GROUNDWORK

GROUNDWORK
Podcast Description
At The Work Room we know that over the past ten years, a groundswell of artists within our membership have been dedicating their attention and practice to environmental and ecological concerns; climate emergency and activism. Not just in concept or content, but by explicitly interrogating, and altering, ‘the how, the way, the why’ of dancing and making work.
The Ground Work working group brought together a working group of six artist members who have been exploring such ecological practice within their artistic work. The selected artists responded to an open call to join the working group in December 2023 ad come together at several points throughout early 2024, with Luke Pell, for a series of group meetings and practical research trips to explore the following questions from the perspective of independent dance artists, their practice and as members of The Work Room:
- What does ‘an environmental policy’ mean for independent dance artists in Scotland today and tomorrow?
- What does careful resource management look like for us?
- What’s unique and/or particular to our needs? How can we make change through acts of reciprocity?
- What and how can this be shared across our membership; Glasgow, Scotland and beyond?
- What can we do, together, that is tangible, timebound and relevant?
This podcast series traces some of that time and shares their findings in a new format for The Work Room. Drafted following a series of conversations and research activities undertaken by the Groundwork working group, they are intended as offers for The Work Room artist-members and the organisation to consider as part of approaches to greener working practices, environmental ethos/policies and sustainability in lieu of the climate emergency.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores ecological practice within artistic work, focusing on topics such as environmental policy for independent dance, resource management, eco-anxiety, and reciprocity in creative communities. Examples of episodes include discussions on wild swimming as a means to connect with nature and support climate justice, nurturing embodied relationships with the environment, and envisioning a collective manifesto for sustainable practices within the arts.

At The Work Room we know that over the past ten years, a groundswell of artists within our membership have been dedicating their attention and practice to environmental and ecological concerns; climate emergency and activism. Not just in concept or content, but by explicitly interrogating, and altering, ‘the how, the way, the why’ of dancing and making work.
The Ground Work working group brought together a working group of six artist members who have been exploring such ecological practice within their artistic work. The selected artists responded to an open call to join the working group in December 2023 ad come together at several points throughout early 2024, with Luke Pell, for a series of group meetings and practical research trips to explore the following questions from the perspective of independent dance artists, their practice and as members of The Work Room:
– What does ‘an environmental policy’ mean for independent dance artists in Scotland today and tomorrow?
– What does careful resource management look like for us?
– What’s unique and/or particular to our needs? How can we make change through acts of reciprocity?
– What and how can this be shared across our membership; Glasgow, Scotland and beyond?
– What can we do, together, that is tangible, timebound and relevant?
This podcast series traces some of that time and shares their findings in a new format for The Work Room. Drafted following a series of conversations and research activities undertaken by the Groundwork working group, they are intended as offers for The Work Room artist-members and the organisation to consider as part of approaches to greener working practices, environmental ethos/policies and sustainability in lieu of the climate emergency.

Following six months of conversation as the Groundwork working group, Amy, Melissa, Hamshya, Penny, Hannah, Emily and Luke sit down together to review actions and offers to share with the membership and an intention setting – as a sort of space for dreaming in or drafting of a manifesto, towards a more embodied approach to climate justice and sustainable working for our members and The Work Room – it’s arranged by Sonia Killman, who brilliantly edited this series with us, and designed the beautiful sound that you’ve heard throughout.
Download or view a transcript of this podcast episode here
The Work Room is an artist led membership organisation based in Glasgow, Scotland. Our members are independent artists in Scotland who work in dance, movement or choreography.
Groundwork was a project by The Work Room, led by artist, facilitator and dramaturg Luke Pell, which brought together a working group of six artist members based across Scotland, who explore ecological practice within their artistic work.
More on Groundwork:
- About Groundwork
- Read the Groundwork Manifesto
- Meet the Groundwork Artists
- Listen to the Groundwork Podcast Series
Groundwork Artists: Amy Dakin Harris, Hamshya Rajkumar, Penny Chivas, Hannah Draper, Melissa Heywood, Emily Nicholl
Groundwork Facilitator & Podcast Host: Luke Pell
Editing & Sound Design: Sonia Killmann
Artwork: Laura Fisher
Distribution support: Nancy Jacinto
Produced by The Work Room
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