The Shifting the Stage Lab ran from 19 to 23 January 2026 based at The Work Room, Glasgow and in The Hidden Gardens spaces for a group of eight disabled artists based in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Scotland. The Lab was co-led by Ellen Renton and Luke Pell. Ellen is a poet, performer, and theatre maker who is currently exploring a musical theatre performance for children called PALS that prioritises blind/VI audiences. Ellen is developing PALS with Imaginate as part of an Unlimited Partner Award. Luke is a dance artist with years of experience holding space in their work as dramaturg/e, associate, host, facilitator, writer, researcher. They previously led a Lab with Imaginate as part of PUSH+, a Creative-Europe co-operation project, and a facilitated space for artists during covid calling Navigating the Now.
The participating artists were:
Emilia Wärff and Narjes Nárcisz Al-Ansari (Sweden)
Aino Hakala and Jean-Baptiste Baele (Norway)
Maima Tani and Satu Tani (Finland)
Ivor MacAskill and Ramesh Meyyappan (Scotland)
Shifting the Stage is a Nordic collaboration between four partners, offering professional, international artist development opportunities and exchanges for disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent artists to support the development of new disabled-led production ideas for children.
With thanks to Lab partners The Work Room and the Shifting the Stage project funders Nordic Culture Fund and Nordic Culture Point.