Applications are now closed.

Nottingham Young Creative Awards (YCA) returned for 2023. An opportunity for 11 to 24 year olds living, working or studying in Nottingham to have their work celebrated.

Categories span across ten art forms and are supported by professionals in the creative industries in Nottingham. FABRIC is proud to sponsor the Dance Category for YCA.

YCA is an excellent opportunity for young dancers and dance groups to share their creative skills and the dance category award winner(s) benefit from building links with industry professionals, raising their profile in Nottingham and winning cash prizes.

In order to be eligible to enter the competition, you must either live, work, study or create dance activity in Nottingham.  A full criteria list can be found here.

To enter the dance category, your dance activity, choreography or leadership work can be focused on any theme or idea.

Applicants must identify themselves as one or more of the following:

Solo Dancer
Your application should demonstrate you dancing in your own or another choreographer’s work.

Choreographer
You should submit work which you have created for yourself and/or for other dancers.

Dance Leader
Your application should evidence your work with other dancers/dance professionals and/or your leadership work in dance.

A group of dancers/choreographers
One person should apply on behalf of a group entry. A group leader can apply for the group but must identify the young people’s involvement and where possible involve them in the application process. Group applications should identify themselves in the age category which reflects most of the group members’ ages. Group applications should demonstrate group performances or choreography where each group member has contributed to the overall content.

In addition to sending in video footage to evidence your dancing and choreography, we also welcome applications from those who have created dance work specifically for the camera. We have created a dance-for-camera guide for those wishing to explore this option for their work.

How to apply:

1. Complete the online application form and explain the following:
• Why you have entered the awards
• What your/your group’s role is within the dance activity
• How the dance activity has developed your skills (dance and other skills)

2. Submit the work/piece via a video link that you would like to be judged on and label this clearly.
This should be the main piece of work that you would like the judges to focus on. Your video footage should be clear and show the themes of your work as clearly as possible.

3. Submit supporting evidence about your work, which should be one or more of the following:
• Video links of rehearsal or performance footage with any passwords needed
• Videos of yourself talking and describing your dance work
• Links to websites featuring your work
• Photographs

The more evidence you send, the more the judging panel will know about you.

Image of YCA winner 2022 by Matthew Cawrey.