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Calling all performance artists! Applications have now opened for Escalator East to Edinburgh 2012; an award-winning talent development programme for performers in the East of England.

Now in its ninth year, Escalator East to Edinburgh, supported by Arts Council England and managed by Colchester Arts Centre, with the support of The Junction, Cambridge, helps talented individuals and companies from the East of England take their work to international audiences at the Edinburgh Festival. The programme is open to performance artists and companies, including theatre, dance, live art, live literature and outdoor arts.

As well as financial support through lottery-funded Grants for the arts, participants get help with PR, marketing, show promotion and building networks. The initiative also helps to raise the profile of performers from the region, especially those visiting the Festival for the first time.

A total of 21 artists and companies from the region were selected to take part in the 2011 programme, including Analogue, an award-winning theatre company based at Farnham Maltings, who won a Fringe First at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe for their new show 2401 Objects.

There was also a particularly strong cohort of dance companies who took part, including Tom Dale Company, Dog Kennel Hill Project, SMITH dancetheatre and State of Flux.

Escalator East to Edinburgh is open to emerging and mid-career artists and companies based in the East of England. To download the application form and guidelines click on the on the link at the top right-hand corner of this page. The application deadline is 21 November at 12 noon.

Visit www.easttoedinburgh.co.uk to find out more about the acts selected for East to Edinburgh 2011.

To find out more about lottery-funded Grants for the arts, visit the funding section of our website.