
Can an interactive digital service for schools enable Bombastic to both increase its audience reach and reduce its reliance on public funding?
Increasing access to quality dance theatre and digital performance for primary school children is at the heart of Bombastic’s philosophy. Digital technology has been integral to our work since the company was founded in 2007, collaborating with creative professionals who can bring digital expertise. We use it as part of our live productions, with performers interacting with digital animation, and we have created online digital games as companion pieces to our live shows.
But performing and touring tech-based work means big overheads and real limitations on regularity of contact with our audiences. Usually, we can only take our work out to schools once a year, which makes it more of a challenge to build relationships with teachers and children. We want to be a much more regular presence across the school year. Touring our work is our main source of earned income, so the limits on touring put a limit on the growth and development of the company.
Through this process of research and development we have begun to create a web-based subscription service to help us change that. Working with our technology partners Made by Moon, we have developed a prototype product that allows schools to access interactive digital content, relevant to the curriculum, that is projected onto classroom screens and delivered by tablet.
Our working title for this product is Live Hive.