LAUNCH:LA - L.A. Dance Project's Artist Residency Program

Founded in 2021, LAUNCH:LA is a residency program aimed at supporting Los Angeles’s emerging dance makers by lifting the economic burden that goes into the creation of a new work. Our selected artists are provided the space, time, monetary support, and platform to have their work seen and celebrated by a wider audience. Designed for early-career, L.A.-based dance-centered artists, applicants from all backgrounds, disciplines, and abilities are encouraged to apply, particularly those from groups historically underrepresented in the space.

Each LAUNCH:LA artist receives three weeks of rehearsal space to create new dance-centered work on their own dancers and collaborators that is presented to audiences in LADP’s performance theater at the culmination of the residency.

Requirements

Residency Components:

• Applicants must be early-career, dance-centered artists who spend the majority of their time living and creating work in Los Angeles. Applicants from all backgrounds, disciplines, and abilities are encouraged to apply, particularly those from groups historically underrepresented in the field. Those currently enrolled full-time in college or university dance programs are not eligible to apply.
• Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals for interdisciplinary collaborative projects that combine dance with technology, visual art, music, or other mediums of artistic expression. Proposals that include work intended to be viewed in the round are highly encouraged.
• The program supports 2 projects in their early stages of development. Proposed projects should not have been previously premiered.
• The program provides selected artists with 3 weeks to dive into a generative process that will culminate in the premiere and presentation of the new work in 4 shared-bill performances at 2245.

The residency period is September 2, 2025 - September 21, 2025. Residency hours will take place:

Week 1: Tuesday - Saturday, 9:30am-5:30pm
Week 2: Monday - Friday, 9:30am-5:30pm
Week 3: Monday - Sunday, times will shift to accommodate tech and dress rehearsals plus the performances

Selected Participants Receive:

• Selected artists will receive 3 weeks of rehearsal space in LADP’s studios to create work on their own dancers and collaborators.
• A stipend of $3,000 for the selected artist plus a $2,750 production stipend, which includes the use of LAUNCH:LA’s lighting designer, to be used at the artists’ discretion to aid in compensating dancers and collaborators and/or production needs such as scenic, sound, and costume design.
• The opportunity to share and discuss the works-in-progress through open rehearsals with Q&As and the chance to get feedback from a creator(s) in LADP’s network of artists.
• The opportunity to present their new work in 4 fully produced, shared-bill performances that will be hosted and promoted by L.A. Dance Project.

Application Instructions

Complete Proposals Include:
Please submit the materials as one PDF attachment, if possible. Hyperlinks to video work samples are preferred over files that are direct downloads. If necessary, please include any passwords needed to access submitted materials.

• Contact Information (Name/company, email, phone, address, website, and designated contact person)
• Resume/CV and Headshot
• Bio (Please submit for all key collaborators)
• Project Description (700 words or less on the proposed work including imagined production elements as well as a description of the applicant’s creative process)
• Statement of Intent (300 words or less on the applicant’s goals for the residency)
• References (Please provide the contact information for 2 professional references)
• Proposed Project Budget (Please show intended allocation of the $2,750 production stipend funds, keeping a $250 line item for contingencies)
• Work Samples (A small digital portfolio highlighting recent work including videos, photos, reviews etc)

Submission:

Applications should be submitted to residencies@ladanceproject.org. The application period opens on June 10, 2025 and the deadline for submission is 11:59pm PDT on July 6, 2025. Any applications received outside of the application period will not be considered.

Need Help?
For help or inquiries, please email the Director of Artist Residency Program Rachelle Rafailedes Mucha at residencies@ladanceproject.org.