DIT 2026: Stacy Makishi – Campfire Disco!
- Year
- 2026
- Partners
- Deadline for applications
Monday 23 February 2026
- Apply
Application Form
Download a Word doc version
Download a Large Text version
What
Stacy Makishi, we thought you died. Are you dying? The answer is yes.
Three months ago, I died. Stopped breathing.
In the ambulance, I thought, what would I regret not doing if I died?
Answer: Campfire Disco!
A three-day residential led by Stacy Makishi at Scottish Sculpture Workshop in Aberdeenshire Scotland, offering time to connect, with ourselves and with each other.
We need to gather. Now more than ever. We need to turn towards each other; make good and bad art; laugh, cry, swear, pray, bear witness; dance badly; forgive; make our curiosity larger than our fear; remember that there’s something larger than ourselves.
How?
Campfire Disco!
Where
Scottish Sculpture Workshop
1 Main St, Lumsden, Aberdeenshire, Scotland AB54 4JN
The residential will take place in person in the small rural village of Lumsden, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Workshops will take place in the large shared studio at Scottish Sculpture Workshop before we move outside for the campfire.
When
- Friday 4 September day and evening (11am–4pm & 6–8pm)
- Saturday 5 September all day (11am–5pm, with a lunch break)
- Sunday 6 September afternoon and evening (2–9pm)
Who
The retreat is open to anyone who is interested in interdisciplinary performance making and live art!
What to expect
The heart of this intense and immersive experience is connection.
Connection to:
Your heart
Each other
Mystery aka creativity, inspiration and curiosity
In order to experience connection (and make your best work), we’ll be exploring what gets in the way: shame, fear of rejection, fear of failure, imperfection, ‘being out of control’, ‘not feeling good enough’, imposter syndrome and much, much more!
Expect: risk, emotional exposure, uncertainty and a whole lot of JOY!
Schedule
Friday 4 September
11am–4pm: Workshop session
We meet, introduce ourselves and get going with some creative tasks with lunch and comfort breaks as suits the group.
[Break]
6–8pm: Campfire Ritual
While gathered around a real, live campfire, and under the spell of ritual, we abandon our protective, strategic, armoured identities. Rituals invite the denied, raw and untouched parts of ourselves to show up. The safer we feel, the more we reveal and release. That’s what makes it so freeing and terrifying.
Saturday 5 September
11am–1pm: Workshop session
We make! The human mess that we’ve been hiding becomes raw material for artmaking. Alchemy transforms shame into performance gold. Together we’ll explore image making, writing, storytelling, flash performance, movement, composition and creative responses.
1–2.30pm: Lunch
2.30–5pm: Workshop session
We continue making!
Sunday 6 September
The morning is intentionally unplanned.. Let’s see what comes up.
2-5pm: Workshop session
We’ll work on 90 second ‘flash’ performances.
7-9pm: Sharing & Disco!
(open to friends, family and local community)
On the last day, participating artists/practitioners will share 90 second performances if they wish. Next, everyone, including local audiences, are invited to participate in a live art jam session of performed responses, joy-experiments and much more. It ends with disco!
Shame Shaman, Stacy Makishi, exclaims: ‘The more shameful your dance moves, the more shame you remove!
Access
- There is no access budget to cover participation.
- Information on SSW site access is available here.
- Please note that SSW is based in a small rural village. There are limited amenities in the village so we encourage you to bring what you need with you.
- SSW has a small selection of physical comfort supports that may be useful to you during your stay including weighted blanket, weighted eye bags, hot water bottle, various fidgets, heated blanket, additional pillows or cushions, cold Packs, HEPA air purifiers. If no one on that DIT requires these dedicated items they will be available in the SSW Wellbeing Room throughout your stay.
- Weather in North East Scotland is changeable. Items we recommend bringing include: walking boots and waterproofs, warm layers and thermals. Plug adaptor for international visitors, suncream and layers and towel(s).
- First aiders and mental health first aiders will be onsite during the day.
- While we are committed to creating a courageous and curious environment for you, this workshop won’t always be comfortable. The intention of this workshop is to dig deep, turn towards what we find, and embrace the good, the bad, and even the ugly. We should be clear that Stacy isn’t a therapist. It’s possible that the retreat might not suit you if you’re currently ‘inside’ trauma, experiencing a mental health crisis, suffering a recent bereavement, or feel triggered reading the outline. You are very welcome to get in touch with the team at SSW for a conversation before deciding to apply, if you are unsure if it is for you.
- Participants are welcome to have a conversation with SSW staff in advance of applying should they have any questions regarding the DIT or the site/ location of SSW. Please contact Programme Producer Anna on [email protected].
Travel, Accommodation & Hospitality
Accommodation arrangements
Free accommodation is available as part of the residential. There will be a combination of shared rooms (2 people per room) and individual rooms. Accommodation is based both on site at SSW and a short walk away (5 minutes) in the village. Bathrooms are shared. There is one level access bedroom and bathroom on site at SSW. Further information on accommodation, the wider site and access can be found here.
Food & info about where to buy locally
SSW is self catering. Please bring food with you and/or plan ahead and make an online order from Tesco or Asda to be delivered at SSW for the day you arrive (SSW will put participating artists/practitioners in touch with one another in advance should you wish a group order). The garage in Lumsden has limited supplies and the nearest supermarket is Alford (a small Coop) or Huntly (Tesco and Asda).
Travel
Participating artists/practitioners will be responsible for the costs of their own travel.
Getting here by car
There is free on-street parking and a small carpark at SSW. Vehicles and contents are left at the owner’s own risk.
Getting here by bus
– UK-wide: Bus services from all major cities run to Aberdeen. From Aberdeen you can take the train to either Huntly (level access) or Insch.
– For people travelling on from Huntly: there is an A2B dial-a-bus (free). Limited service, book at least 1 day in advance by calling 01467 535333.
Getting here by train
– UK wide: Train services run regularly to Aberdeen from across the UK. The nearest train stations to SSW are Huntly and Insch.
– Connections can be made to SSW via bus from Huntly at specific times or taxi. Please see the Scotrail website for train times, updates and access information.
Getting here by air
– The nearest airport is Aberdeen.
– Alternative airports are Inverness, Edinburgh or Glasgow.
– The connecting train station for Aberdeen Airport is Aberden Dyce. This is a short taxi ride (5-10 mins) from Aberdeen Airport.
We encourage you to use public transport and/or carpooling whenever possible. For the DIT we will put participating artists/practitioners in touch with one another in advance should you wish to carpool.
About the Artist
Stacy Makishi is a transplant from Hawaii who found paradise in Dalston, London in 1993. Stacy believes in art’s transformative power and strives to share her creative process with others in order to put more aloha into the world. A cross-fertilisation of live art, theatre, comedy, film and visual art, her work ranges across stage performances, large-scale participatory projects and intimate one-to-ones. It is as complex as it is accessible, humorous as it is challenging, visual as it is literate. Made with a strong collaborative ethos, Stacy’s solos have been presented across Europe and beyond, including TATE Modern, Southbank Centre, Royal Albert Hall, Traverse Edinburgh, brut Vienna, Estonia Academy, Mladi Levi, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and La Mama New York. Her large-scale participatory works include Wellcome Collection commissions and works with Contact Young Company, Manchester.
Stacy Makishi. Image Claire Nolan
How to apply
- Application Form: Each DIT has a different online application form, depending on the needs of the project. You can find the link to the online Application Form, Word and audio versions at the top of this page.
- Alternative formats: We accept written, video, and audio applications. For video or audio applications, please answer the questions listed in the Application Form within a recording of 5 minutes. Send the file to [email protected].
- Access: We cannot provide or pay for access support to help with writing or preparing the application. Should you need support accessing or submitting the application, please contact us using the phone or email details below and we will be happy to help.
- Further questions/support: Please see the FAQs, email [email protected] or call us on 020 8985 2124.
Banner image credit:
Stacy Makishi, Walking Each Other Home as part of Home Live Art’s Giddy Up, Hastings 2025. Image Alice Denny
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