Watford artists are asked to produce art for their hometown

A total of £4,500 will be split equally between six artists who will be paired up to create any type of art they want.

The initiative, called tf MATCH/PLAY, marks Watford-based, British African heritage contemporary theatre company, tiata fahodzi celebrating 25 years as a company.

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The anniversary coincides with the group moving to its new home at the Watford Colosseum.

This new scheme is specifically for artists who are black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage or indigenous to the global south.

Artistic director Chinonyerem Odimba said the group wants to support Watford-based artists with their work and mental health.

Artistic director Chinonyerem Odimba. Picture: tiata fohodzi

She said: “One of the key concerns among freelancers has been regarding mental health, wellbeing, isolation, and loneliness - even for busier freelancers.

“Collaboration is at the heart of what we do but we are rarely able to learn from different types of creatives – about how they approach their work, different perspectives of theatre, and how working in collaboration strengthens your own practice. 

“tf MATCH/PLAY will give artists a chance to counter some of those feelings by having another artist to share ideas, and experiences with during the making of the work, and hopefully improve some of those mental health challenges.” 

The theatre company will match freelance artists with each other, give them space to get to know each other, and encourage peer to peer learning.

Pictures from previous tiata fahodzi productions. Picture: tiata fahodzi

A poet and musician might come together to produce a street theatre performance.

A textile artist might work with a theatre designer to put something up in a local library, or a playwright and a sound designer might work together to create an audio piece.

It will enable artists to work in their hometown to produce a piece of work that can be for an audience of one, on a street or in any other space in their area.

Ms Odimba added: “We want to become a home for artists; a safe place to meet us and their practice. Artists are audiences, artists are activists, artists are collaborators, artists are at the heart of what we do.”

Further details on how artists can apply will be announced on the website soon.

Applicants will be expected to talk about their artistic skills and why they want to take part in the project.

The pairs will have six weeks to create their work.

Play writers (left to right) Babirye Bukilwa, Diana Atouna and Malaika Kegode. Picture: tiata fahodzi

In addition, the theatre company will host a triple bill of plays, called Talking About a Revolution written by Diana Atouna, Babirye Bukilwa and Malaika Kegode, at Watford’s Pump House in October to celebrate tiata fahodzi’s 25-year anniversary.