Dash Arts creates artistic experiences that challenge the way we see the world.
Founded in 2005 by Artistic Directors Josephine Burton & Tim Supple, Dash Arts produces new theatre, dance, music and art events with exceptional international artists. We build artistic collaboration across cultural, linguistic, national and social divides resulting in productions of ambition and scale and participation projects that enhance our diverse audience’s understanding of other nations and cultures.
“Work of profound worldwide artistic significance, awakening us to new styles, beliefs and voices” Toronto Star
We seek to fuse local and global perspectives, cut through stereotype and generalisation, remove international cultural barriers, access hidden communities and increase our audience’s understanding of the possibilities of performance. Nationalism, hostility to migrants, cultural separatism, and reaction against international cooperation are enjoying a time of strength, sentiments that we believe are anathema to artistic and cultural expression and evolution. We are convinced of the humanising and enriching value of artistic dialogue across cultures and its ability to address the big questions of our time.
“I never felt away from home, every time I worked with Dash Arts"
Ammar Haj Ammad, Syrian refugee and Dash Arts actor.
Our response to the cultural challenges of our time is unique within the UK arts ecology. We throw a spotlight on particular geographical regions with a cross-arts approach that integrates research, development, participation, presentation, and production over several years. This approach yields a programme that reveals and nurtures diverse artistic excellence and gives our work phenomenal national and international reach. Over more than 750 performances and participation events since 2005, Dash has forged creative relationships with almost 8,500 artists and participants across the UK and worldwide, reaching audiences of 350,000.
"Dash Arts Indian Dream and Lyrical Alliance - both great successes - brought the reopened Roundhouse new and diverse audiences. Dash Arts creates extraordinary and superb events through detailed development and thinking time." Marcus Davey, Artistic Director/CEO, Roundhouse
Dash Arts travels across continents to shed new light on great cultures and creates work through intensive periods of Research and Development.
Our productions are created in collaboration with leading venues and festivals in the UK including National Theatre, Sadler's Wells, Roundhouse, Edinburgh International Festival, RSC, Brighton Festival, Belgrade Theatre Coventry; and abroad with Lincoln Center Festival New York, Luminato Festival Toronto, Perth Festival Australia, and Ballet Moscow.
We have reached over 350,000 people across the world with widely acclaimed major tours in the UK, Europe, Australia and North America, which have led to numerous awards and nominations including Olivier, Evening Standard, TMA, Herald Angel and Dora awards.
"In its strangeness, sexuality, and communal joy, this is the most life-enhancing production of Shakespeare’s play since Peter Brooks’s"
The Guardian on A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Outstanding Dash Arts' successes include the award-winning Indian A Midsummer Night’s Dream which played sell out seasons with the RSC in Stratford and at London’s Roundhouse before touring world-wide and the double Olivier-award winning Babel which was a major success at London’s Sadler’s Wells and across the world.
Dash Arts' innovative participation events and workshop programmes have engaged more than 5500 young people, students and artists in the UK and abroad.
Our fundraising success has so far resulted in £5m of support.
