Making (it) work
Image: Jakub Urban
We’ve all been thinking about work this year—how we do it, why we do it, and whether it’s still working for us. Work has felt heavier this year too—harder to sustain, harder to plan for, and sometimes harder to justify.
It’s been a challenging year here in the UK, and the road ahead doesn’t look much smoother. For the creative sector, funding is tight, competition for resources is fierce, venues feel increasingly fragile, and the ability to tour or present new work remains uncertain. Add to that the ongoing complexities of working internationally, and it’s clear we need to stay nimble—to not only maintain connections but also actively create opportunities for exchange and collaboration.
It’s really tough out there—and that weight doesn’t just sit on our shoulders, it seeps into how we work, how we think, and how we approach the process of making work.
As Producers, our role has always been to navigate these shifting landscapes—to centre the needs of artists and guide the process of commissioning, producing, and making work. But it doesn’t stop there. Presenting and touring require just as much care, and the journey doesn’t end with a finished piece.
Over the last few years, we’ve tried to look at processes more deeply—not just at the practical resources required to make work, but at the softer, often invisible elements that hold everything together: time, trust, relationships, and space to think. These are the ingredients that don’t always show up in a budget line but are often the most essential.
“At the end of the day, when the world feels fragile, it’s connecting, collaborating and finding time that sometimes can make the difference for us all.”
A Carousel
Images: Jakub Urban
This year, Third Version Creative hosted a number of residencies under the umbrella of Carousel. Developed in partnership with Crying Out Loud, these residencies were intended to create a space for artists and producers to think, breathe, and experiment. Not just about what they wanted to make, but how they wanted to make it.
Two of these residencies took us beyond the UK in 2024: one in Spring to Vilnius, Lithuania and one in Winter to Prague, Czechia.
In Vilnius, we partnered with the festival Cirkuliacija to create a space for artists at various stages of their careers to come together, share their practices, and explore new ways of working. This residency brought together a mix of performance-based artists from the UK and those based in Lithuania, each bringing their own experiences and perspectives. The festival environment provided not only a platform for exchange but also a chance to see how local contexts influence artistic work.
In Prague, we joined forces with ZDRUHESTRANY as part of their Embassy Town initiative. Here, artists worked across disciplines and cultural contexts, exploring and sharing practice and playful ideas. The residency acted as a bridge—between cities, between artists, and between different stages of creative development - and explored form and connectivity.
Both residencies brought to the fore the importance of an international dialogue—how vital it is to create moments for artists to meet in person, to share ideas over meals, walks, and rehearsals, and to remind ourselves that creativity and collaboration often emerges in the in-between spaces.
Process & Product?
Images: Jakub Urban
If there’s one thing these residencies reaffirmed, it’s that process matters. The how shapes the what. When we build trust, allow time, and create flexible frameworks, everything else follows more naturally. At Third Version Creative, we’ve seen the value of designing models—whether new, old, hybrid, or borrowed—that prioritise people first. Artists, producers, and partners must feel supported by the structures we create, not constrained by them. In a sector where time and space are always scarce, our residencies aimed to carve out both—offering moments for reflection, recalibration, and collaboration. They weren’t about rushing towards outcomes or ticking boxes; they were about listening, observing, and testing ideas without the pressure of immediate results.
So what does getting the process right actually mean? It means caring for relationships, being intentional about structures, and creating an environment where resilience can grow alongside creativity. When these elements align, the work usually takes care of itself. These might sound like obvious things, but they’re often the first to get squeezed when timelines are tight and funding is precarious.
Building trust between artists, producers, and partners.
Creating flexibility within structures to allow ideas to breathe.
Prioritising well-being as much as outputs.
Valuing time as a resource, not just budget
Our residencies weren’t perfect (what ever is?), but they gave us—and the artists involved—a chance to ask better questions about what kind of processes we want to build and support in the future. As we step towards another uncertain year, we’ll carry forward the lessons from our international residencies - and continue to:
Build partnerships that centre care, flexibility, and trust.
Create space for artists to ask better questions and test ideas.
Prioritise international collaborations—despite the challenges.
Advocate for sustainable processes, not just impressive outputs.
Because at the end of the day, when the world feels fragile, it’s connecting, collaborating and finding time that sometimes can make the difference for us all.
We’ll be undertaking more residencies in the coming 12 months. More details will be announced soon.
Happy New Year from us all at Third Version Creative
Sud,
Director, Third Version Creative
