The award-winning charity Open Door – which counts the likes of Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Riz Ahmed, David Morrissey and Amanda Redman among its supporters – is to hold auditions for its 2023 intake in six cities across the UK as it seeks to unearth new stars of stage and screen who would otherwise slip through the net.

Due to the financial barriers that are associated with the interviews and auditions that applicants, including those wishing to study acting and those interested in technical theatre and production arts, have to attend, a high percentage of those wishing to apply simply can’t afford the chance to be seen. According to the The Working Class Creatives Database (WCCD) manifesto, only 16% of the UK’s creative workforce are from lower-socioeconomic backgrounds.

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Courtesy of Zbigniew Tomasz Kotkiewicz.

Founded a decade ago in 2012 to platform the work of marginalised artists, performance venue Ugly Duck, located in Bermondsey – South East London, has been at the forefront of working with performance artists who are not afraid of exploring lesser talked about themes. Their @Disturbance Festival, now in its 4th year specifically created to showcase LGBTQ+ artists and stories. Set to show The Plastic Drag, a visual and sound work investigating how a new wave of underrepresented gender-non-conforming and diverse drag artists are redefining the art of drag and its subversive potential as part of Ugly Duck’s 10th year anniversary on the 10th,11th and 12th of November, artist Orlando Myxx tells us more about how they’ve approached creating the piece, what’s been learned from creating the piece and what the audience can expect!

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Founded a decade ago in 2012 to platform the work of marginalised artists, performance venue Ugly Duck, located in Bermondsey – South East London, has been at the forefront of working with performance artists who are not afraid of exploring lesser talked about themes. Their @Disturbance Festival, now in its 4th year specifically created to showcase LGBTQ+ artists and stories. Set to show I found a dead bird, an exploration of the marginalized queer experience of growing up in small town in southern China as part of Ugly Duck’s 10th year anniversary on the 10th,11th and 12th of November, Artist River Cao’s mesmerizing artistic practice spans the realms of installation, video, and performance, wrapped in a poetic meditation on the theme of mourning. Through his perspective, he reveals his encounters, musings, and memories, using the medium of landscape and deftly employing metaphors to explore sadness, subjectivity, and existence. Calm waters and untouched landscapes frequently appear in his previous works, leading the audience to gaze into his inner world. On this journey, one finds oneself confronted with a reimagined melancholy, contradiction and comfort are mutually entangled, and Cao’s evocative creation makes the audience pause in front of his work. Artist River Cao tells us more about exploring the shows themes further, what it means to be a part of Ugly Duck’s 10th year celebrations and what the audience can expect! Continue reading

The bond between mother and daughter is one of the greatest we’ll ever experience within our life times, the older we become, the tougher it can perhaps become to let guards down and communicate with one another – personal circumstances getting in the way of making much needed quality time to reunite and reconnect. Meditating on this powerful bond, co-directors Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers and Carmine Pierre-Dufour present their Provincetown International Film Festival award winning short film Famni, a heart warming story of a daughter who is so engrossed in her own life after a break up, that she doesn’t notice her mother is hiding the real reason behind her visit. Sandrine and Carmine tell us more about exploring this thought provoking topic further, working with cinematographer Léna Mill-Reuillard and producer Francois Bonneau to realise the film, and what they’ve both taken away from the creative process.

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Founded a decade ago in 2012 to platform the work of marginalised artists, performance venue Ugly Duck, located in Bermondsey – South East London, has been at the forefront of working with performance artists who are not afraid of exploring lesser talked about themes. Their @Disturbance Festival, now in its 4th year specifically created to showcase LGBTQ+ artists and stories. Set to show Hug Me Properly, a short film following the lives of a young, queer community on a night out, as part of Ugly Duck’s 10th year anniversary on the 10th,11th and 12th of November, queer and disabled video artist Olivia Morrison tells us more about what inspired the film’s creation, how they have approached creating the piece and what they have taken away from creating the film!

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The UK is at the forefront of encouraging important dialogues, in particular, ones revolving around international issues that help to nurture understanding and connection. This incredibly important to continue on with, especially now. Introducing their inaugural Palestinian Arts Festival, Rich Mix looks to showcase the Palestinian arts scene, offering a mixed programme of theatre, spoken word, poetry, music, singing and visual art. Debuting her first solo show ‘Another Lover’s Discourse’, showing from the 29th to 31st October, director Riham Isaac presents a story exploring the complexity of love and relationships. Having just recently performed at the Belfast International Arts Festival on the 22nd and 23rd October, Riham tells us more about what to expect! Continue reading

A former Fringe participant and experienced arts manager, has today been announced as the new Head of Artist Services at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.  Chris Snow took up post at the start of September 2022, having most recently held the role of Head of Support Services at the National Theatre in London.

With extensive experience in supporting and leading cultural teams, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge to the senior post.  In his early twenties Chris brought several small-scale shows to Edinburgh under his own theatre company, and understands the challenges and opportunities facing artists as they perform at the festival for the first time.  Having worked for several years managing large buildings for major global businesses, he then led National Theatre’s operational teams through the pandemic; and as such also has a strong grounding on how to support more established performers and venues.

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The ETPEP Award 2022 has been won by first time playwright by Saana Sze for their play Belly of the Beast.

YoungMartha, a bright and agreeable student, falls in love with Gia, who has had enough of school and teachers that don’t care about girls like her…

NowMartha enters the teaching industry, optimistic about making a positive change, but soon begins a quick journey towards disillusionment when they realise the corporate hell they’re in…

Black, non-binary and queer, Youngand NowMartha are set against rigid systems which insist they conform.

Belly of the Beast examines school politics, from the standpoint of both student and a teacher, as it asks “What are schools for?”

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Courtesy of Tom Morley.

Founded a decade ago in 2012 to platform the work of marginalised artists, performance venue Ugly Duck, located in Bermondsey – South East London, has been at the forefront of working with performance artists who are not afraid of exploring lesser talked about themes. Their @Disturbance Festival, now in its 4th year specifically created to showcase LGBTQ+ artists and stories. Set to show a multi-sensory, immersive work referencing the mythological creature the Bittern bird as part of Ugly Duck’s 10th year anniversary on the 10th,11th and 12th of November, performance artist Gisou Golshani tells us more about how they’ve approached creating the piece, what they’ve learned along the creative process and what the audience can expect!

Hi Gisou, you’ll be taking part in Ugly Duck’s @Disturbance Festival from 10th to 12th November. How are you feeling ahead of the event?

This is my first residency and I’ve really enjoyed taking the time to explore my ideas and engage in in-depth conversations with other queer creatives and professionals. Really excited to bring this project to life!

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