  Aims: Massive stars in low-metallicity environments may produce exotic
explosions such as long-duration gamma-ray bursts and pair-instability
supernovae when they die as core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe). Here we determine
the feasibility of searching for these CCSNe in metal-poor dwarf galaxies using
various survey strategies. Methods: We determine oxygen abundances and
star-formation rates for all spectroscopically typed star-forming galaxies in
the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Data Release 5, within z = 0.04. We then estimate
the CCSN rates for sub-samples of galaxies with differing upper-metallicity
limits. Using Monte-Carlo simulations we then predict the fraction of these
CCSNe that we can expect to detect using different survey strategies. Results:
Using a single 2m telescope (with a standard CCD camera) search we predict a
detection rate of ~1.3 CCSNe/yr in galaxies with metallicities below 12 +
log(O/H) < 8.2 which are within a volume that will allow detailed follow-up
with 4m and 8m telescopes (z = 0.04). With a network of seven 2m telescopes we
estimate ~9.3 CCSNe/yr could be found, although this would require more than
1,000 hrs of telescope time allocated to the network. Within the same radial
distance, a volume-limited search in the future Pan-STARRS PS1 all-sky survey
should uncover 12.5 CCSNe/yr in low-metallicity galaxies. Over a period of a
few years this would allow a detailed comparison of their properties. We then
extend our calculations to determine the total numbers of CCSNe that can
potentially be found in magnitude-limited surveys with PS1 (24,000/yr, within z
< 0.6), PS4 (69,000/yr, within z < 0.8) and LSST (160,000/yr, within z < 0.9)
surveys.
