LONDON CITY BALLET to Partner With Royal Ballet in FUTUREWORKS

London City Ballet has been announced as a core partner in a major new initiative launched by Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO) today designed to shape the future of ballet and opera.

The initiative establishes two pioneering new programmes to support emerging talent, inspire new artistic work and strengthen the performing arts sub-sector's long-term development.

The announcement is anchored in two flagship programmes: 

The Royal Ballet: FUTUREWORKS, a five-year programme to nurture choreographers working in classical ballet, offering a consistent infrastructure to support their development; in partnership with London City Ballet and with world-leading choreographers Wayne McGregor and Pam Tanowitz leading the first residential workshops.

The Royal Opera: NOW (New Opera Works), a long-term strategy to commission, develop and support ambitious new opera.

Together, these programmes establish a sustained and clear path for creating new work, moving beyond individual commissions towards long-term investment in talent, experimentation, and artistic growth. They will provide artists with the time, space and support needed to develop ideas, take creative risks, and bring new work to life, while strengthening RBO's commitment to the future of both art forms.

Chris Marney, Artistic Director of London City Ballet adds, “Playing a part in a rising artist's journey is a profound privilege, and facilitating the growth of emerging choreographers is a deeply held shared ambition between London City Ballet and The Royal Ballet. Discovering new voices and providing a launchpad for nascent dance-makers is crucial to the future development of our art form. As a young company, we are incredibly proud to combine resources and uncover innovative ways of enabling these creative voices to speak, shape, and inspire the future of dance.”

Kevin O'Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet said, “New work is an essential ingredient in the artistic identity of all dance companies. We are excited to launch FUTUREWORKS, working across the ballet sector to ensure ample opportunity for the creative vision of choreographers to flourish. We are proud of The Royal Ballet platforms already in place that encourage creative talent, and we see this as a fantastic next step, together with London City Ballet, in developing a rich choreographic future for classical ballet.”