Last year we published a blog about upcoming call-outs so we would like to keep this tradition going. Here is information about opportunities coming up from now to March 2024, there are more being planned so we will add them to this list as things are confirmed. There are a lot of call-outs connected with our Family Encounters event, so this will help you plan where your ideas might fit best.
We are committed to making call-outs and selection processes as accessible as we can including options for how to apply and BSL videos for guidelines and application forms. We are about to undertake consultation with d/Deaf and/or disabled artists, so please let us know if you would like to tell us anything about ways we can improve.
As well as these call-outs, we offer year-round Go & See to cover the cost of tickets and some travel to see performances in Scotland, and our Hot Desk which is available most of the year.
If you have any questions about any of these opportunities and projects please do get in touch by emailing Fiona Ferguson, Creative Development Director.
Call out summaries
- Family Encounters Imaginate & Glasgow Life Commission (new works)
online September 2023, deadline 22 October 2023 - Creative Encounters Commissions (new works selected by children)
online September 2023, deadline 22 October 2023 - Imaginate at Scottish Dance Theatre
online September, deadline Friday 27 October 2023 - Family Encounters Programme (small existing works) - open for applications
online November, deadline in January 2024 - Family Encounters Imaginate & APA Commission (new works) - open for applications
online November, deadline in January 2024 - Accelerator
online December 2023, deadline January 2024
Family Encounters Imaginate & Glasgow Life Commission
Family Encounters (FE) will take place on 25 May 2024 at the National Museum of Scotland as part of Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. FE is a day of free pop-up performances and experiences that is curated through various call-outs, through Creative Encounters commissions selected by children and through invited works.
This commission is in partnership with Glasgow Life who will also present the selected performance as part of Merchant City Festival in July 2024.
In the past, the Family Encounters programme has varied widely in scale and form such as a dance piece on a huge set of swings, a cross artform durational performance and an interactive radio station dedicated to young experts and their advice for adults.
This call-out is open now for individual artists and collectives/companies based in Scotland who would like to make a brand new pop-up piece of work for public spaces.
Call out online – September 2023
Deadline – Sunday 22 October 2023
Panel selection – November 2023
Artists will hear by - Friday 1 December 2023
Project timeline – Family Encounters will take place on 25 May 2024, the Merchant City Festival date will be in mid-July (tbc). Conversations and planning with the commissioned artists will begin at the start of 2024.
Creative Encounters Commissions
Creative Encounters (CE) is a three-year project in partnership with North Edinburgh Arts focussed on children’s rights and co-creating and commissioning new performances with children. This is Year 2 of CE, we have two commissions available that will be chosen by two groups of children, one at Forthview Primary School and the other at Pilton Children & Youth Project. Both commissions will be performed at North Edinburgh Community Festival and Family Encounters (FE) as part of Edinburgh International Children’s Festival.
The project is open to individual artists and collectives/companies based in Scotland who would like to collaborate with children. You do not have to have experience in collaborating with children, we will work with you to craft this process together.
Call out online – September 2023
Deadline - Sunday 22 October 2023
Shortlisting by children - November 2023
Pitching to children - Tuesday 21 November or Thursday 23 November
Artists will hear by - Friday 1 December 2023
Project timeline – February to May 2024: Project delivery including training, sessions with young people and development of performance. Performances at North Edinburgh Community Festival on Saturday 11 May and Family Encounters on 25 May 2024.
Imaginate at Scottish Dance Theatre
Scottish Dance Theatre and Imaginate are working together to offer a funded week-long residency for a choreographer/dance or movement artist based in Scotland to explore a new performance idea for young audiences. The offer includes a development budget, a week of space at Scottish Dance Theatre plus up to 4 of their dancers to work with.
Call out online – September 2023
Deadline – Friday 27 October 2023
Artists will hear by – Friday 11 November
Project timeline – This residency will take place in Scottish Dance Theatre’s studio at Dundee Rep Theatre from 5 - 9 February 2024
Family Encounters Imaginate & APA Commission
We are delighted to be working with Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA) as a new commission partnership for Family Encounters. Together, we are looking for a new walk-about character(s) that will perform as part of Family Encounters (FE) as part of Edinburgh International Children’s Festival and then at Light the Blue Festival in Aberdeen.
Call out online – November 2023
Panel and decision – January 2024
Artists will hear by – early February 2024
Project timeline – Family Encounters will take place on 25 May 2024 and the Light the Blue performance day will be in June 2024. Conversations and planning with the commissioned artists will begin in February 2024.
Family Encounters Programme (smaller existing works)
Family Encounters (FE) will take place on 25 May 2023 at the National Museum of Scotland as part of Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. For this call-out we’ll be looking for small, pre-existing performances that are suitable for a public environment. Previous work has included walk-about characters, pop-up dance performances, interactive experiences and arts activities. Generally performances are up to 10 mins max.
Call out online – November 2023
Panel and decision – January 2024
Artists will hear by – early February 2024
Project timeline – Family Encounters will take place on 25 May 2024. Conversations and planning with the commissioned artists will begin in February 2024.
Accelerator
This project is for artists to research and develop a new performance idea for young audiences, developing it to a work-in-progress stage. The project comes with funding, artistic and producing support. This call-out will be open to individual artists and collectives/companies who have experience of making and presenting performances and who are based in Scotland. We have funding for one Accelerator project in 2024.
Call out online – December 2023
Deadline – January 2024
Panel and decision – February 2024
Project timeline – the Accelerator development can take place between March to December 2024