8. Taking Shape: The Plan

After a short but much-needed break, I’ve come back to this work with renewed focus. Stepping away helped me reset, but more importantly it sharpened my sense that momentum matters. If this is going to move forward, it needs shape, clarity and substance, not just good intention.

I’ve also begun setting up more meetings again. Some are follow-ups, others are new conversations, but all are important. I’ll be reconnecting with Culture Liverpool and Arts Council England in particular, alongside wider discussions, to talk through where this is heading and what might be needed to take it forward.

Progress feels slow but I’ve been quite busy so capacity is limited. But having meetings in the diary creates a useful pressure to get things done and it motivates me to push on with developing a business plan for WAVES that people can actually respond to.

So alongside a new day job, I’ve been working through the foundations of what a new dance development organisation would be and do. These are working drafts, not fixed statements, but getting them down on paper feels like a significant step.

Before setting them out, it’s worth saying what these elements are for.

• A vision describes the long-term change an organisation exists to help bring about.

• A mission explains what it does to move towards that vision.

• Values guide behaviour and decision-making.

• Strategic priorities focus effort and prevent drift.

• And impacts describe the difference the organisation aims to make if it delivers well.

Vision: Creating Futures through Dance

We exist to unlock potential and raise ambition. We believe in creating fulfilling, joyful and sustainable futures through dance – for performers, creators, makers, educators, producers, administrators, participants and audiences. Our vision is for Liverpool to be a place where talent is developed, celebrated and shared; where creativity and excellence thrive together; and where opportunities in dance lead to meaningful careers and lasting impact. We want everyone to be able to experience and engage with dance without barriers.

We will be an incubator for the next generation of dance professionals – building skills, jobs and confidence at every level of experience. We will champion Liverpool as a home for creativity and collaboration, welcoming artists from around the world to make, share and inspire here. We will work with presenters, producers and partners of all scales to expand opportunities for communities to participate in dance, and for audiences to enjoy a rich, diverse programme that entertains, inspires and ignites imagination.

Through investment, partnership and imagination, we will create a vibrant, connected and internationally recognised dance ecology – one that transforms lives, drives creativity, invites participation and celebrates the power of movement in shaping our collective future.

Mission: We develop people, places and possibilities through dance.

We exist to build a thriving, connected and sustainable dance ecology in Liverpool and across the wider City Region. By championing creativity, investing in talent and opening pathways for everyone – from those already working in dance to those discovering it for the first time – we enable people to learn, create and grow. We believe dance thrives when everyone who creates, supports or experiences it is valued.

Through collaboration, opportunity and excellence, we create the conditions for dance to transform lives, careers and culture – cultivating creativity that begins in Liverpool and sends ripples of impact across the world, connecting local talent with global ideas and welcoming international artists to share, make and inspire here.

Values

• Creative
  We make space for imagination, experimentation and excellence. Creativity sits at the heart of everything we do – from the work we support to the way we think and solve problems.

• Collaborative
  We believe in doing things together. We build open, transparent and generous partnerships that strengthen the whole dance ecology.

• Inclusive
  We make dance open to everyone – across backgrounds, abilities, identities and dance styles – and create a culture of belonging.

• Curious
  We listen, learn and adapt. Curiosity drives us to test ideas, respond to evidence and keep the sector evolving.

• Ambitious
  We aim high – for artists, communities and Liverpool – believing dance deserves visibility, investment and opportunity.

Strategic Priorities

These priorities focus effort, guide investment and provide a clear framework for accountability.

1. Lead and connect a thriving dance ecology

2. Develop people and pathways for the future

3. Champion creativity, excellence and opportunity

4. Expand participation and deepen engagement

5. Strengthen Liverpool’s place on the world stage

6. Sustain, innovate and future-proof

Intended Impacts

These impacts describe the long-term difference WAVES exists to make and provide a clear set of outcomes to guide future activity and investment.

1. People: Skills, Confidence and Sustainable Careers
   People at every stage of their journey will have the confidence, skills and opportunity to develop sustainable and rewarding careers in dance and the wider creative industries.

2. Place: Reputation, Identity and Economic Growth
   Liverpool and the wider City Region will be recognised nationally and internationally as a bold, connected and creative hub for dance.

3. Participation: Connection, Wellbeing and Belonging
   More people from all backgrounds will take part in dance for enjoyment, health and social connection, strengthening wellbeing and community belonging.

4. Practice: Creativity, Collaboration and Excellence
   Artists, organisations and partners will create ambitious, high-quality and innovative work that reflects the diversity and creativity of the region.

5. Sustainability: Stability, Responsibility and Legacy
   The dance sector will be financially stable, environmentally responsible and equipped to thrive for generations to come.

None of this is fixed. These are designed to be tested, challenged and refined. But they now form the heart of the business plan and that feels like a real shift. They give shape to the ambition and, crucially, something tangible to talk about with people who might help make this real.

My focus now is pace. Over the next couple of weeks, in whatever state it’s in, my aim is to pull together a full draft business plan. Not a perfect document, but a credible, coherent one that can be shared with funders and partners to start the next conversation: how we move from words and ideas into action.