Open Studio: I Might Not Make It

Information

Lebanese dance artist Sarah Fadel and Scotland-based theatre practitioner Liz Strange began collaborating in 2022, connecting over a shared experience of unpredictability in their lives.

They work together online every week, but it has been two years since they last shared a studio. A lot has changed since then. They have changed. Using creativity amid crisis as a starting point, the artists invite you to witness what unfolds as they meet in person again—in a process that demands ultimate flexibility.

I Might Not Make It is a dance and movement project that examines creativity amid crisis, reflecting the barriers artists face in sustaining their work through unpredictability out of their control. The work embraces uncertainty, inviting us to question ‘resilience’ narratives that frame creativity as a means of coping with pressures that should be tackled at a systemic level.

Influenced by Rest is Resistance by multidisciplinary artist, activist, writer, and theologian Tricia Hersey, the artists will install a dedicated rest space in the studio as part of their daily practice, inviting guests to engage with it before the sharing. This will inform their research, as they explore the tensions surrounding rest in survival contexts—where rest may not always be safe or accessible, reflecting the complex realities of these lived experiences.

Through our Open Studio programme, Manipulate Festival is supporting Scottish artists at a critical juncture in their practice to develop new projects and new ways of working. We invite audiences to join us for this experimental sharing at the end of a week of creative research and development.

In the Open Studio session, audiences can explore some of the ideas developed by the artists and ask questions, alongside opportunities to try out materials and techniques that the artists have used in their research process. Through the programme we aim to bring artists and audiences closer together and to de-mystify the process of creating new performance works.

The event takes place on 14 February at Dance Base.

2:30–3:30 pm Join the artists in an open rest space, offering a chance to slow down and connect with yourself and the studio environment.
3:30–4:30 pm The artists will share excerpts of their work-in-progress and lead a discussion on their collaboration and creative process.

The event is free, but you can let us know that you're coming along by reserving a ticket.