Shaper/Caper is looking for enthusiastic early career artists who identify as LGBTQ+ to participate in our bursary programme, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

The bursary programme, Queer & Now, involves 10 artists researching & developing work as part of an action research project for an exhibition which will run parallel to our upcoming tour of Small Town Boys.

Small Town Boys is a brand new show exploring the escapism of queer nightlife during the 80s & early 90s AIDS crisis through dance and spoken word.

A young man leaves his small hometown to find refuge in the bright lights and warm embrace of the big city; he discovers solace and joy in the city's LGBTQ+ scene, but soon finds himself navigating a terrifying unfolding health crisis, almost completely ignored by the government. 

Small Town Boys is a brand-new show exploring the escapism of queer nightlife during the 80s & early 90s AIDS crisis through dance and spoken word. The work also explores themes around Section 28 and LGBTQ+ culture in the 80’s and 90’s. The exhibition will tour Dundee, Perth, Stirling, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Inverness, therefore we are looking for artists willing to travel on key dates to their nearest hub in one of these 6 areas. 

Working with OurStory Scotland to learn about collecting and curating oral history, artists will engage in a research process that will contribute to this traveling exhibition. The bursary offers £2,100 which includes payment to attend 2 days of compulsory training with OurStory Scotland, one day of attendance at the exhibition in the artist’s nearest hub, and research time to contribute to the exhibition.  

Benefits for a bursary recipient:  

• In-person, oral history training in Dundee 

• Mentorship from Shaper/Caper staff, and the exhibition designer  

• Networking opportunities to connect with your peers locally  

• Access to studio space where possible 

• A touring exhibition to showcase your work  

KEY DATES: 

• DATES OF ORAL HISTORY TRAINING: April 2024 (exact dates TBC)

• ATTENDANCE AT THE EXHIBITION IN THE ARTIST’S NEAREST HUB 

Once the artists have been recruited there will be a creative planning meeting with Shaper/Caper’s Artistic Director to develop an agreed area of research suitable for the artist’s creative medium.  

As a condition from the funders, the research and related digital outputs will be licensed under the Creative Commons, and artists must agree to this. All works will be credited, with images available at no charge to use.  

To apply please complete the online application form available at this https://forms.gle/qxSk9akmpU87wJbm6  You will be asked to provide an example of your work, and an idea for your response to the themes of Small Town Boys. 

Closing date: Mon 1st April 2024 at 5pm 

Notification date: Mon 8th April 2024 

TJ Firmin

Alex Gosmore

Benji Knapper

Dominic Rocca

Alex McCrossan

Ellis Saul

Terrence Higgins Trust is the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity, offering support, information and advice services for those living with HIV and affected by HIV or poor sexual health. Our vision is a world where people with HIV live healthy lives free from prejudice and discrimination, and good sexual health is a right and reality for all.

The first named man to die of AIDS related causes, Terry Higgins died in July 1982 and his close friends formed a support group to help men like Terry and their friends. Charity status followed soon after and now, celebrating our 40th Anniversary year, we’ve been remembering Terry and reflecting on the work we’ve accomplished together over the past 40 years. We’ve seen incredible advances in prevention, testing, treatment and care for those living with HIV. But we still have big challenges if we’re to make sure that everyone can access the tools to protect themselves and others, so we finally end HIV transmissions.

HIV has changed, but we see time and again that many people’s views of HIV remain stuck in the decade when Terry Higgins died. Stigma can have devastating consequences in the lives of people living with and affected by HIV. Stigma can prevent someone from taking a test and getting the care and treatment they need. It can prevent those newly diagnosed from getting the support they need from those around them.

Our work to educate and dispel myths through changing perceptions and knowledge in the general public is as vital as it’s ever been – it’s also key to our goal to stop HIV transmissions.

If we find and test everyone living with HIV and get them onto treatment so HIV can’t be passed on, we can stop an epidemic. Working together, we can end new transmissions of HIV in the UK by 2030.