2. aRTISTS & PRACTITIONERS

This strand of the research focused on dance artists and practitioners working across Liverpool and the wider city region, exploring their experiences of the current dance ecology. It sought insight into opportunities, funding, collaboration, strategic direction and ideas for future development, as well as how supported people feel in sustaining their practice.

Overall, responses paint a picture of a fragmented and under-resourced sector. Many artists and practitioners described a lack of regular funding, limited access to performance and rehearsal spaces, and few clear pathways for progression. These conditions restrict the diversity of work being made and presented, and make it difficult for practitioners to engage consistently with communities or build sustainable careers.

The closure of Merseyside Dance Initiative (latterly known as Together) was repeatedly referenced as a significant turning point. Its absence has left a gap in leadership, coordination and infrastructure, contributing to a landscape where collaboration feels inconsistent and strategic direction unclear. Without a unifying framework or advocate for dance, many practitioners feel disconnected from decision-making and from one another.

Responses also revealed deep frustration around perceptions of insularity within the sector. Some artists feel that funding and opportunities circulate among the same groups or individuals, leaving grassroots, freelance and community-based practitioners feeling excluded or marginalised. This sense of imbalance has contributed to low trust and disengagement for some, particularly those working outside established structures.

There was a strong call for greater inclusivity, with respondents emphasising the importance of amplifying diverse voices and ensuring meaningful representation of under-represented communities, including d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent practitioners. Many highlighted the need for community-led approaches that reflect the breadth of dance practice across the city.

Past experiences of consultation without visible change have left some sceptical about whether new initiatives would genuinely shift power, improve access or address long-standing inequalities.

Despite this, a strong thread of optimism runs through the responses. Many practitioners expressed hope for a more vibrant, collaborative and visible dance scene in Liverpool. Some described “green shoots” of opportunity and a willingness to engage again, provided future leadership is transparent, inclusive and rooted in the needs of the wider community.

Taken together, these responses highlight the importance of rebuilding trust, strengthening infrastructure, and committing to genuine collaboration. They point to a clear opportunity to support artists and practitioners more effectively, but only through approaches that are evidence-led, inclusive and shaped with the sector rather than for it.