Artist Development 2024
Inspiring &
Empowering
Artists
In 2024, Aberdeen Arts Centre awarded three Artist Development bursaries.
After receiving 18 expressions of interest and meeting with nine creatives to discuss their projects, three recipients were chosen from a strong and creative pool of applications.
In addition, we were delighted to be able to provide mentoring and other support to a number of other artists throughout the year.
David Banks
The Angry Unicorn
Bursary, mentoring, space
Originally created as a work for Scottish Youth Theatre, this project explored whether The Angry Unicorn was best suited as a book or a monologue. The funding helped develop the story visually and physically, involving artists, a beta reader, and local illustrators, leading up to a reading. The project also raised questions about theatre and education, particularly touring works for schools.
Hannah Ekekwe
Middle-Grade Superhero Fantasy Series
Bursary, mentoring, space
Hannah worked on the first book in a middle-grade superhero fantasy series set in a fictional city in northern Scotland. The funding supported a writing retreat for the novel's progress and provided time to explore ideas for school workshops.
Mae Diansangu
Dopey
Bursary, mentoring, space
Mae developed the character of Uncle Tony through three musical numbers. This support helped broaden her creative practice, strengthen performance skills, and refine their artistic voice for sustained performance work.
Brigit Itse
New Writer’s Award Application
Mentoring
Brigit focused on the next stage of her writing career, using the mentorship and support to develop a strong application for the prestigious Scottish Book Trust New Writer’s Award.
Dopey Monkey
Album Development
Space
With nearly a decade of experience, Dopey Monkey refined their artistic style within music and the arts. This project aimed to consolidate their evolving sound and aesthetic into a new album - providing space to explore new ideas.
Rachel Groves
Building Vocabulary for the Harp
Space
Rachel worked on developing individual masterclasses, transcriptions, and short etudes, alongside arranging traditional and new tunes. The goal was to build harp repertoire and create instructional materials for private instruction.
Neve Smith
Devised Piece on Memories, Childhood, and Time
Mentoring
Neve created a devised theatre piece exploring themes of memory, childhood, and the passage of time. The support provided rehearsal space, check-ins, and support with planning and budgeting - allowing for flexibility in production elements such as set and costuming.
Megan McKenzie
Aberdeen-Based Play
Mentoring
Megan worked on a play about Aberdeen for a year, completing one reading and a rewrite. She sought production support to engage audiences and share an important local story. As a first-time producer, she required guidance to bring her vision to life and we provided assistance with planning and budgeting.