Our First Free Range Project Development - Madre Muerte by OFF-base Dance Company
Philanthropy
ARTRAGE launched Free Range in 2022, to provide a platform for Western Australian independent artists to develop their projects in a cultural landscape where opportunities for funding are scarce, and in doing so, encourage these artists to push the boundaries of medium, scale, and genre.
The intended outcomes of Free Range is the creation of new and exciting performances and providing mentorship and development opportunities for local artists across the state.
The first project to be developed by Free Range was Madre Muerte, by Western Australia’s OFF-Base Dance Company. The feature length performance, led by choreographer Tyrone Earl Lraé Robinson, explores the idea of death as a motherly figure offering protection, healing, and guidance to the afterlife, as an inevitable part of life's journey.
The three-week development program for Madre Muerte included collaboration between the key artist and skilled professionals in dramaturgy, music composition and lighting design to inform the development of the piece into a well-rounded and considered work. In February 2023, towards the end of the development, a segment of the performance was debuted for production supporters and the ARTRAGE team to receive creative feedback.
The performance was a wonderful opportunity to display the success of OFF-Base's creative opportunity within Free Range and gave both our donors and our team a taste of what is to come from this promising development program.
At the conclusion of development, the ARTRAGE Projects team and OFF-Base conducted a review on the project’s scope. Although it was determined that the final production was not suited to progress to public presentation by ARTRAGE, Tyrone and the team at OFF-Base have our full confidence that with the materials and connections provided through the program, and their passion for dance, they will realise Madre Muerte's full expansive vision in the future.
ARTRAGE is currently reviewing the outcomes of the Free Range program to ensure we surprise and delight as many people as possible with our performances, so watch this space!
A huge thank you to our donors, who have been crucial in helping us to realise Free Range. We look forward to keeping you updated as this program evolves.