Members' Assembly 2026

1 March 2026
1pm-4pm
at The Work Room studio & Online
Please RSVP here

For the last 3 months, a dedicated Working Group of artist members have been coming together to re-assess how we deliver artist residencies and wider support.  

The Working Group initially reviewed how our current approach aligns with our ongoing commitment to degrowth and a more sustainable sector. They responded to the current cultural and socio-economic conditions of making work, including what is needed and what is currently lacking in the sector. Taking inspiration from other models, locally and internationally, they proposed new ways our programme could nurture the vital creation of choreographic practice, research, and artistic community. This series of co-produced changemaking proposals aims to refresh our residency and care offering to best support our membership.  

The group was made up of TWR members Amy Dakin Harris, Emma Jayne Park, Mark Bleakley and Nichelle Santagata, and selected through an open call process. Laura Fisher (Artist Programme Producer) facilitated. Read more about their process here.  

On 1 March, at the Members’ Assembly, the Working Group will share their research and process to the wider membership, inviting members to learn, discuss, collectively contribute the proposals, and decide on next steps. We hope to decide on areas to begin rolling out and trialling for the rest of 2026.

Background

The Working Group’s initial review culminated in four key areas to strategies around:

• The development of a new model for longer-term, more holistic residency support to deepen choreographic research and practice
• The continued offering of flexible approaches to residencies across timelines and geographies, to meet the needs and requirements of artists in the lived realities of their practices
• The development of more experimental ways for members to meet and collaborate, to cultivate a more reciprocal and peer-to-peer network of artists
• A review of equity and transparency around resource allocation, with a growing and dispersed membership across Scotland and a broadening range of dance styles and practices represented within the membership

The Proposals 

The Working Group will be sharing their work across three areas of changemaking:

• A new programme of longer-term holistic residency support and peer learning for a cohort of choreographers
• A refreshed model for the year-round residency programme, to run alongside the long-term residency model
• A new approach to artist support which gives artist members greater autonomy over arts practice programming, collective exchange and decision making, and increased equity and transparency around support 

Written outlines of the proposals have been emailed to all members to read in advance of the Assembly. There is a summary outline and a more detailed proposal document for those who apprecaite having more information. 

Members are encouraged to read the Summary Proposal in advance of the meeting.

Participating

Please RSVP your participation, either in-person or online, through this Google Form here.

The Members’ Assembly will be a vital opportunity for our membership to feed into these new approaches, collectively exchange, identify priorities and decide directions for The Work Room.  

We look forward to sharing space and bringing these ideas to life together.  

Please note, we are able to make a contribution towards travel, childcare, or other expenses that may enable you to participate comfortably. In-person, we will be providing refreshments. We have asked for details on both of these topics within the form.

Please read the announcement on the Working Group here.  

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