Open Call for Performers: Fierce Jams Series

Fierce Jams is inviting Birmingham-based contemporary performance and live artists to submit expressions of interest for a new, nomadic series of small-scale experimental performances.

What Fierce Jams Is and How It Works

Fierce Jams is a rolling performance series conceived as a recurring space for experimentation, collaboration, and community within Birmingham’s live art scene. Each edition gathers four local artists, selected through a blend of invitation and open call, alongside a guest national or international artist. The series intentionally embraces modest, low-tech presentations—“jams”—that emphasize process over polished finish and encourage artists to respond to unusual or public sites.

The inaugural edition is scheduled for Saturday, 11 April 2026 and will take place in a public swimming pool, with other venues and dates to be announced throughout the year. A number of Birmingham arts organisations have agreed to host future editions in their spaces and to provide curatorial and logistical support for participating artists.

What the Organisers Are Looking For

Submissions are sought from artists based in Birmingham who work in contemporary performance or live art. Selected experiments may be action- or intervention-based, sound-, movement- or text-driven, relational or discursive, and vary widely in duration. The core requirements emphasize site-responsiveness and a low- to no-technology approach, with limited access to the space on the day of presentation.

Formats and Examples

• Short interventions or durational actions
• Sound-based exploratory pieces
• Movement or dance framed as experimental practice
• Text-led or spoken-word improvisations
• Relational or participatory moments engaging audience interaction

Application and Selection Details

Proposals should be concise—no more than 300 words—or submitted as a 3-minute video or voice note. Applicants should also provide a link to an artist website, CV, or examples of previous work. The process is designed to be straightforward: the selection panel seeks to understand who an artist is and the nature of their practice rather than requiring a fully-formed performance plan for the initial submission.

Selection Priorities and Practicalities

The selection will aim to reflect a broad range of forms, content, and strategies, deliberately pairing emerging practitioners with experienced artists. Because this is an open call specifically for Birmingham-based makers, travel and accommodation costs for local participants are not provided. Applicants chosen for the first edition will be notified by Friday, 6 March 2025, and will be supported in developing the parameters of their performances in dialogue with the Fierce team and fellow artists.

Rolling Application Process

Fierce Jams is conceived as an ongoing series, so applicants can opt in to be considered for future editions at the point of submission. The organisers will contact applicants if clarification is required regarding eligibility. The process promises transparency and communication: unsuccessful applicants for a given edition may still be invited to participate in subsequent iterations.

How to Prepare Your Submission

Keep your initial proposal focused and clear. The following checklist can help:

• 300-word statement or 3-minute audio/video outlining who you are and the nature of your practice
• Link to artist website, portfolio, or a short CV
• Indicate availability for the initial edition and willingness to be considered for future dates
• Contact information for follow-up

Submissions that imagine site-responsive, open-ended work—rather than finished theatre-style pieces—are more likely to align with the series’ aims. The organisers emphasize that fully polished outcomes are not expected; instead, the community-oriented spirit of trying, testing, and exchanging feedback is privileged.

Context and Brief Historical Overview

Live art and scratch performance practices have long relied on short, experimental formats to incubate new ideas and to foster networks among practitioners. In many cities, including Birmingham, these formats create crucial entry-points for early-stage experimentation and for testing work outside traditional venue circuits. Organisations that commission, host, and broker these encounters play a key role in sustaining vibrant cultural ecosystems by encouraging risk-taking and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Fierce’s approach—curating small, nomadic events in partnership with local venues—fits within a broader trend of decentralised performance-making, where public and non-theatre spaces are repurposed as sites for audience-artist exchange. The decision to stage the inaugural jam in a public swimming pool, for example, nods to a desire to disrupt expectations about where performance belongs and to catalyse unexpected encounters between artists and the public.

Why This Matters for Cultural Life and Tourism

Small-scale experiments such as Fierce Jams contribute to a city’s cultural vibrancy and can reverberate beyond immediate artistic communities. They activate underused spaces, diversify programme offers, and produce moments that attract both local audiences and cultural visitors. In time, iterations of this series may become part of the cultural calendar that draws arts-minded visitors to Birmingham, complementing other attractions and supporting a wider range of activities in the city’s hospitality and leisure sectors.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Fierce Jams offers Birmingham-based contemporary performers a low-barrier opportunity to test new ideas in public and semi-public settings. Applicants should prepare a concise proposal (300 words or a 3-minute recording), include work samples, and respect the deadline of 2 March 2025 for consideration for the first edition. Successful applicants will receive a fee of £300 plus up to £50 for materials, and will be supported by the Fierce team in shaping their contribution alongside other selected artists.

GetBoat.com is always keeping an eye on the latest tourism news, including developments that shape local cultural life and its appeal to visitors. Whether you follow performance programming that animates city centres, or broader destination activities such as waterfront festivals, marinas, beach events or coastal exhibitions, initiatives like Fierce Jams signal how arts and events can enrich destinations—informing choices around leisure, sightseeing, and cultural travel. Stay alert for updates and future editions that may influence the city’s arts profile and its attraction to diverse audiences.