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Innovation Awards

An exciting opportunity for final-year undergraduates to pitch an idea for an original project.

We support successful candidates to turn their idea into a reality by providing funding, mentoring from Trinity Laban alumni, and expert guidance from industry professionals.

Launched in 2019 and open to all final-year undergraduate students at the conservatoire, the competition provides a unique opportunity for emerging artists to access professional development support as they establish themselves within one of the fastest growing sectors of the UK economy. Made possible by The Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), each winning project receives an award of £4,000 to use on development, and will benefit from a specially tailored mentorship programme.

 

Innovation Award 2024 Winners

Hope O’Brien and Caitlin Howe (Eye to Eye)

Hope O’Brien and Caitlin Howe are in their final year of the BA in Contemporary Dance and have formed the collective Eye to Eye. It aims to create interdisciplinary art, derived from research around social issues, particularly through a queer feminist lens. Working across dance, textiles, fine art and poetry, the collective believes a multimedia approach can build informative projects that speak to the complexity of human experiences. They want to utilise this range of skills to create safe spaces and open up conversations about challenging topics. Eye to Eye will be utilising the Trinity Laban Innovation Award to build a multimedia collection of research about consent.

Hope and Caitlin say: “We are excited to begin creating our Consent Event, this work is very necessary, and we are incredibly proud to have the support of Trinity Laban to make it happen.”

Harshita Parekh

Harshita Parekh, a British- Indian classical pianist, started her musical journey at the age of 8, under the guidance of Yuriy Chubarenko and is currently under the tutelage of Alexander Ardakov. Harshita is the founder of BM Piano & Music Theory Lessons, a practice which has been running for almost five years. Coming from a background where studying music is not common practice, she continues to introduce students to the journey of piano playing.

Alongside her studies, Harshita’s work focuses on exploring connections between classical piano and Bollywood music. Her project, ‘Bollywood at the Piano’ – Bach, Beethoven and Bollywood!, aims to explore how Bollywood music can be performed in classical settings and provide a new perspective on the piano.

Harshita says: “I feel very honoured and privileged to receive this year’s Innovation Award in a project which has been a vision for many years. I am grateful and excited to receive mentorship and recognition to start this new journey.”

Alessandra Felci

Alessandra Felci is an Italian-Swiss dancer and artist who discovered her passion for dance at the age of 7. She had the opportunity to train at the Accademia Ucraina di Balletto in Milan and later at the Ashkenazy Ballet Centre in Switzerland, where she passionately performed in ballet performances and international competitions. In addition to her dance journey, she also attended the linguistic high school and graduated with top marks. She continued her dance studies at Trinity Laban, where she received a scholarship for admission. Here, she developed and is still developing my technical ability, performance skills, and choreography, and she has begun to grow her artistic voice. In the last three years, she has had the opportunity to share her own creative work and perform on a variety of occasions. Finally, starting in September 2024, she is very enthusiastic about joining the company MA Emergence for which she has been selected. Her project is called Dance Has No Age.

Alessandra says: “Winning the Innovation Award fills me with immense pride and excitement. As a creative, I feel grateful for this opportunity and for the people who believe in me and will help me bring my project to life. This recognition energizes me to continue striving for excellence and pushing for more creativity.”

Kornélia Nemcová

Kornélia Nemcová is a London-based composer and musician from Slovakia. Her work often involves multidisciplinary collaborations, while aiming to bring about awareness of social issues and groups who are otherwise overlooked. The Stories of the Silent Voices project series will highlight music and art for social change, incorporating direct journalism and research from subject matter experts. The first one is premiering soon: A Woman’s War is a performance about the untold stories of Ukrainian women who had to flee Ukraine after the full-scale invasion of 2022, that directly incorporates spoken accounts acquired from interviews.

Kornélia says: “The transition into industry after university is tough for any artist. The Innovation Award smoothens that transition, while allowing me to tackle more ambitious, professional and impactful projects.”

Shannon Hill

Shannon Mairead Hill is a multidisciplinary artist. She has a strong passion for dance, circus, and bringing about constructive change in the larger creative industry. The project Atypical Creative has a specific interest in bridging the gap in the transition, from student to professional life. The main objective will be to help students become more confident, experienced, and educated about the evolving creative industries. While also providing them with the chance to interact in person, exchange knowledge and first-hand experience with one another. She plans to use the innovation award to host multiple events aimed at encouraging students in building their careers whilst still in education.

Shannon says: “I consider myself incredibly blessed to have this opportunity and to provide something that I think will help future generations of creatives. I am very excited, huge thanks to Trinity Laban for your support!”

Meet the mentors

Roswitha Chesher

Roswitha is an award winning director and film maker and has had many films and installations screened extensively both nationally and internationally, at various venues and film festivals. Her most recent collaboration with choreographer Rosemary Lee, a seven screen installation ‘Orchard Portraits’, was recently on show at Limerick City Art Gallery.

Originally trained as a dancer and choreographer, she enjoys bringing that knowledge to her work in all aspects of film making. Looking, watching and giving contributors time and space, capturing, editing and framing their presence. Roswitha has had the wonderful opportunity of collaborating with a really diverse mix of contributors and artists and enjoys the richness that this brings to her work.

Luke Birch

Luke began training at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and completed his BA Hons degree at Trinity Laban. In 2009, he joined post graduate dance company Edge at London Contemporary Dance School. Professionally, he has performed for a variety of companies (Punchdrunk, Flexer and Sandiland, Janine Harrington) internationally alongside working with visual artists performing in galleries (Tate, Hayward Gallery). His choreographic work has been shown at Canterbury Festival, Saddlers Wells (Damn Fine Dance at Elixir Festival), The Place, Siobhan Davies Studios, Move it 2016 and Arts Depot. His most recent work commissioned by Loop Dance Company is currently touring the UK. Luke also has a passion for teaching and has delivered classes and workshops with Greenwich Dance, The Place, Independent Dance, Laban, London Studio Centre, Salzburg Academy of Experimental Dance, Shobana Jeyasingh and Candoco.

Kate Scanlan

Kate is a Creative Producer working in the cultural sector since 1998. She has a track record of producing pioneering projects and curating transformative events with artists, young people and communities.

She is the Founder of Scanners’ Inc, a creative non-profit that creates connection in public spaces through culture, retail partnerships and the arts. Events like The Bridge, Popin’ Pete’s Pop Shop, Sofa Sessions and Fit Street bring people together and create joy. In a time when we’re lonelier than ever, this work boost mental health, provides positive intergenerational activity and makes a positive economic impact.

Kate is joint Creative Director/CEO of East London Dance with Tia Hassan, and together they have been Creative Directors for MOVE IT for nine years. She has also producer for Breakin’ Convention, Fuel, Sadler’s Wells, Battersea Power Station, Studio Wayne McGregor: Random Dance, EcoWorld London, Rambert, Lendlease Elephant Park, Croydon Council, English National Opera and others. Kate is a Clore Fellow and gives guest lectures at a range of organisations including Goldsmiths, Ravensbourne, UEL, Swindon Dance, Matthew Bournes’ Re:Bourne and for Shechter II.

Christopher Gabbitas

Multiple Grammy Award-winning musician Chris Gabbitas was appointed Artistic Director of Phoenix Chorale in 2019, since when he has led the ensemble in live performance and on recordings, encouraging a diversity of repertoire from 1500-today with emphasis on a warmth of sound. Formerly a member of The King’s Singers, Chris studied at St John’s, Cambridge and Christ Church, Oxford, and has sung with many of Europe’s finest choirs. He is a member of the Voces8 Artistic Advisory Committee and engages in charitable music education work through the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Chris maintains a creative commercial law practice in London.

Becky Dell

Becky Dell is the Conductor and Co-Founder of the Citizens of the World Choir, the UK’s leading refugees and allies choir. The choir has performed at Glastonbury Festival, regularly on the BBC, at Buckingham Palace for the Platinum Party at the Palace (winning a BAFTA for Best Live Event), The Royal Opera House and on the Great British Bake Off. She also runs a Music Academy in Blackheath and Greenwich and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Innovation Award 2023 Winners & Mentors

Winners

Ọlá

Ọlá is a Nigerian musician currently in his final year of BA (Hons) Music Performance at Trinity Laban. His parents wished to enrol him for music lessons as a child but couldn’t afford the fees. Over a decade later, Ọlá decided to pursue his passion and took up the clarinet at age seventeen. Now a Beryl Searls and Trinity College London Scholar, Ọlá founded The Amalgam, after leading a project at Trinity Laban’s CoLab Festival 2021 and they’ve since enjoyed performing in London and nationally. He is currently trailing a career that transcends genres as he regularly performs in the Classical, Afro and Popular Music circles.

“I’m feeling thankful as this award will help me put my creative ideas in motion.”

Lizzie Fletcher

Lizzie Fletcher is a trained classical singer, with a particular interest in arts and wellbeing. With a passion for singing in a variety of choirs and solo settings, she has also been actively involved in a range of community outreach projects, including Music and Theatre for All’s Urban Opera project and TL’s Singing for Parkinson’s.

With Vibrations, Lizzie aims to research and curate musical workshops for Deaf children, exploring how we can experience music with our full bodies rather than just through our ears. Her goal is to provide this field of work with the recognition it deserves, while helping others to heal and enjoy the benefits of music.

“I am very grateful to have won this year’s innovation award. I’m excited to continue developing and creating more accessible opportunities in music, and working towards changing the stigma surrounding music for the Deaf.”

Chiara Martina Halter

Based between London and Switzerland, dance artist Chiara Martina Halter creates contemporary multidisciplinary works that merge live performance with screendance and installation art. She is particularly interested in creating immersive, multisensory spaces that offer high performance and entertainment value while efficiently communicating topics of social relevance.

Alongside her education at Trinity Laban, she joined the ensemble of the interdisciplinary art collective PR•SMA to create multifaceted site-specific performances. She also began training in a variety of hip-hop styles and dance theatre with Avantgarde Dance Company, and created and performed her own work outside of an academic context.

“It is incredibly reassuring to know that there are people who want to support my work and give it a platform. For that I am utterly grateful.”

Aimée Ruhinda

Aimée Ruhinda is a London-born performance artist of Ugandan and New Zealand heritage. Her work explores contemporary art through movement, choreography, and digital media. Aimee purses the creation of immersive installations that engage the viewer on a visceral and emotional level. Her practice is influenced by the Gothic genre, acknowledging its commitment to non-conformity, embracing the dark side of the mind as a voice for societal rebellion and transformation. Through her art, Aimee strives to challenge traditional notions of beauty, disrupt social identity expectations, and dismantle stigmas surrounding mental health.

“I’m so excited to receive this award and feel grateful to have Trinity Laban’s support to further my research project out into the world.”

Katlo

Katlo is an international student from Botswana. My Medusa, is an African feminist re-telling of the classic Greek myth. It explores the intersection between race and gender known as misogynoir during the Apartheid of South Africa. The story follows Medusa in the early years of her career as a jazz singer from Botswana trying to make her way in South Africa.

“It means so much that Trinity Laban is pushing for work like this to hit the mainstream. This story means so much to my family and my heritage.”

Mentors

The mentors for 2023 include:

  • Rob McNeil – As a performer, Rob has worked across theatre, opera, dance & film, in the UK & internationally. Rob’s artistic interests combine curation, choreography & direction. He led a large scale EU arts collaboration City Noisesopens between 2011-14 and recently was engaged by the EU Commission as an expert to assess applications to the EU Culture Fund in 2022.

  • Tina Krasevec (TL lecturer) – Tina Krasevec decided to pursue her passion for contemporary dance after reading Sociology and Philosophy at the University in Slovenia. Tina has a BA (Hons) from The London Contemporary Dance School and a MSc in Dance Science. She has performed nationally and internationally with a variety of companies.

  • Joyce Gyimah – Joyce’s training began at Lewisham College followed by degree level study at Trinity Laban. Since graduating in 2002, Joyce has worked as a freelance dance artist, educator, choreographer, manager and consultant. She has undertaken work for a range of dance institutions and organisations including Trinity Laban, Greenwich Dance Agency, Greenwich Musical Theatre, Union Dance, UK Foundation for Dance, Tavaziva Dance and more.

  • Caroline Heslop – Caroline has many years’ experience as a music journalist, composer, FE lecturer and pianist. In 2019 she founded NW Live Arts to offer communities access to dynamic concerts, bringing together creative musicians and community storytellers from different cultures to explore a rich mix of sounds and genres with an under-lying theme of social and cultural significance.

Innovation Award 2022 Winners & Mentors

Winners

Iolla Grace

Iolla Grace is an aspiring music and sound therapist from the New Forest. With a passion for foreign languages, Iolla has always been fascinated by other cultures, particularly those renowned for alternative healing therapies. For Iolla, music is a multifaceted gift that has endless healing potential.

After 5 years of vocal training at Trinity Laban, Iolla now wishes to use her voice to give back to the community around her by sharing the power of music and sound therapy on her podcast InsideSound. She hopes to provide this field of work with the recognition it deserves, whilst helping others to heal.

“I am extremely humbled to have been given the opportunity to continue my exploration of music and sound healing. I only hope that it will allow me to help others in the way that it has healed me.”

Shaye Poulton Richards

Shaye Poulton Richards is a composer, lyricist and game designer creating works for theatre and video games. Her interests stem from a desire to tell original stories in a variety of mediums, and she feels theatre and games share many exciting similarities, including the ability to create rich narrative landscapes, and the opportunity to actively challenge the relationship between audience and creator.

“I’m delighted to be receiving the Trinity Laban Innovation Award 2022 and am incredibly excited to explore music theatre in a virtual reality setting with the support of Trinity Laban.”

Ashley Lim and Isabelle Long

Dancers Ashley and Isabelle met during their time on the BA Contemporary Dance Program at Trinity Laban. Both Ashley and Isabelle share a mutual ambition and passion to bring a stronger awareness to inclusive, diverse and empowered environments for dancers, movers and thinkers.  

Transcendance aims to reinforce the importance of mental health support for those in transitional periods looking for encouragement and community through dance. We advocate for inclusivity and diversity within this industry and hope that Transcendance can promote equity and representation in this art form. 

“Transcendance means a lot to us, and we are delighted and honoured to be this year’s recipients of the Trinity Laban Innovation Award! With the support from Trinity Laban we hope to make an impact through our love of dance for the wider community.”

Ruby De Ville Morel, Mila Fernandez and Melissa Heywood (The Grounding Project)

Ruby, Mila and Melissa are the three dance artists behind The Grounding Project, a multinational collective with a climate conscious narrative. They aim to raise awareness for the conservation of wild spaces and promote engagement with climate activism, by combining storytelling, dance and first-hand experiences of the relationships between people and nature.  

Their filmic project, The Water Series will work with dancers and non-dancers to investigate how water can encourage connection to our environment through a playful and physical exploration of its forms, locations and possibilities.  

“We are thrilled to have been given this opportunity to develop our new work with The Grounding Project and we can’t wait to see how the collective grows over the next year supported by Trinity Laban.”

Ebony Robinson

Currently, Ebony is in her final year studying contemporary dance at Trinity Laban.  She began her journey into dance through commercial and hip-hop before studying at Rubicon Dance College where she gained a vast knowledge and experience in a broad range of dance styles including ballet, jazz, and contemporary techniques.  Recent credits include working with Matthew Harding for The Place Resolution Festival and Jona Dance for Let’s Dance International Frontiers.  She is passionate about promoting diversity in dance and creating positive environments for growth and sharing. 

“I am very grateful to have a shot at the Trinity Laban Innovation Award and receiving the funding to promote diversity and create spaces for the unheard and unseen within the arts!”

Phoebe Noble, Natasha Spencer Levy, Ellie Drayton and Holly McConville (13 Months Theatre)

13 Months Theatre Ltd is a theatre company formed by Phoebe Noble and 10 Musical Theatre students throughout their final year of studies. This company was formed to allow these students to continue creating work and developing their practice in a post pandemic industry. Having a successful string of scratch nights named The Platform at venues such as The Other Palace, they are now branching out into more ambition projects! The Summer Season is made up of two shows:  A children’s production The Grumble Cat at London’s prestigious children’s venue The Little Angel in August and Arthur’s Seat a devised piece about inter-generationality playing at The Lion and The Unicorn in September.  

“Winning the Trinity Laban Innovation Award is such an amazing opportunity for us. I’m so grateful for Trinity Laban’s support throughout our training and now beyond into our alumni endeavours!” (Phoebe Noble)

Mentors

The mentors for 2022 include:

  • Flautist and music educator Nicola Tagoe 

  • Artistic Director of Studio Will Dutta and Co-Head of Artist Development at Sound and Music Will Dutta (BMus Piano 2008) 

  • Presenter, workshop leader and narrator Lucy Drever, who is Associate Artist with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Head of Musicianship at the Benedetti Foundation, and an Ambassador for the Britten Pears Arts Community team. (BMus Voice (mezzo soprano) 2013) 

  • Dance and movements specialist Yukiko Masui who has worked with international contemporary dance companies such as Art of Spectra, Cathy Waller Company, Christopher Marney and Vuyani Dance Theatre. (DDS 2009; MA Dance Performance 2011) 

  • Matthew Harding, artistic director for Urban Interface Dance UK and the founder and director for Wolfpack Dance Collective UK. (MFA Choreography 2019)