NEUROSTAGES is a two-day festival of workshops, provocations, discussions, and performances curated by the Scottish Neurodiverse Performance Network (SNPN).

NEUROSTAGES is a neurodivergent-led platform and space for artists and creatives, communities, individuals and industry professionals to:

• find out more about either neurodiversity or performance
• nurture and celebrate neurodivergent-made theatre and performance work in Scotland
• identify communities or individuals that might be friendly or interesting to engage with
• share ideas, concerns and strategies for making and staging work in a neurotypical world
• NEUROSTAGES is also an opportunity for allies in the theatre and performance industries to experience the work of neurodivergent artists in Scotland, to better understand some of the barriers that still need to be dismantled and to make new professional connections.

NEUROSTAGES will take place on the 15 and 16 October 2021. It will be a hybrid online and in person festival taking place using zoom and at the CCA. Both the festival and SNPN have been generously supported and hosted by the CCA.

Full festival programme and information on how to book will be made available in August.

Mentorships

As part of the NEUROSTAGES festival four paid mentorship opportunities to neurodivergent artists based in Scotland are being offered.

Artists will receive a budget of £1,000 which can be used to pay themselves and any collaborators. In addition they will be supported with three mentorship sessions with a paid professional mentor who they will be matched with based on their needs. They will endeavour to meet all access needs of the artists selected. Access needs can include: BSL interpretation, childcare, support worker or personal assistant support, communication and information in formats that best suit the artist, accessible and quiet spaces – and other access requirements not listed here.

Artists will also be offered access to studio/rehearsal space and technical equipment at National Theatre of Scotland (in accordance with Scottish government COVID-19 guidelines if required and available). The mentorship should take place sometime in September – late October and dates, length and shape of the mentorship is flexible and will be determined by the artist and mentor with support from National Theatre of Scotland producer Anna Hodgart. Artists are also able to work at home, remotely or online if preferred.

NEUROSTAGES mentorships are not commissions or production opportunities, and all rights to any work generated will remain with the artists and their collaborators. However, artists will be invited to share their progress either live or pre-recorded at the NEUROSTAGES festival in October 2021. This sharing could be in the form of a relaxed conversation event with their mentor or a festival host, or it could be through a short presentation, or documentation of practice in progress.

Mentorships can be used to:

• research and develop the initial seed of an idea
• further develop an existing unproduced project
• develop an artist’s skills and practice, or build new relationships
• Artists are guaranteed up to 5 days access to working space at the National Theatre of Scotland building Rockvilla in Glasgow, but we will try to secure space at other geographical locations if required.

This opportunity is open to artists across art forms (including theatre, music, sound, movement, film, visual art, story-telling, spoken word, dance etc), who wish to explore a new or existing bold and vital live performance idea that moves forward their practice and career.

Criteria

• Be resident in Scotland
• Be over 18 years of age
• Identify as neurodivergent*
• Be able to demonstrate that you’ve undertaken a relevant artistic project (outwith formal studies)
• Be eligible to work in the UK and be able to provide evidence through the presentation of a valid passport or VISA if you are a non EU resident.

*Mentees do not need a formal diagnosis of a neurodivergent condition, and we welcome applicants who self-identify as neurodivergent.

Deadline

12noon on 4 August 2021

Decisions: By 6pm on 13 August 2021

Mentors agreed by 31 August 2021

Timescale for Mentorships: September-October 2021

Sharing at NEUROSTAGES Festival: 15 and 16 October 2021

https://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/neurostages-mentorships