sound and Citymoves Dance Agency are delighted to announce that we will be offering an exciting opportunity for Scottish-based dancers/choreographers, composers/performers and other arts practitioners. 8 artists will have the opportunity to work together in a three-day workshop to learn and create with renowned artists Bill Thompson and Penny Chivas.
Opportunity description
SOMETHING DIFFERENT is a free three-day practical workshop focussing on collaborative creative practice. Led by sound artist/composer Bill Thompson and dancer/choreographer Penny Chivas, the workshop is primarily oriented toward dancers/choreographers and composers/performers although other arts practitioners are welcome to apply.
Over the three days participants will explore creative ways of working, collaborating and performing in ad hoc groups and contexts. Participants will need to be able to respond in real time to creative prompts (for example, musicians and sound artists need to bring an instrument/objects/live electronics) and Bill and Penny will offer both stimulus and ways to shake up our practices.
All levels of practice are welcome, the only requirement is an open mind and willingness to experiment.
Dates: 19th, 20th & 21st October 2026
Times: 10am-6pm
Venue: TBC,within two Aberdeen City locations
Cost: FREE (Second-class travel within Scotland will be reimbursed, as will accommodation if this is necessary for the opportunity)
Sharing: A short informal sharing will be held at 4pm on the final day.
Participants must be available to attend all three full days.
(This requirement is kept flexible for those living with disability, or those for whom such participation might be tricky due to any other reason related to their underrepresented characteristic. You will be able to discuss this with us upon successful application and we will help find a solution. We offer this flexibility in order to open our opportunities for those with access requirements and for whom participation is difficult due to their underrepresented characteristic.)
Candidates
The successful candidates will be Scottish-based choreographers/dancers, composers/performers (preferably contemporary classical or experimental music) or other arts practitioners. They will be able to articulate how the workshop would benefit them at this point in their career:
- By Scottish-based artists we mean artists of any nationality, who have been resident in Scotland for at least 18 months. Scottish-raised artists who are studying elsewhere in the UK for a limited amount of time may also apply.
We are committed to working with and supporting artists from under-represented groups. Female, trans, gender-diverse, and global majority and Gypsy/Traveller composers, composers from a low-income background, and/or artists with a disability are encouraged to apply. By global majority we mean people from all ethnic groups except white British and other white groups, including white minorities.
Accessibility
Access costs will be covered for those who require it. You will be asked about your accessibility needs upon successful application; this will be discussed with you individually, and the programme and schedule (where possible and required) will be tailored towards your needs.
If you need any accessibility assistance in applying for this opportunity (for example using alternative application methods such as email or interview via Zoom), please contact:
Clara-Jane Maunder on clara-jane.maunder@citymoves.org.uk
How to apply
To apply, please complete the application form: https://tally.so/r/xX1g2o
In the application form you will be asked:
- Your name, email, age, pronouns, postcode, confirmation that you are Scottish/resident in Scotland, and your discipline.
- Why are you interested in this opportunity and how will it help your development? (text, or upload video or audio).
- What experience (if any) do you have in working collaboratively and exploring improvisation practices? (text, or upload video or audio).
- Tell us a little about yourself and where you are in your career/studies (max 250 words) (text, or upload video or audio).
- Small portfolio of your work (2-3 links to some of your work which you feel support your application. This can be scores (notated, graphic or descriptive), video, audio or photographic evidence.)
- If you are from an under-represented group, you can choose for your application to be put directly through to the second round. You can identify your underrepresented characteristic at this point if you wish to do so.
- Where did you hear about this opportunity?
- If you need to use the 2-day ‘grace period’ (see more information below) you can indicate this.
- You will also be asked to fill in an anonymous equalities monitoring form. This provides essential information for our funders.
Deadline for applications: Friday 21st August 2026 11:59pm
We are offering a 2-day ‘grace period’ until the end of day on 23rd August for applicants who can’t reach the deadline due to health challenges, having to care for family members, or other reasonable and/or unexpected circumstances. Please state your reason in the application form.
We will inform you whether you are successful or not by 11th September 2026.
Selection process
As mentioned above, we are committed to working with and supporting artists from under-represented sections of the population. To enable this, there is a two-stage application process: an initial selection is made, and then this is narrowed down in a second stage selection process. If you are a woman, LGBTQ and/or gender diverse, global majority or Gypsy/Traveller artist, disabled and/or from a low-income background, you can choose to self-select automatically to the second round.
The selection panel will be made up of representative(s) of Citymoves and sound.
If you have any questions about the opportunity description, your eligibility, your application, the deadline, the selection process, or any other element of this call out, please contact Clara-Jane Maunder on clara-jane.maunder@citymoves.org.uk
You can send questions via email, or request a Zoom call.
This development opportunity is a collaboration between sound and Citymoves.
sound is a new music incubator based in North East Scotland, which aims to increase access to new music, encourage excellence and experimentation, and nurture talent. It achieves this through a variety of activities including the annual soundfestival, a year-round composer support programme, a youth programme, and other learning and engagement activities.
Citymoves is one of the longest running dance development organisations in Scotland. Established in 1987, the charity’s main aim is to make a positive impact through dance. Citymoves offers a variety of classes in their studio and in venues throughout Aberdeen. They work in partnership with schools, care homes and community centres to deliver a range of community projects. Citymoves run professional classes, artist residency programmes annually, and is committed to creating professional performance opportunities - through their annual DanceLive Festival.
This opportunity is made possible by the Creative Scotland Expanded Festivals Fund.
