It has been wonderful to see and hear the joy and the excitement of folk starting in person rehearsals. After the great lull of the last year, it is really heartening to see performances planned and dates set, and people getting back to their day jobs of being brilliant.
We all understand that this summer will not be be back to normal and there will be ongoing restrictions to take into account. However after months of planning and preparing and working out how to keep everyone safe, it looks like this summer really could see the outdoor arts leading the way back for the cultural sector. Now we just need to hope that the weather is kind to us too.
Thanks to a successful Creative Scotland open fund bid, Articulation are gearing up to deliver an exciting year round programme.
With this funding Articulation will offer a range of support to artists and small organisations (particularly those who don’t neatly fit into other organisation’s remits), revitalise a sector hard-hit by the pressures of 2020, and ensure increased opportunities for outdoor arts can be taken up in innovative, safe and professional ways. We can offer advice, knowledge and support to those delivering outdoor productions for the first time.
Our long-term aims are that the sector is sustainable, high quality, accessible and develops strategically and to ensure that Scotland is recognised on the world stage for the quality of its outdoor, circus and physical performance.
Articulation Director Job: Last Opportunity to apply
As part of the new plans, Articulation are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and passionate Director to lead the organisation, delivering a year long programme of activity and developing Articulation’s long-term sustainability.
The Director will lead on the delivery of an exciting programme of advocacy, artistic development opportunities and strategic planning that will contribute to an infrastructural framework that buoys the whole sector. In support of the Director, a part-time Administrator will be recruited one day a week on a freelance basis.
The role is 3 days per week, 0.6FTE pro rata of £30K, and is a fixed term of one year, with the long term aim of the role becoming permanent, dependent on funding
A full job description can be found below: Closing date is 5pm, 30th April 2021
Edinburgh International Festival goes
outdoors for 2021
Edinburgh International Festival, the world’s leading performing arts festival, announces a reimagined festival for 2021 which marks the return of live performance to Scotland’s capital. Taking place from 7th to 29th August, the 2021 International Festival uses bespoke outdoor venues to reunite artists and audiences safely to rediscover the magic of live performance.
A selection of performance spaces across the city will include three temporary outdoor pavilions designed especially for live performance. The International Festival is working with the Scottish Government, City of Edinburgh Council and other relevant authorities to implement appropriate Covid safety measures. These include shorter performances with no intervals, physical distancing, regular cleaning, and contactless ticketing.
OutdoorArtsUK are leading on a mapping exercise to gather the latest information on outdoor performance planning for 2021 (link below).
Articulation are keen to help to gather Scottish details to help populate these lists. Outdoor and non conventional venues and events are well placed to lead the recovery of the arts, and to gently lead the public back into attending events in real life.
Some festivals have announced their intention to go ahead this year, if restrictions allow - a few have rescheduled to later in the year, moved online or adapted their programmes. It would be great to capture what is planned in Scotland.
If you know of festivals, programmes or events planned or pencilled in for this year, please can you add appropriate details in the spreadsheet below and we will ensure these are also added to the OAUK list.
The hope that this will help to inspire confidence for other organisations, festivals and events.
The Purple Guide: Covid-19 planning guidance for UK festivals
A new interim briefing has been published to provide support and strategic direction for festival organisers in the planning of festivals. The document builds upon planning considerations published last year on the Purple Guide website and is again produced by leading practitioners from the festival industry, who continue to work in collaboration with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and Public Health England (PHE) to determine how festivals could safely reopen with Covid-19 mitigation measures in place.
The interim guidance briefing note was collated and written by Emma Parkinson (Coventry University) and Jennifer Mackley (Mackley Projects and Events Ltd).
Youth Scotland: Guidance and Support for Community-Based Youth Work During Covid-19
As of Monday 26 April 2021, some of the lockdown measures in Scotland are changing. The First Minister has confirmed that all parts of the country will move to Level 3 from Monday 26 April.
YouthLink Scotland and the youth work sector have updated the Guiding Framework to support the delivery of youth work services to reflect these changes. Youth Scotland has updated their Youth Scotland Post Lockdown Readiness Guide available on their website.
Are you thinking about how to take your practice outdoors this summer?
This snappy informative session will brief on you on what to consider from a practical perspective, an artistic perspective and an application writing perspective.
Hear from directors, programmers and production managers as they give insights and their top tips to consider when you are reimagining your work for the outdoors.
Mimbre: Our Approach To Working With High Physicality Outdoors
Mimbre have over 20 years' experience in producing outdoor theatre and working with height. Highly physical performances touring outdoors comes with a whole lot of challenges which are important to acknowledge to be able to mitigate against.
The thrill and visual impact of demanding physical skills, such as acrobatics and acrobalance, is a great way to create interest, visibility and connection with street theatre audiences. However, the constantly changing conditions of outdoor settings can also throw up many challenges in regards to keeping the performers safe.
Culture Geek is an international conference looking at the digital transformation of the cultural sector. Founded in 2012, the event has brought together those shaping digital practice across the arts annually since its inception.
This year you will be hearing from museums, theatres, festivals, opera companies and those who work with them, to hear how they pivoted to digital over the past year and what lessons this has taught them. Whether you’re a digital novice learning new skills or a tech veteran, expect inspiration and actionable insight to help you navigate the digital world.
Federation of Scottish Theatre: Covid-19 Resources
FST have published their Covid-19 resources and support containing the most recent updates from the Scottish Government and information on easing restrictions in the coming months.
Waypoint-1 is a Scotland-wide project supporting Early Career Performance Makers (ECPMs) with the purpose to deliver one-on-one mentorship programmes, lasting up to a year. These programmes can cover everything from developing a creative vision, to producing a business plan, to help with making a one-off application.
Waypoint-1 has been created in response to our post-pandemic world in which political, economic and cultural volatility are the norm. Performance makers must contend with circumstances which are increasingly unpredictable and where any form of future planning is difficult. Waypoint-1 seeks to offer practical, flexible support to ECPMs that focuses on the specific needs of the individual. This offer is made in support of – and as a deliberate complement to – existing professional development opportunities provided elsewhere in Scotland.
Circus Change UP:
UK Circus Resource Group on Facebook
Inspired by the success of the Theatre Producers Facebook Group, the Resource Centre Working Group has set up a UK Circus Resource Group. It’s intended to be an open source information platform - a place where you can find the answers to all your questions from where to find reasonably priced puzzle mats to discussing Covid-19 clauses in contracts.
Do you need help with a particular practice? Are you longing to connect with someone who shares your specialism? Or maybe you’re just up for taking a chance on a new way of working?
Theatre-maker Simone French and drag legend Cheddar Gorgeous want to connect artists who are open to starting new creative collaborations. If that’s you and you would like to pitch your project, please get in touch by completing the online form below.
I LIKE NETWORKING: Mentoring and Networking for the Creative Industry
I LIKE NETWORKING is a platform which aims to support women and non-binary professionals looking for a career in the creative and cultural industry and those who already work in the field but feel stuck.
Mentees will be paired with a mentor for 4 meetings, over a 3-month period. In collaboration with their mentor, mentees will define their goals, finesse their skill set, and refine their CV. Additionally, mentors will expand mentees' network by introducing them to industry peers and demonstrating how best to establish and maintain professional relationships.
DG Unlimited is seeking applications from creative practitioners and cultural organisations from all artform specialisms based in Dumfries and Galloway. DG Unlimited also welcome applications from non-cultural sector organisations that have a track record of including high quality creative activities / events within their wider work.
YouthLink: Covid-19 Outdoor Education Recovery Fund
Deadline: 12pm on the 14th May
YouthLink Scotland have announced that the £500,000 Outdoor Education Recovery Fund is now open for applications. The aim of the fund is to support outdoor education specialists to deliver outdoor learning in partnership with school or other formal education settings.
This is a Scottish Government fund, administered by YouthLink Scotland. The fund is open to organisations that achieve at least two of the following outcomes for young people:
Improved physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Development of skills for life.
Improved learner engagement.
Progress in related Curriculum for Excellence areas and subjects.
Improved connection with and appreciation of, nature and place.
The Trust offers grants of up to £500 to groups or individuals from the North East of Scotland. The trust aim to support the advancement of community development, by encouraging activities which have a public benefit.
The trust are also keen to promote projects which focus on children and young people’s health and welfare, training and education, civic responsibility and volunteering.
The Weir Charitable Trust aims to support Scottish-based community groups and small charities to provide services across Scotland to help the Scottish community. These groups and charities are likely to have found it difficult to access funds elsewhere.
The Trust will consider funding specific activities and services in sport, recreational facilities, animal welfare, health and cultural projects (see "What we fund") to improve the quality of life for people, either through a particular field of expertise or via a local community.
The Henry Smith Strengthening Communities Grant can fund projects from £20,000 - £60,000. It is designed to support small charitable organisations working at grassroots level. Through this grant programme they want to make sure that the funding reaches the most disadvantaged areas of the UK, targeting places that are economically marginalised and affected by poverty.
You can apply to cover running costs, which may include salaries, project costs, and small capital costs needed to support the work.
National Lottery Funding can help you to make a difference in your community. National Lottery Awards for All offers of funding from £300 to £10,000 to support what matters to people and communities. National Lottery will fund organisations with great project ideas that:
Improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
Bring more people together and build strong relationships in and across communities
Enable more people to fulfill their potential by working to address issues at the earliest possible stage
ARTCRY aims to encourage artists to create bold political work, with fast-turnaround funding to enable fast action.
ARTCRY exists to encourage artists to make work which responds to events happening now. ARTCRY will give responses within a week so that you can get started on your work and get it out there into the world more quickly. Any work funded must require an immediate start which would count out more traditional funding options.
All work must be presented for free in the public realm. This could be on the streets, in a public space or digitally. This does not mean it only has to be shown in this context.
Lecture introducing the principles of Meyerhold's Biomechanics and their importance for the contemporary performer by Tony De Maeyer - an actor, choreographer, specialist and instructor of W. Meyerhold's Biomechanics from Belgium/Germany.
A talk about the need for re-contextualisation of the Theatre Biomechanics in order to free it from the dogmatic understandings and misunderstandings that grew from its historical context.
Brighton Festival is the largest curated annual arts festival in England.
A celebration of music, theatre, dance, circus, art, film, literature, debate, outdoor and community events, Brighton Festival takes place in familiar and unusual locations across Brighton & Hove.
Edinburgh: till 2nd May
Aberdeen: 6th - 16th May
Glasgow: tbc
Tucked away in the windows of arts centres, shops and cafés, something curious is stirring. All across the city, in a moment of wider social and cultural upheaval, hidden worlds are shifting and revealing their secrets. In a unique project for the COVID-19 era, MANIPULATE Festival has commissioned eight leading Scottish artists to create moving sculptural installation works incorporating automata, miniature figures, or animated screens, alongside a compelling short story or soundscape (available in audio or BSL), which is downloaded direct to your device.
Hanna Tuulikki: DEER DANCER
as part of the Take me Somewhere Festival
22nd May, Glasgow
Step into the world of Deer Dancer, into the wilderness. Observe five deer-men encounter one another during the rut – the Monarch, Warrior, Young Buck, Fool and Old Sage. Listen to their haunting display calls. Discover how they jump, trot, pronk and stot within their pre-hunt ritual. Watch high-ranking males battle for supremacy, while others defend themselves as best they can.
All or Nothing are pleased to announce that The Swings will be part of Imaginate UK Family Encounters at The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh which take place on the 29th & 30th May and 5th & 6th June.
Come and enter the world of The Swings. All or Nothing love playing and swinging about on giant swing sets and now want the public to join in. Feel the rush of air past your face and be inspired by other aerialists with what you can do with a swing!
The programme is free to enable as wide access as possible, but you will need to book a (free) time slot. Slots will be released on the 20th May at 12pm for the 1st weekend of the Festival and on the following Thursday for the next weekend of the event. Tickets can be bought directly through Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
Gandini Juggling are now releasing the entire Social Siteswap Film. 3 hours with almost 1000 group juggling patterns. From the startlingly easy to fiendishly difficult.
The film finishes with an in-depth explanation of how these patterns were made. The description includes a list of sections with timings so one can dip in. If you are lucky enough to have people you can practice these patterns with we hope you will enjoy them!
What is collaboration? What is the role of curators in socially engaged practice? These are just some of the questions that UP Projects and the Public Art Network UK explore in their new learning and development programme. Assembly is a series of free online events for curators, producers and public art practitioners, exploring issues and good practice in relation to the expanded field of public art.
Surge are offering a limited number of residencies to artists working within physical theatre, street performance and circus. These residencies are open to artists at any stage of their career, Surge welcome applications from emerging to established artists and from solo artists and groups.
You can apply for 1, 2 or 3 weeks of residency at Surge’s studios in Central Glasgow. As part of your residency you will receive mentorship, space and time to develop your idea. At the end of the residency you will be required to perform a work-in-progress sharing of the work to gain feedback from an invited audience.
South Pennines Park
Socially Engaged Artist Residency Opportunities
Deadline: 12pm on the 14th May
South Pennines Park are seeking artists to engage communities who live, work and enjoy the South Pennines area using their arts practice to bring participants closer to nature, to have a voice about how their park is run and of course to have fun through unique experiences and learning new skills.
The residencies will be delivered in diverse, socially and economically disadvantaged communities in and around the South Pennines. The aim is to include and feature the voice and opinions of the communities and artwork produced in a collaborative film to be premiered in September 2021 to help promote the cultural value of the area. Artists should have experience of successfully engaging with communities and may be working in a range of disciplines for example: visual arts, photography, sound, print, installation, craft, multi media etc.
Hospitalfield are currently accepting applications to their Interdisciplinary Residency Programme for 2 week residencies in August, October & November 2021.
The Interdisciplinary Residency Programme at Hospitalfield is open to those working across the arts who recognise that they require some time to focus on the development of their work.
Open to applications from international and UK-based artists, writers, architects, producers, dancers, choreographers, curators, designers, educators, researchers and those developing their working lives within the scope of contemporary cultural practices.
World of Co Artist Residency: Open Call for Online Residency
Deadline: 11:55pm on the 16th May
Stay connected with artists, create and grow together in a friendly international community. Apply now for one or two month's programme in the WOC online artist residency.
Join the next edition of WOC's virtual artist residency with an inspiring program in collaboration with international artists. With this initiative, WOC want to enhance connectivity among artists, embrace creativity at home, encourage curiosity in your process.
BAFA’s annual student conference: A Festival Career
10am on the 17th May
BAFA’s annual student conference A Festival Career allows students or recent graduates to network with festival professionals, with a tailored programme of 1:1 networking, round table discussions and panel debates. This is a great opportunity if you’re interested in pursuing a career in the festivals sector but want to know more about what kind of jobs are available and how to get your foot in the door.
Brassed! is a new brass band project from Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival. Which aims to teach 20 young people, between the ages of 15-25, from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds how to play an instrument and experience the joy of playing in a group setting. No previous musical experience is necessary. Participants will learn music in a safe and encouraging environment and most of all have fun.
It is 100% free to join the group and every participant will receive a brand-new instrument.
Graeae Call for Application:
Ensemble training programme
Deadline: 1st July
Graeae’s Ensemble Cert HE course in Theatre Making and Leadership is a level 4 course in partnership with Rose Bruford College, in association with Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, LAMDA and RADA.
The course offers unparalleled access to industry and training expertise whilst artists can develop their skills in a fully accessible training environment.
Mischief La-Bas are looking for 3 performers for a new physical, interactive, outdoor-roaming piece.
Mischief La-Bas are seeking professional performers who enjoy interacting with all members of the public, working as part of a team as well as individually, working with devised choreography and with an ability to physically improvise on the spot.
This performance will be visual and non speaking, and so they are looking for performers comfortable performing a physical piece for periods of up to 3 hours (45 minute sessions).
RIG Arts have several projects coming up so are looking to hear from artists of all disciplines who are available for paid tutoring work. RIG Arts are an art, film and media charity based in Inverclyde who facilitate creative and education projects and events for the community.
Ideally you will have some experience leading/assisting art workshops and/or tutoring and have a valid PVG. All workshops will take place in their studio in Greenock under strict social distancing measures and will be paid at a rate of £30 per hour.
Transform are recruiting for a new Producer to join the team, with a specific focus on supporting and empowering creative people. Transform are seeking someone who is dedicated to co-creation and artist development, and who wants to nurture a new inclusive generation of creatives and change-makers within an international festival context.
If you like to make things happen and to support people to be creative and realise their potential, and want to explore and develop ways to do this within the context of an international festival – Transform want to hear from you.
Outside the Box are looking for four artists (or artistic teams) to produce original outdoor theatre/ performance/ live art works, to be open to members of the public in Exeter in July/ August 2021.
The selected works will be created as artistic contributions to a research project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council ‘Outside the Box: Open-Air Performance as a Pandemic Response’. The project asks in what ways artistic innovation might respond to outdoor, Covid-safe contexts to ‘Build Back Better’ in terms of sustainability and rethinking consumption in relation to leisure.
The Daft Duo are looking for new 5 performances for their Alternative Interviews (an alternative comedy extravaganza!) on zoom.
The Daft Duo are an inclusive platform committed to creating a safe space for performers. All experience levels are welcome and they are particularly keen to hear from any Scottish based artists.
The events take place on the last Thursday of each month and this month's theme is: How different is your life now from your childhood ambition?Bring your inner child and let them answer the question.
Employment Opportunity at Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival/Edinburgh Festival Carnival.
‘Kickstart’ Employment Programme, full-time job ‘Digital Production Assistant’.
Edinburgh Festival Carnival are currently recruiting for someone to fill this post. They will be heavily involved in the delivery of our 2021 digital festival. They must be 18-24 years of age and currently clamming universal credit. This full-time post will start in June and run for six-months. Salary will be national ‘living wage’ (depending on the age of the individual).
After the initial six months, the post holder may take up international arts residencies for a further 2 months. For more information or to apply, please contact the email provided below.
National Trust for Scotland: Creative interventions at Castle Fraser
Deadline: 12pm on the 6th May
The project aims to bring the castle to life with new visual and sensory interventions that enhance the current presentation.
The National Trust for Scotland would like to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced creative practitioner to develop and produce new creative interventions that will enable visitors to understand, appreciate and enjoy their visit to Castle Fraser. The approach will put the people who once lived and worked at the castle at the heart of the experience. The interventions will enhance, not replace, the current guided tours with a new rich and sensory layer.
Puppets with Guts: Puppeteers and Physical Performers Call Out
Deadline: Midnight on the 7th May
Puppets with guts are seeking highly skilled and talented puppeteers and/or physical performers to form part of a small core team touring to a variety of events and festivals in Summer / Autumn 2021. The company is based in Brighton & Hove, and we will prioritise applicants based in London & the South East of England.
Ideally you will have several years experience working professionally either as a puppeteer or a physical performer. You will have a strong grasp of movement, be able to pick up choreography quickly, and be just as comfortable acting from a script as you are animating an object or engaging with audiences.
Upswing are an award-winning contemporary circus company looking for two performers to create a second cast for Catch Me – their new outdoor touring, dance/acro-balance production.
Because of the context of the piece, Upswing are specifying ethnic/racial/gender/age identities for these two roles:
Performer 1 (Male Identifying):
A dancer or acrobat with a strong presence and partnering skills
Background or training in dance or circus
Playing age of 30 or under
Ethnically diverse and Upswing particularly encourage applications from performers of Black African or Black Caribbean diaspora/heritage.
Performer 2 (Female Identifying):
A dancer
Playing age of 50 and over
Caucasian
Experience of partner/contact work is an advantage but is not essential.
Acclaimed arts organisation Deveron Projects is seeking a dedicated Project Manager to join the team.
Based in the rural market town of Huntly in the north-east of Scotland, acclaimed arts organisation Deveron Projects has been connecting artists, communities and places through creative research and engagement since 1995. Rooted in socially-engaged cultural practice, Deveron Projects is linking the local with the global through a wide range of cultural residency based projects, while playing a key role in the regeneration of the town as a pioneer of place-based cultural work.
This is an opportunity for an enthusiastic and dedicated individual with a demonstrated background in arts management to become a central member of the Deveron Projects team, with a role that covers all aspects of supporting the programming and the running of the organisation.
XTRAX: Impact of Brexit on touring in the outdoor arts sector survey
XTRAX has been keeping a careful eye on what Brexit means for professionals of the outdoor arts sector in the UK and Europe. XTRAX is conducting this survey to fill the information gap and gain a better understanding of the main Brexit-related challenges artists and promoters from the UK and Europe are facing. XTRAX are fully aware that these challenges are shrouded by the COVID-19 situation that prevents many events from taking place.
In this survey, XTRAX encourage you to tell us about the impact Brexit is having on your work. Your answers will help map out the main challenges that the sector faces, which in turn will feed into their advocacy strategy to help support the outdoor arts sector and make sure its voice is being heard on the national and international stage.
Think Circus: To the Four Corners
Edinburgh Circus Adventure
Circus for all the family, from Think Circus CIC. Join us for circus acts live all over Edinburgh, featuring poi-spinners, flag twirlers, club throwers, hula hoopers, jugglers and acrobats. Featuring communities from Craigmillar, Leith, Colinton and North Edinburgh.
Meadow Arts: My Bubble
Aiming to capture something of the strange times we are living in, and particularly the experiences of young people who live in the rural county of Herefordshire, Meadow Arts commissioned My Bubble, an invitation for artists aged 16-22 to create and learn with digital technology.
The aim was to empower young people to explore the potential of creating their own virtual, utopian worlds in which they were the creators and explorers, as an antidote to some of the loneliness and boredom experienced in successive Covid lockdowns.
Call Out to Artists and Makers, groups and organisations involved with Circus, Street Arts, Physical Theatre - let us and others know about your work. Take your place in Articulation’s Directory on the Website by sending your information to info@articulationarts.org
Articulation is not responsible for the contents, nor does it warrant the accuracy or reliability of, any linked website. Articulation, to the extent permissible by law, excludes all liability which may arise from your use or reliance on the information or contents contained in the linked site.
