Another Route Fellowship, 2022 - 2023
This fellowship is built upon a spirit of internationalism and a shared understanding that the benefits of ensuring generosity, mutuality and collaboration are central to how we connect. This ambitious 18-month fellowship took 12 independent artists/artists-led companies on a journey of dialogue, cultural exchange, mutual respect, generosity and creativity onto the international stage.
From the sands and political energy of Ciro, to the 24-hours a day daylight festival in the outer-reaches of Norway ice, this was a huge and epic journey. The commitment to all the partners, artistic peers and my support team to get me and my electric-powered wheelchair across 1000s of miles was extraordinary and these memories will stay with me forever!
[Image description: 12 images in a 3 by 4 grid. 1, A figure in a desert holding a large object above their head. 2, An acrobat being filmed balancing. 3, A blonde woman surrounded by empty picture frames. 4, Five women in green tartan with red tights. 5, A man sat on a wooden beam speaking into a megaphone. 6, A headshot of a woman wearing a green party hat against a pink background. 7, A woman leaping on a stage with an audience in the background. 8, A woman holding out a microphone with bubbles in the air in front of a black background. 9, A figure walking in a city scape dragging a hand along a wall. 10, A wheelchair user shouting with a man playing guitar in the background. 11, A man in loose white clothes dances on a busy stage. 12, Two women in white trouser suits with gold accessories pose against a red background].
Together we cover disciplines ranging from ensemble theatre creators Figs In Wigs, political and fringe performances Sh!t Theatre, experimental circus Revel Puck Circus, solo and autobiographical theatre maker Demi Nandhra, to performance artist Alisa Oleva, as well as myself, all bringing a wealth of experience and insight into the creative process and unique ways of reaching audiences. Over the fellowship, we were a powerful cross-section of talented artists, all keen to advocate for one another whilst projecting practise across the globe.
Each artist/company was given mentoring from international artists with vast experience. Our mentors informed and guided us, after taking time to learn our individual, unique practises and probing how we develop work and engage audiences, they each inspired our perception of what is possible, supporting us to dream big. Mentors were also a fountain of knowledge with the practical element of touring beyond the UK and helping us network with international partners.
My assigned mentors, Quarantine (NPO), ‘make original theatre, performance and public events with and about the people who are in it. Whatever form it takes, our work begins and ends with the people in the room’. Just this concept from Quarantine resonates so strongly with my ideals and values. I learnt and continue to learn amazing insights into work that is based in conversation, engaging audiences on a meaningful level with ‘non-performers’ being integral to the creative process: ‘we've collaborated with a shifting constellation of artists, performers and people who've never done anything like this before’. Quarantine applies the notion that everyone is an artist.
In the spirit of generosity, we published a zine with our own reflections and learning on what it means to take practise and work across boarders. You can read our thinking here
Alongside the mentoring sessions, there were three Labs as punctuation marks where the entire cohort had the chance to be together and learn from each other’s experiences giving us all opportunities to explore other artistic cultures and open dialogue with a range of artists and programmers:
· Residential lab in England,
· Internationally renowned venues across Brussel and Ghent
This programme concluded with each artist/company choosing a two week funded residency with a international host. I was able to use my budget to experience the epic Stamsund Theatre Festival yearly festival and a week at Battersea Arts Centre, where I was able to gather experience international artists together, to unpack the whole programme.
As well as one-to-one sessions with Quarantine, the program will enable conversations with the consortium of UK independent performance companies led by Forest Fringe, Total Theatre Network and Artsadmin and supported by 1927, Action Hero, Candoco, Coney, Forced Entertainment, Gecko, The Javaad Alipoor Company, No Fit State Circus, Stan’s Cafe, Tania El Khoury & ZU-U; complemented by the wealth of experience and ideas my fellow artists bring through in-person labs and online conversation.
The project is supported by Arts Council England, The British Council and Jerwood Arts.
For a more personal and playful reflection, check out the blog about this residency here