Dance Hub Birmingham is an exciting addition to the thriving performing arts scene in our growing and diverse city. The combination of a new physical facility, a boosted investment programme, and healthy collaboration enables exciting future collective ambition for dance across the region.
The Dance Hub Birmingham studio complex is situated in the heart of the city centre as part of the creative campus housing Birmingham Hippodrome, FABRIC (DanceXchange & Dance4 Together) and Birmingham Royal Ballet; and is also the new home for One Dance UK.
But Dance Hub Birmingham is more than just a building. It exists to make a lasting difference.
Our main strength lies in being an active partnership of committed organisations and individuals, representing the region’s professional dance sector. We are here to support the development of the artform in all its diversity, and to drive the sector forward ensuring its sustainability.
With you we want to grow a true partnership spirit, building on decades of dance achievement in Birmingham and the wider region, and positioning this as a globally significant area for dance. And we want to share with you an ambitious future vision of how dance can make an even greater impact.
Together, let’s create a more ambitious future for dance.
In 2019, responding to the need to ensure that the completed Dance Hub Birmingham studio facilities would be financially sustainable, maintained, serviced and secure for the future, Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Royal Ballet and FABRIC (DanceXchange & Dance4 Together) volunteered to set up a Dance Hub Birmingham (DHB) not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC). This has now been successfully established.
The Dance Hub Birmingham CIC works with the voluntary Dance Hub Steering Committee (with a rotating Chair), currently including:
- Birmingham Hippodrome
- Birmingham Royal Ballet
- FABRIC (DanceXchange & Dance4 Together)
- One Dance UK
- ACE dance and music
- Birmingham City University
- Midlands Arts Centre
- Sampad South Asian Arts and Heritage
- Birmingham Dance Network
- Independent artists
Dance Hub Birmingham also works in consultation with city partners and the wider West Midlands dance sector.
The initial funding does not continue indefinitely. One of the most important factors in the success of Dance Hub Birmingham and its ambitions for Birmingham and the wider region, is to ensure sustainability through bold investment partnerships and income generation, through studio rental, commercial hire, events and more.
The Dance Hub Birmingham studio complex was completed in the summer of 2019 on schedule and on budget, and, after some pilot activity, it formally opened in November 2019.
Professionally outside London, Birmingham leads the way in building opportunities for long and fulfilling dance careers.
Inclusive and representative: Collaboration will be key and Dance Hub Birmingham will welcome the most diverse range of dance practice and styles representative of the wider cultural community.
Fair and open: There will always be many voices involved in our decision-making which relies on trust between existing and new partners. Step forward, lean in and join the conversation.
Proactive and engaged: This only works through communicative partnerships, and we’re directing our energy into continued phases of growth and impact.
