Queer Spaces: Call for Artists

Queer Spaces: Call for Artists

Roots, in association with York Theatre Royal and Stephen Joseph Theatre

We’re looking for writers, creators and content makers to develop short stories about their experiences of queer spaces.

Inspired by novelist Natasha Bell’s blog about her queer sanctuaries, we’re assembling an online collective of queer artists working in Yorkshire to participate in Zoom masterclasses exploring queer culture, politics and identity through the process of writing and performing. Whatever your artistic and lived experiences, you’ll discuss creative ideas, collaborate with other content makers and receive feedback on your work.

Queer Spaces is free to take part in, and sign-up details are here.

Please apply by 18:00 Friday 5th January 2024. And please note, places are allocated on a first-come basis. We will close applications once all places are allocated.

All we ask is you read the Key Information section below to make sure you can commit to the whole project.

We’re then producing Queer Spaces: Live!, a special event where a selection of these monologues will be performed.

Whether or not you take part in Queer Spaces: Live!, we’d love for you to join us:

York Theatre Royal Saturday 03 February 7.45pm

Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough Thursday 22 February 2024 7pm

Queers Spaces and Queer Spaces: Live! are supported by Arts Council England and The National Lottery Community Fund.

Key Information

The three Queer Spaces masterclasses take place on Zoom. We ask that participants be available to attend all three.

Thursday January 11th, 19:00 – 21:00 on Zoom

Thursday January 18th, 19:00 – 21:00 on Zoom

Thursday January 25th, 19:00 – 21:00 on Zoom

​You can sign up here. Submitting an application confirms your place on the workshops. Please keep an eye on your inbox on Monday 8th January for your Zoom link and details on our first session on Thursday 11th January. If you can’t find an email by Tuesday 9th, please email Steven on hello@rootstouring.com

Queer Spaces: Live!

​If performing your monologue in Queer Spaces: Live! to an audience appeals, we will support you to do this!

​To perform at York Theatre Royal, you will need to be available 13:00 – 21:00 at the theatre on Saturday 3rd February 2024.

The performance at the Stephen Joseph Theatre on Thursday 22nd February 2024 will be performed by actors. This is to enable writers who do not wish to perform themselves to have their work shared.

We envisage that some monologues will be performed at both events, and others just at one depending of the preference of their writer.

The Stephen Joseph Theatre performance will be filmed, edited and made available online to help promote the talent of our artists.