gompertz and the Bristol Old Vic Genesis Conversation, Arts in a Time of Crisis, chaired by Tom Morris can be watched on the Genesis Foundation’s YouTube channel.  

The Genesis Foundation previously sponsored six Cultural Conversations in 2020 and 2021, hosted by Sir William Russell at the Mansion House when he was Lord Mayor of the City of London.  

Originally conceived as live events, they continued throughout the Covid-19 crisis and were held online enabling audience participation via chat and video. The panel discussions gathered leaders and artists who included Sir Nicholas Serota, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Sharon Ament, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Lemn Sissay, Dame Julia Payton-Jones CBE and many more. Leading arts journalists including Kirsty Lang and Farah Nayeri chaired debates about Cultural Technology and Innovation, Philanthropy, Youth and Access, the Economic impact of the Creative industries. 

Register to attend People Make Places (live stream registration also available).

(Royal Academy of Arts, CR. Rory Mulvey)

The Royal Academy of Arts is pleased to announce the launch of the Genesis Future Curators Programme, a new programme enabling two 2-year Curatorial positions at the Royal Academy, presented in partnership with the Genesis Foundation.  

Open to anyone who has completed an arts-related degree, the two full-time paid Curatorial positions will be placed within the Exhibitions and Collections departments, providing a unique opportunity to gain a 360-degree view of the life of a Curator at the RA.  

Applications for the two positions open Monday 24 April and the two roles commence in autumn 2023.  

John Studzinski, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation said: “The Genesis Foundation has been investing for over two decades in the careers of exceptional creative professionals, enabling them to develop their skills, networks and resilience. We are proud to launch the Genesis Future Curators scheme with the Royal Academy. Many arts organisations approached us with a similar proposal, but what makes the Royal Academy so unique is its embedded, outstanding culture of mentoring. Rebecca Salter, PRA, a previous winner of the Genesis Foundation Prize is a mentoring role model in this industry. The two Future Curators will benefit from her training and mentoring, working within a visionary organisation.” 

Rebecca Salter, President of the Royal Academy of Arts said: “We are delighted to partner with the Genesis Foundation to launch the Genesis Future Curators initiative. The continued generosity of the Foundation will enable us to train two graduates as curators in our Collections and Exhibition team. It will provide them with a wealth of knowledge from industry-lead experts and our Royal Academicians, who will mentor the two new Future Curators.   

Post-pandemic, it is a fantastic opportunity for us to welcome two new curators to join our teams, opening up new opportunities in the art world, to gain first-hand experience from our curatorial teams and providing inclusivity by inviting graduates from across the UK to apply for these brand-new roles at the RA.” 

Applications for the Genesis Future Curator Programme open on 24 April 2023

Apply to Genesis Future Curator (Exhibitions)

Apply to Genesis Future Curator (Exhibitions)

Bidisha Mamata, Amy Abrahams, Rachel Lewis and Tilly Rubens | Kings Place (2023)

Applications are now open for the third annual Genesis Jewish Book Week Emerging Writers’ Programme, which covers fiction, non-fiction and poetry and includes bursaries, mentoring, peer support and an event at London’s longest-running literary festival. 

The Programme is open to emerging writers over 18 years of age and living in the UK with no more than three years’ experience of being published. Applicants should be working, or planning to work, on a specific project with the aim of publication and have until 31 May to apply via jewishbookweek.com.

Eleanor Myerson recently became the latest alumnus of the programme to see her project secure a publishing deal, with Cambridge University Press to release her book The Desire for “Syria” in Medieval England. “I’m sure that being part of the JBW scheme was part of what ensured that the Academic Impact pitch was successful – usually the books in that line are by much more established academics than me.” And next month sees the publication of fellow alumnus Oakley Flanagan’s debut poetry pamphlet G&T by Out-Spoken Press.

The launch of this year’s programme comes a month after the 2022/23 cohort appeared at a sold-out session on the final day of this year’s Jewish Book Week at Kings Place, alongside mentors including Bidisha Mamata and Anne Sebba. The full list of established writers serving as mentors for the third annual programme will be confirmed in the coming weeks, with the first four announced today: in the fiction category, Booker-nominated The Water Cure and Cursed Bread novelist Sophie Mackintosh and Ruth Gilligan, the youngest person to top the Irish Bestsellers’ List and winner of the 2021 Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize for The Butchers; in poetry Boy Friends author Michael Pedersen, whose third collection The Cat Prince & Other Poems is published by Corsair this summer; and in non-fiction historian Helen Fry, whose 17^th book Women in Intelligence comes out this autumn.

As well as mentorship the 10 selected emerging writers will receive bursaries of up to £1,500, peer support and specialist seminars, before appearing at the 73rd Jewish Book Week next March.

John Studzinski, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation said:

“We are delighted to be continuing our support of Jewish Book Week’s emerging writers programme into a third year. It chimes with our work at the Genesis Foundation: supporting and nurturing emerging talent in the arts and creative sectors. We believe that effective mentoring can make all the difference to an artist or writer. To date, the programme has developed some outstanding talent and enabled them to have a real impact, with some of the writers already securing publishing deals. The mentors and the support offered through the scheme have given the writers a huge boost and expanded their horizons. We look forward to seeing how the next group of writers develop, with the support and commitment of our superb mentors and the excellent team at Jewish Book Week.”

Find out more about the Genesis Jewish Book Week Emerging Writers Programme