London Contemporary Dance School third-year student Lola Maury has won this year's Deutsche Bank Pyramid Award for her proposal to create a dance collective based in London.
The Pyramid Awards scheme was launched in 1993 to offer practical and financial support to freelance artists, craftspeople, designers and performers to start a business or conduct a project in the crucial year after leaving college.
The award will enable Lola, along with fellow graduate Myrto Gkouzelou, to establish a dance collective that aims to function as a business - creating products in the shape of performances, classes and workshops to promote and sell in order to make a profit. Founding members Lola and Myrto hope to engage amateurs by holding weekly classes in public gyms and fitness centres, as well as artists working in disciplines other than dance on a project basis, hoping to incorporate additional permanent members into the collective in the future.
The Pyramid Award of £8000 will cover rehearsal space, hire space for weekly classes, travel and promotional expenses. In addition to the financial award, Deutsche Bank will provide a business mentor to help Lola towards establishing a sustainable collective within the 10 month period.
Deutsche Bank also helps winners access a small business training course at the East London Small Business Centre and will provide an opportunity to participate in the Bank's London-based community and arts programmes. Such participation often brings the winners into contact with people able to identify future business opportunities.
In addition to London Contemporary Dance School, Deutsche Bank works with the following schools in determining the Awards: Royal College of Art, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, University of the Arts London, Royal Academy of Arts, Royal Academy of Music and The Circus Space.
For additional information, please contact Farah Lyner, Press Manager at The Place, on 020 7121 1025 or farah.lyner@theplace.org.uk.
Editors' Note:
1. Based at The Place, London Contemporary Dance School is recognised as one of the world's leading dance conservatoires, providing full-time vocational training to around 170 students to degree and postgraduate level. The School was established by Robin Howard and Robert Cohan in 1969 and now offers a one-year Certificate course, a three-year BA Degree course and a one-year Postgraduate course. All qualifications are validated by the University of Kent at Canterbury.
2. Deutsche Bank is a leading global investment bank with a strong and profitable private clients franchise. A leader in Germany and Europe, the bank is continuously growing in North America, Asia and key emerging markets. With 73,114 employees in 75 countries, Deutsche Bank offers unparalleled financial services throughout the world. The bank competes to be the leading global provider of financial solutions for demanding clients creating exceptional value for its shareholders and people.