Spin Arts is delighted to start working with John Darvell of NOCTURN Dance, on a Greenwich Dance commission as part of ArtsUnboxed – an innovative project seeking new ways to safely create, produce and tour work in 2021.

John has attracted a sterling team of collaborators who start work on The RIDDLE this week!

Dancer/Performer – Tom Dunn
Composer – John Chambers
Writer – David Varela
Storyboarder – Ben Quershi
Illustrator – INTO Doodles
Costume Designer – Ryan Laight
Film makers – Chris Harris and Tim Bedingfield – Focus Pull
Photography and Brand Design – Joe Armitage

‘We’re delighted to be working with John and Greenwich Dance on ArtsUnboxed. John, originally from the North East, didn’t have the most straight forward route into dance. However, his experience of working in civil service has enabled him to find a unique way of blending dance and accessible technology, to create free and accidental art for a diverse range of audiences. The idea he has proposed for ArtsUnboxed is something fun, fresh and for all the family. We look forward to shaping the ideas with him over the next couple of months and bringing the work to audiences shortly afterwards’ Sarah Shead – Spin Arts

Funded by the Culture Recovery Fund, administered by Arts Council England, Greenwich Dance has commissioned six artists to develop new dance work that can be packaged as a virtual blueprint and sold to venues, festivals and dance organisations across the country.

Designed to kickstart creativity in dance following the devastating impact COVID-19 has had on the sector, ArtsUnboxed also offers a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way of touring ideas rather than people and creates more opportunities for cultural employment at a local level.

The final six artists chosen are:

– John Darvell – NOCTURN with producer Sarah Shead – Spin Arts
– Joss Arnott of Joss Arnott Dance with producer Phil Hargreaves
– Sarah Blanc working with Annie Hanauer and Vicky Malin as part of their collective
– Annie Vicky Sarah, with producer Emma Abbey
– Temujin Gill – Grounded Movement with producer Kate Scanlan of Scanners Inc
– Pervez – Live 2 Break, with producer Kate Scanlan of Scanners Inc
– Anna Williams &Tom Roden of Anatomical with producer Claire Summerfield of Tandem Works

The Artists and Producers will be supported by a team of freelance specialists including Project Manager Rajpal Pardesi, Dramaturg Lou Cope and Access and Inclusion Consultant Alex Covell.

To find out more about John and his work visit www.nocturndance.co.uk

ArtsUnboxed will launch online by the end of April 2021. For more information, visit www.greenwichdance.org.uk