This year, East London’s Shoreditch Town Hall will launch its new Associate Company programme, highlighting commitment to long-term artist development and platforming LGBTQ+ and women-led work.
The Shoreditch Town Hall has launched its new Associate Company programme, which this year includes critically acclaimed theatre maker Josie Dale-Jones, founder of ThisEgg, and award-winning choreographer and director Jonathan Watkins, founder of Ballet Queer, the UK’s first LGBTQ+ ballet company. Known for creating bold, contemporary work rooted in lived experience and identity, their practices reflect the values of the venue and the communities it serves.
Developed as a one-year initiative, the programme represents a shift from short-term support towards more sustained relationships with artists, allowing time for meaningful development without the pressure of rapid turnover. At a time of continued funding pressures across the arts, the programme ensures Shoreditch Town Hall is actively contributing to the development of considered, high-quality work.
Across the one-year period, the Associate Companies will receive the following support:
- £3,000 in commission funding towards new work
- Residency and rehearsal space, alongside technical and production support
- Marketing, PR, producing and fundraising support
- Guaranteed presentation slots at Shoreditch Town Hall, with fees attached
In addition to staging their own productions, the Associate Companies will play an active role in Shoreditch Town Hall’s wider programme. They will lead artist workshops, contribute to talks and events and collaborate with local communities, helping to grow Shoreditch Town Hall’s artist development offer while strengthening connections with audiences.
Ellie Browning, Head of Cultural Programme at Shoreditch Town Hall said: “We are thrilled to launch our Associate Company programme, formalising our commitment to supporting ambitious new work by mid-career and established artists. As a receiving house it’s vital that we actively invest in the development of work that will populate our spaces, and this programme marks a significant milestone as our first direct cash support since before the pandemic. We’re especially excited to deepen our relationships with Ballet Queer and ThisEgg. Jonathan and Josie are innovative artists whose artistic vision, sector insights and collaborative ways of working bring immense value, inviting
new artists and audiences into our building. While we are proud to be focusing resources on these companies, this sits within a much wider commitment to artists, who remain a visible part of our wider, growing ecosystem of creative development and residencies at Shoreditch Town Hall.”
Josie Dale-Jones is a multi-award-winning theatre maker, producer and performer whose work champions theatre as a catalyst for social change. As the lead artist behind ThisEgg, she creates bold, collaboratively devised performances that interrogate power, freedom and contemporary life, earning widespread critical acclaim, including multiple Scotsman Fringe First Awards. Talking about the news, Josie said: “Venues and artists working together is more necessary than ever. Shoreditch Town Hall have supported the development of ThisEgg’s work for the last ten years. Becoming an Associate Company for the next year is a super exciting way to solidify an ongoing
relationship and trust in one another.”
Meanwhile, Jonathan Watkins is an award-winning director and choreographer celebrated for ambitious, cross-disciplinary work that reimagines literary and contemporary texts for stage and screen. He commented: “Shoreditch Town Hall has played a vital role in the development of our company and we are honoured to deepen our relationship in this way. Ballet Queer is excited to make more work in the spaces of this inspiring venue, as we grow during 2026.”
To find out more about Shoreditch Town Hall visit: https://shoreditchtownhall.com/