Dance Consortium appoints Claire Morton as Senior Producer

Dance Consortium, a membership organisation of 19 large-scale theatres whose mission is to bring the best international contemporary dance to audiences throughout the UK and Ireland, has appointed Claire Morton in the new role of Senior Producer, the first in a number of new permanent roles to be introduced to the organisation. Claire will take up the role from mid-June.

A highly experienced producer specialising in touring dance and theatre, Claire Morton previously worked with Dance Consortium’s Chief Executive, Joe Bates, between 2008 and 2015 when they established and ran the management and consultancy company, Morton Bates Arts Services. From 2015, Claire worked as tour booker/producer and fundraiser for Ballet Black and producer for Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company.  In 2018, she became executive producer for Vamos Theatre Company, a mask theatre company based in Worcester that had just become a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England. The company went on to secure another four years of funding under Claire’s leadership.

As Senior Producer, Claire will lead on the strategic delivery of Dance Consortium’s Touring Strategy, support the organisation’s Engagement and Audience Development Strategy, oversee all key aspects of programme delivery and manage the day-to-day operations of presenting two to three large scale tours per year.

Joe Bates says: “I am delighted that Claire will be joining Dance Consortium in this newly-created, permanent role of Senior Producer. The organisation has been going through a period of transition over the past year, developing itself in response to the ever-changing touring landscape. Through this new role we are building a more sustainable base to support both the member venues and the wider dance sector. Claire brings a huge amount of experience and skill with her from her previous positions. She will be driving forward our new touring and audience development plans whilst we expand our work into new areas of talent and sector development to strengthen the strategic role Dance Consortium plays in the touring ecology.”

Clare Morton says: “I am thrilled to join Dance Consortium, an organisation that has led the charge in presenting large-scale international dance in the UK and Ireland for over two decades.  My own exposure to inspirational international companies while training (including Dance Consortium tours of artists like Mark Morris and Paul Taylor) influenced my passion for dance and its boundless possibilities. This role will allow me to combine that passion with my experience from across the wider performing arts, all whilst contributing to an organisation that is profoundly shaping the landscape of dance, touring and audience engagement. I am excited to work with Joe and the rest of the Dance Consortium team as we continue to create opportunities to inspire audiences through international dance of the highest quality.”

The Co-chairs of Dance Consortium, Marianne Locatori and Stephen Crocker say: “This is an exciting time for Dance Consortium and it is fantastic to see the core team being developed further to support the next period of the organisation’s development. This is one of several roles being developed over the coming months and these will help build the resilience of Dance Consortium as we look towards the future.”

Dance Consortium’s next tour will be Qudus Onikeku and The QDance Company from Lagos which opens at the Southbank Centre, London on 17 and 18 September. https://danceconsortium.com/touring/qudus-onikeku-the-qdance-company/