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An exciting opportunity for final-year undergraduates to pitch an idea for an original project.

We support successful candidates to turn their idea into a reality by providing funding, mentoring from Trinity Laban alumni, and expert guidance from industry professionals.

Launched in 2019 and open to all final-year undergraduate students at the Conservatoire, the competition provides a unique opportunity for emerging artists to access professional development support as they establish themselves within one of the fastest growing sectors of the UK economy. Made possible by The Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), each winning project receives an award of £3,000 to use on development, and will benefit from a specially tailored mentorship programme.

Meet the 2022 Recipients…

Iolla Grace standing with both her hands held outstretched

Iolla Grace

Iolla Grace is an aspiring music and sound therapist from the New Forest. With a passion for foreign languages, Iolla has always been fascinated by other cultures, particularly those renowned for alternative healing therapies. For Iolla, music is a multifaceted gift that has endless healing potential.  

After 5 years of vocal training at Trinity Laban, Iolla now wishes to use her voice to give back to the community around her by sharing the power of music and sound therapy on her podcast InsideSound. She hopes to provide this field of work with the recognition it deserves, whilst helping others to heal. 

“I am extremely humbled to have been given the opportunity to continue my exploration of music and sound healing. I only hope that it will allow me to help others in the way that it has healed me.”

Shaye Poulton Richards headshot with her looking to the left and placing her hands on her hips

Shaye Poulton Richards

Shaye Poulton Richards is a composer, lyricist and game designer creating works for theatre and video games. Her interests stem from a desire to tell original stories in a variety of mediums, and she feels theatre and games share many exciting similarities, including the ability to create rich narrative landscapes, and the opportunity to actively challenge the relationship between audience and creator.

“I’m delighted to be receiving the Trinity Laban Innovation Award 2022 and am incredibly excited to explore music theatre in a virtual reality setting with the support of Trinity Laban.”

Ashley Lim and Isabelle Long standing next to each other, looking straight ahead and smiling

Ashley Lim and Isabelle Long

Dancers Ashley and Isabelle met during their time on the BA Contemporary Dance Program at Trinity Laban. Both Ashley and Isabelle share a mutual ambition and passion to bring a stronger awareness to inclusive, diverse and empowered environments for dancers, movers and thinkers.  

Transcendance aims to reinforce the importance of mental health support for those in transitional periods looking for encouragment and community through dance. We advocate for inclusivity and diversity within this industry and hope that Transcendance can promote equity and representation in this art form. 

“Transcendance means a lot to us, and we are delighted and honoured to be this year’s recipients of the Trinity Laban Innovation Award! With the support from Trinity Laban we hope to make an impact through our love of dance for the wider community.”

Ruby De Ville Morel, Mila Fernandez and Melissa Heywood sitting together in a row on a grassy bank.

Ruby De Ville Morel, Mila Fernandez and Melissa Heywood

The Grounding Project

Ruby, Mila and Melissa are the three dance artists behind The Grounding Project, amultinational collective with a climate conscious narrative. They aim to raise awareness for the conservation of wild spaces and promote engagement with climate activism, by combining storytelling, dance and first-hand experiences of the relationships between people and nature.  

Their filmic project, The Water Series will work with dancers and non-dancers to investigate how water can encourage connection to our environment through a playful and physical exploration of its forms, locations and possibilities. 

“We are thrilled to have been given this opportunity to develop our new work with The Grounding Project and we can’t wait to see how the collective grows over the next year supported by Trinity Laban.”

Ebony Robinson standing, eyes looking to the left with her hands clasped

Ebony Robinson

Currently, Ebony is in her final year studying contemporary dance at Trinity Laban.  She began her journey into dance through commercial and hip-hop before studying at Rubicon Dance College where she gained a vast knowledge and experience in a broad range of dance styles including ballet, jazz, and contemporary techniques.  Recent credits include working with Matthew Harding for The Place Resolution Festival and Jona Dance for Let’s Dance International Frontiers.  She is passionate about promoting diversity in dance and creating positive environments for growth and sharing. 

“I am very grateful to have a shot at the Trinity Laban Innovation Award and receiving the funding to promote diversity and create spaces for the unheard and unseen within the arts!”

Phoebe Noble, Natasha Spencer Levy, Ellie Drayton and Holly McConville all leaning against a wooden bar with a coloured illustration on the wall behind them

Phoebe Noble, Natasha Spencer Levy, Ellie Drayton and Holly McConville

13 Months Theatre

13 Months Theatre Ltd is a theatre company formed by Phoebe Noble and 10 Musical Theatre students throughout their final year of studies. This company was formed to allow these students to continue creating work and developing their practice in a post pandemic industry. Having a successful string of scratch nights named The Platform at venues such as The Other Palace, they are now branching out into more ambition projects! The Summer Season is made up of two shows:  A children’s production The Grumble Cat at London’s prestigious children’s venue The Little Angel in August and Arthur’s Seat a devised piece about inter-generationality playing at The Lion and The Unicorn in September.  

“Winning the Trinity Laban Innovation Award is such an amazing opportunity for us. I’m so grateful for Trinity Laban’s support throughout our training and now beyond into our alumni endeavours!”

Phoebe Noble

Images credit Juno Snowdon

Meet the mentors…

The mentors for 2022 include:

  • Flautist and music educator Nicola Tagoe 
  • Artistic Director of Studio Will Dutta and Co-Head of Artist Development at Sound and Music Will Dutta (BMus Piano 2008) 
  • Presenter, workshop leader and narrator Lucy Drever, who is Associate Artist with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Head of Musicianship at the Benedetti Foundation, and an Ambassador for the Britten Pears Arts Community team. (BMus Voice (mezzo soprano) 2013) 
  • Dance and movements specialist Yukiko Masui who has worked with international contemporary dance companies such as Art of Spectra, Cathy Waller Company, Christopher Marney and Vuyani Dance Theatre. (DDS 2009; MA Dance Performance 2011) 
  • Matthew Harding, artistic director for Urban Interface Dance UK and the founder and director for Wolfpack Dance Collective UK. (MFA Choreography 2019) 

Catch up with our past winners

TLIA 2021 Winners group