About New Works
New Works creates responsive, artist-centred programs shaped by the ever-evolving needs of diverse dance communities. At its core, our work is about making space — space for artists to grow, for audiences to connect, and for community-responsive programs to thrive. We work to remove systemic barriers against equity-owed individuals and practices and carry these values throughout our programs.
We ask ourselves…
How can we best support dance artists today? How can we best support the wider dance ecosystem into the future?
That question guides our work across presentations, residencies, outreach, and artist support services. And much of our less public-facing work in advocacy support, future program planning, and partnerships. We recognize this work as interconnected, collaborative, and transformative.
As a 30+ year old organization, our approach continues to shift and evolve, but the guiding questions remain the same; grounded in relationships and ongoing collaboration with the artists and communities we serve.
What We Do
New Works supports artists, audiences, and communities by:
- Creating impactful creative opportunities
Providing space for artists to lead, teach, perform, and create across a diversity of platforms. - Fostering cultural connection
Connecting emerging and culturally specific dance communities with new audiences — nurturing a shared sense of belonging and appreciation. - Expanding access to dance
Presenting diverse performances and workshops in theatres, outdoor spaces, and site-specific venues as free or low-cost ticketed events. - Sharing tools for the future
Supporting dance artists through workshops, mentorship, and innovative management to build successes with an eye to the future.
History
New Performance Works Society was founded in 1993 by Barb Clausen and a group of like-minded cultural workers as a forum to discuss and explore contemporary performance-based work. This ‘performance-based’ label was specifically wide, though always with a focus on dance and movement. Inspired by the wealth of talent and innovative ideas in Vancouver’s arts community, New Works incorporated as a not-for-profit society to create a vehicle for the production and presentation of contemporary performing arts in a range of disciplines.
Since 1998 New Works has operated as a management and production organization, providing stable, affordable management services, and performance opportunities to some of Vancouver’s most innovative dance artists and companies. More recently the organization added support services organization to that list, offering a diversity of creative development and skill building opportunities.
Now 30+ years on, New Works has carved a distinct and singular niche for itself in Vancouver by responding to the needs of dance artists and organizations through a diversity of programs and services. New Works offers management services to a growing roster of artist-led companies who are working locally, nationally, and internationally, alongside development, mentorship, and workshop opportunities. New Works has also responded to the desire and curiosity of general audiences for accessible dance programming by offering an ongoing presentation series at low or no cost in both theatre and non-traditional spaces. Our programming reflects cultural diversity in dance, the high level of dance activity in Vancouver and the desire for innovative, community-responsive projects that bring new audiences to dance.
Today, the organization is stewarded by a dedicated staff team and volunteer board members.We are honoured to work and dance on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm), Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh), and Tsleil-Waututh (səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/ səlilwətaɬ) Nations as univited guests. The New Works office is centrally located at Q7, an ever-growing hub of contemporary dance activity across the city.
Top photo: Company 605, 2008-09, photo by Chris Randle.