The TaPRA New Career Research in Theatre/Performance Prize:

to be awarded to a researcher who falls within the AHRC definition of an early career researcher (that is, currently: to be within 8 years of being awarded a PhD OR 6 years of their first full time contract in a teaching and/or research post), for a piece of research (including practice-based/applied research) which has been nominated by a member of a working group with the group’s convenors’ support, and judged by a panel of judges. The Prize will consist of a free conference place (membership fee, conference dinner and accommodation excluded) and a cheque for £200. The research will have to have had an appropriate form and level of circulation/dissemination to qualify, and must have been published or launched within 24 months of the nomination date.

The David Bradby TaPRA Award for Research in International Theatre and Performance:

to be awarded for outstanding research [new career researchers are not excluded from this award] (including practice-based/applied research) in any area of the discipline. The research will be nominated by a member of a working group with the group’s convenors’ support, and judged by a panel of judges. The Prize will consist of a free conference place (membership fee, conference dinner and accommodation excluded) and a cheque for £200. The research will have to have had an appropriate form and level of circulation/dissemination to qualify, and must have been published or launched within 24 months of the nomination date.  

In both cases, research which has already secured funding (in any shape or form) will be eligible. Nominations for each award will be called for by the Research Development Officer in December. The panel of judges will include the Chair of TaPRA, the Research Development Officer and two selected Working Group Coordinators from two different groups. These last two will rotate annually. It will also include a guest academic judge from the international research community – initially former TaPRA Conference keynote speaker, Susan Bennett of the University of Calgary, Canada. The prizewinners will be announced in April and the awards made at the annual conference. The Bradby prize winner will be invited to make a presentation on their award-winning research at the 2012 conference.  

The TaPRA Annual Postgraduate Essay Prize will continue in its present form.  

Timetable

Award Competitions announced 1 December.

Nominations to be submitted to Research Development Officer Paul Allain ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) by 1st February 2012.

Award recipients announced early April.

Prizes given at conference in September and the Bradby prize winner invited to give a presentation on their award-winning research at the next TaPRA annual conference.

NB: Working Groups can nominate more than one piece of work in each category.

The Nominations Form can be downloaded here.

TaPRA 2011 Conference was held at the University of Kingston on 7th, 8th & 9th September, 2011.

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TaPRA Research Development

The TaPRA New Career Research in Theatre/Performance Prize: (Running from 2012)
This will be awarded in 2012 to a researcher who falls within the AHRC definition of an early career researcher (that is, currently: to be within 8 years of being awarded a PhD OR 6 years of their first full time contract in a teaching and/or research post), for a piece of research (including practice-based/applied research) which has been nominated by working groups and judged by a panel of judges. The Prize will consist of a free conference place (membership fee, conference dinner and accommodation excluded) and a cheque for £200. The research will have to have had an appropriate form and level of circulation/dissemination to qualify, and must have been published or launched within 24 months of the nomination date.

The David Bradby TaPRA Award for Research in International Theatre and  
Performance:
We are delighted to report that the inaugural winner of this new competition is Heike Roms for her work on the AHRC-funded project: “‘It was forty years ago today…’ - Locating the early history of performance art in Wales 1965-1979".

The work was commended by the judges as follows:

'Most original and far-reaching'

'This project is exemplary in the level of engagement over time with a specific topic.'

'This is a very significant research project'

In addition, Heike had very strong support from the history/historiography working group who had nominated her and who had clearly identified the strong commitment she had made to their ongoing discussions and the influence her work had had on them.

The Prize consists of a free conference place and a cheque for £200.

Many congratulations to Heike on her success. On finding out she had won the award, Heike said that she is 'extremely honoured to have been considered for an award in honour of David Bradby, who has been such an important voice'.

The prizes will be awarded at the TaPRA 2011 conference in Kingston.

We are very grateful to all our sponsors and judges for their generous contribution to these awards.

Paul Allain
Research Development Officer

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