CandyBomber Commissions was a rapid-response commissioning programme launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to support artists whose work and income had been directly affected by shutdowns across the performing arts.

Many artists involved had previously collaborated on CandyBomber productions such as The FURY Show or the early development of FRAY.

As live performance opportunities disappeared almost overnight, the programme was conceived as a way to provide both financial support and creative momentum at a moment of widespread uncertainty.

A small commissioning fund was raised to support the creation of short, original works, with artists receiving $500 commissions. Thirteen projects were selected, spanning a wide range of disciplines including dance film, music composition, digital video, mini-documentary, and video sculpture.

All works were created remotely, often from artists’ homes, resulting in a diverse and imaginative body of work shaped by the constraints - and possibilities - of the moment.

The commissions were released weekly across the summer, accompanied by short interviews exploring each artist’s process and response to the prompts.

The staggered release created a sense of continuity and shared momentum, “dropping” new work into the world week by week - echoing the spirit of the real Candy Bomber story.

The result was an expansive, cross-disciplinary snapshot of artistic thinking during lockdown—demonstrating how creativity adapts, persists, and finds new forms even under extreme constraint.