The Emma Gladstone Award, launched in February 2025, honors the legacy of Emma Gladstone OBE (1960–2024), a distinguished dance producer, programmer, and curator renowned for fostering the growth of other producers and programmers.
This annual award supports dance producers in expanding their perspectives by providing £7,000 to cover international travel and related expenses, enabling recipients to pursue tailored opportunities that deepen their understanding and forge new connections.
Applicants must submit a CV, a letter of support, and a project proposal outlining their vision, timeline, and budget. A rotating international selection panel will choose one recipient each year, prioritizing transformative and visionary ideas that enhance the recipient’s producing expertise. Applications for the inaugural Emma Gladstone Award open on 1 September.
The Emma Gladstone Award was established by a Board comprising arts professionals, as well as some of Emma’s friends and family: Eva de Blocq van Kuffeler, Matilda Gladstone, Cathy Levy CM, Kate McGrath OBE, Michael Morris MBE, Tom Morris OBE, Freddie Opoku-Addaie and Sir Alistair Spalding.
Emma Gladstone OBE was a hugely respected senior arts advisor and programmer working in cultural and creative industries worldwide. Her expertise was in dance and performance. As Artistic Director of the Rolex Arts Festival (Athens, 2023), Director of the Big Pulse Intensive (Creative Europe 2021-24) and former Artistic Director, BBC Young Dancer (2015, 2019 & 2022), she specialised in the professional development of artists and cultural workers.
From 2013 to 2021 Emma was Artistic Director & Chief Executive of Dance Umbrella, London’s long running international dance festival. Her tenure was characterised by diversifying choreographic styles, reinforcing its role as a catalytic introducer of talent, and reaching and inspiring local audiences from babies to adults in more locations than ever before in the festival’s history.
Emma Gladstone’s work emphasized creative collaboration and shared vision, leading to the creation of Producer Farm, a joint initiative with Fuel, Bristol Old Vic Ferment, Dance Umbrella, In Between Time, and Coombe Farm Studios, offering free residencies for UK and international producers to refine their practice. She was a key founder of the Big Pulse Dance Alliance, a Creative Europe project uniting 12 European dance festivals and institutions to support artists and diversify dance programming globally. Emma also served as an international advisor and speaker in countries including Chile, China, India, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
Whilst Artistic Programmer at Sadler’s Wells from 2005-2013, Emma initiated a range of programming frames for artists and audiences that continue today, whilst establishing and directing the Jerwood Choreographic Research Programme. Emma was also Co-Founder of Crying Out Loud and Associate Director at The Place (1997-2003).
Before her programming career Emma danced for 20 years with/for the likes of Arlene Phillips, and Lea Anderson’s The Cholmondeleys. She co-founded Adventures in Motion Pictures (now New Adventures) with Sir Matthew Bourne. Formerly Chair of the Board at Siobhan Davies Studios, Emma was also a Trustee at Dartington Trust in Devon and a Trustee at Aesop (Arts & Health).
Emma was an Honorary Fellow at Trinity Laban, received a Tonic Award for Outstanding Women in the Arts in 2019, and in 2021 was awarded an OBE for Services to Dance in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Applications for The Emma Gladstone Award will go live on 1 September with a closing date of 31 October. The first recipient of the award will be announced in February 2026.
Further details may be found at https://www.emmagladstoneaward.com/
