Making theatre is challenging, now more than ever. Support structures can be patchy, and access to meaningful development opportunities is often limited. To address this, we need to grow the critical mass of artists living and working in the Midlands — ensuring the region is recognised as a place where artists are actively supported, developed, and celebrated. Crucially, we must be proactive to dismantle oppressive structures to diversify the voices and perspectives shaping the stories we see on stage.

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IGC is built on the belief that a partnership between an artist or company and a venue is not just practical — it’s an artistic act in itself. The artist brings vision, rigour, and fresh ideas; the venue offers resources, expertise, and, perhaps most importantly, a curious and engaged audience. When these elements work in harmony, something powerful happens.

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We support artists and companies at pivotal moments in their development — led by their needs. This might mean developing new audiences, becoming financially resilient, expanding their skill sets, deepening their artistic practice, and creating work that is both ambitious and relevant.

At the same time, funded organisations, who rely on the freelance workforce, must join forces to equip one another to back new voices and champion new ideas. IGC fosters a culture of collaboration and resource-sharing across the region, so that the Midlands operates not as isolated pockets of activity, but as a connected, forward-thinking creative ecosystem.