Playspace – Starcatchers’ artist development programme
“Playspace is an invaluable and essential necessity for all artists to share their practice, connect, collaborate, learn and most of all to have a lot of fun without the pressure of time, space, finances or performance. It felt incredibly good and inspiring to just play with each other and get out of our comfort zone. I just wished Playspace was a weekly thing!” Playday participant
Playspace is Starcatchers’ artist development programme for artists committed to working with or developing work for babies and young children.
We support artists across all artforms at different stages of their careers – from those interested in learning more about working with this age group to those who are experienced and want to develop their practice.
Through Playspace artists will access support, training and mentorship. They will have the opportunity to collaborate with other artists, share practice and hopefully find inspiration to push the boundaries and create art experiences for this age group and their parents and carers that are high quality and innovative.
Playspace is divided into the following three strands, each offering a range of opportunities:
Space to Play – provides artists with the time and space to come together to exchange and share ideas.
Space to Learn – provides training, support and mentorship. Training and development sessions focus on the range of policies and research that are shaping early years practice, as well as early child development and child protection.
Space to Inspire – We want to empower artists to push the boundaries of their artistic practice, innovate, collaborate and connect with others across the sector both in Scotland, and further afield.
Playspace has been developed in collaboration with artists working with this age group, Starcatchers’ partners including Platform, Eden Court, and Aberdeen Performing Arts. A steering group will oversee development of the programme.
If you have any questions or would like to talk about any aspect of the programme please contact us on 0131 2902560 / jennifer.phillips@starcatchers.org.uk
Current Opportunites:
Space to Learn
One space available to attend MAKING THE CONNECTION – Exploring Best Practice in Music for Young Audiences, at Lakeside Arts Centre in Nottingham on 27th February. Starcatchers will support the cost of attendance and travel to the event.
Please contact jennifer.phillips@starcatchers.org.uk by Thursday 13th Feb, if you would like to attend, with a brief outline of how this would be useful for your practice.
Space to Inspire
As part of our Playspace Artist Development programme, Starcatchers has identified a range of festivals presenting the most groundbreaking work for young audiences, and will support artists to attend these festivals to inspire their practice and connect them with other artists making work for and with Early Years from across the world.
Starcatchers will support the costs of flights, transfers, accommodation, festival tickets and a per diem.
These festivals include:
2turvenhoog Festival, Almere, Amsterdam
15th – 19th April 2020
FRATZ International, Berlin
24th to 29th April 2020
https://www.fratz-festival.de/en/
To apply to attend either of the above festivals please send an up to date CV and a brief letter of application outlining your interest in work for the very young, why you would like to attend the Festival, and what you would hope to gain from attending the Festival.
Applications should be sent to Jennifer.phillips@starcatchers.org.uk by 5pm on the 23 February.