Riley Theatre: Programming

Programme Highlights

• Professional Performances:
  Each year, we present a minimum of six high-quality professional dance productions at Riley Theatre showcasing a diverse range of artists and perspectives. Recent performances include; Scottish Dance Theatre, Rendezvous Dance, Hofesh Shechter Company – Shechter II, Balbir Singh Dance Company and Anatomical.
• Northern School of Contemporary Dance Student Performances:
  A minimum of ten public performances annually highlight the work of NSCD students, local community groups, and young people, offering a platform for emerging talent and innovative choreography such as FUTURE NOW, NEW GROUND, DEBUT, IN FOCUS, FRESH TAKE and VERVE Premiere.
• Community-Led Performances:
  Three dedicated performances with local community groups who hire the space for their own productions. Recent hires have included the annual platform from RJC Dance, Elevations Dance and other local community companies.

Through this programming, Riley Theatre not only brings world-class dance to Leeds but also strengthens partnerships across the North, fostering creative people and cultural communities in line with Arts Council England’s ‘Let’s Create’ strategy. By broadening access to dance, nurturing talent, and celebrating diversity, we are shaping an inclusive and vibrant future for dance in the UK.

Perform at Riley Theatre

Are you a company interested in touring your work to the Riley Theatre?

We are looking for exciting performances to complement our NPO programme as part of our future programming. If you believe your work would be a good fit, we encourage you to fill out our application form and connect with us. 

Please note:

• Completing the form does not guarantee inclusion in our programme. All submissions are reviewed by our panel, who meet at least 6 months to 1 year in advance of performances to discuss and select works.
• We are unable to accept works that are subject to securing funding.
• We have extensive partnership networks and may be able to advise you on touring in the North particularly.

We look forward to discovering new and inspiring performances!

Riley Theatre: Reach

Our Riley Theatre: Reach is a programme extends beyond NSCD, connecting with a diverse range of venues across the North to bring dance to new audiences. Focused on performances outside of Leeds/NSCD, Reach often presents work for children, young people, and families, including projects like Collide Dance Co, which performs as part of festivals and in partner venues.

We collaborate with strategic partners such as rural touring networks, local authorities, libraries, and dance organisations. These partnerships often emerge from research and development (R&D) projects and multi-stage artist development opportunities, with additional support for touring in the North.

Through Reach, we are building a network of venues and partners where dance can be tested, showcased, performed, and experienced—expanding access to high-quality dance in diverse settings.

Interested in collaborating? Get in touch to explore partnership opportunities

Our Funding

Riley Theatre Programming is funded by NSCD as a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) of Arts Council England, aligning with their ‘Let’s Create’ strategy to to ensure that local, regional, National and International dance is performed.

Let’s create a future where artists can test, demonstrate their artistry to audiences who experience high-quality inspiring dance theatre.

Aligning with Arts Council Priorities

Riley Theatre: Programming aligns with the priorities of Arts Council England, ensuring that the support offered is relevant and impactful within the context of their funding goals:

Cultural Communities

✔ Improving access to a full range of cultural opportunities wherever people live, including supporting touring and other forms of distribution
✔ Working with communities to better understand and respond to their needs and interests, resulting in increased cultural engagement and the wide range of social benefits it brings
✔ Working collaboratively through place based partnerships to support and involve communities in high-quality culture

Creative & Cultural Country

✔Supporting new work, new approaches to existing work, new forms of cultural content and new ways of reaching new and existing audiences and participants
✔Collaborating with other cultural organisations and/or with the commercial creative industries and/or with further and higher education to (1) sustain and grow existing cultural infrastructure
✔Strengthening the international connections of cultural organisations and creative and cultural practitioners, including through collaboration and touring
✔Ensuring people have opportunities to sustain their careers and fulfil their potential in the creative industries, especially those who are currently under-represented