BOP Young Artists

BOP Young Artists is an artist development initiative from Birds of Paradise Theatre Company, currently with funding support from The Leche Trust, and led by BOP’s Development Officer, Morna McGeoch Fergus Arnott (go to BOP staff).

BOP Young Artists is an artist development opportunity aimed at young people who have experienced barriers in taking part in other artist development opportunities due to an impairment.

This project aims to provide a space where young people with a passion for the performing arts can learn skills and develop their own creative practice, so they are better able to apply and take part in future creative opportunities. BOP wants to help nurture the future generation of talented disabled creatives.

We will soon be recruiting for BOP Young Artists (Performers), starting in September 2024! Find out more information, including how to apply, coming soon.

Current Young Artists

We are currently working with three groups of young artists: the Pilot cohort, Digital cohort, and Young Artists, the Third. Each group has created their own artistic project together.

Each of the 14 Young Artists also work with our Development Officer to create individual professional development goals and pathways.

If you would like to discuss any opportunities your organisation might have for BOP Young Artists (e.g. a placement opportunity etc.), please do get in touch!

Young Artists, the Third

This cohort of BOP Young Artists are currently working on producing their own multimedia mini-album, which will be released in 2025!

The members of this cohort are: Mariam Chaudhry, Lloyd Darko, Cleopatra Gabriel, Rahul Mehmi and Yuki Neoh, pictured below during their album creation residency in April 2023.

Young Artists (Digital)

In light of COVID-19, and their locations ranging from right across Scotland, this cohort work together digitally.

The group collaboratively wrote a screenplay with creatively embedded access, which was then produced as a short film. ‘Dollhouse’ was written as Scotland was coming out of lockdown, and explores the ways in which society treats disabled people in its’ attempts to ‘protect’ them. ‘Dollhouse’ is in post-production, and will be released in 2024.

Young Artists (Pilot)

BOP Young Artists Pilot Cohort instigated a radical digital platform to amplify the work of emerging disabled artists.

Locked World is a digital, disabled-centred artistic platform, designed to centre creative access. You can visit Locked World here (best experienced on a laptop or desktop).

Previous Activity

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In December 2019, the Young Artists were involved in ‘Festive Scratch Night’ – a scratch night created in partnership with Glasgow Connected Arts Network and The Bold Collective.

The BOP Young Artists began creating their work-in-progress pieces in September, and took part in event-planning meetings through October and November, before the event took place on December 18th 2019.

You can read all about the BOP Young Artists’ experiences of the ‘Festive Scratch Night’ here!

A performer- his hood is up, his eyes are closed. One hand is on his heart, his other hand reaches upwards- hopeful. — Solo dance piece by Andrew Robertson

A performer is onstage in a large wearable sculpture. A projector screen shows words which are also heard aloud- playing throughout the piece. A sign language interpreter can be seen, and a number of audience members. — Solo dance piece by Andrew Robertson

From April 2019 til August 2019, the Young Artists took part in a wide range of activity – providing support and opportunities to develop their existing skills and knowledge, and to connect with other arts professionals across the UK.

Some of the activities they engaged in have included:

Access to Acting workshop led by Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), at Scottish Youth Theatre.
Workshops on: making successful funding applications; employment and disability; self-employment and tax returns; roles in the theatre industry; and sharing our practice with others.
Observing rehearsals of Birds of Paradise and National Theatre of Scotland’s ‘My Left/Right Foot: The Musical’ at NTS’ purpose-built home: Rockvilla.
Attending performances of ‘My Left Right Foot: The Musical’ at Dundee Rep, and ‘Purposeless Movements’ as part of the Edinburgh International Festival 2019.
Attending a number of performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019, including two performances by members of BOP Young Artists.

The silhouette of a house with many windows, set against a white backdrop, with a light shining through. Emily is kneeling on the ground, holding up the house- demonstrating some shadow puppetry to a group.

A number of performers participating in a movement exercise - they are stretching upwards, towards the sky.

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BOP Young Artists (Digital) took part in workshops with a number of industry professionals including: Matilda Ibini (autobiographical writing), Robert Softley Gale (writing Creatively Embedded Access), May Sumbwanyambe (writing new work), and Rosie Kellagher (writing adaptations). The group have also been delighted to take part in workshops with Rachel Bagshaw (director), Ali MacLaurin (designer), Alyson Woodhouse (dramaturg) and Ellen Renton (performer) on working with the writer in production.

The group also took part in a mentoring project, where they chosen writers / artists they would like to be supported by. We are very excited to announce that these mentors included Matilda Ibini, Aoife Lyall, Gerda Stevenson and Jack Thorne.

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Any further questions, please contact Morna at morna@boptheatre.co.uk or call us on 0141 552 1725