Announcing our Commission with Bristol Pride
TIM LYTC. Photo credit: Bristol Trans Portraits
Earlier this year we launched a brand new collaboration with Bristol Pride in which we invited LGBTQ+ artists and companies based in Bristol to send us ideas for a new early-stage research and development co-commission.
The response was amazing and as diverse as the communities from which the ideas arose. It was a joy to read all the proposals and to chat with an inspiring shortlist of artists.
We’re excited to announce that we have awarded the commission to Bristol-based multi-disciplinary dance artist TIM LYTC.
Tim’s work explores themes of community, representation and joy, with particular focus on Queer bodies and spaces, health and wellbeing, as well as race and heritage.
Drawing on perspectives of the world as a genderqueer Hong Kong immigrant in the UK, their work seeks to merge the many different cultural influences from my life, into work that encourages and inspires collective care, play and rest.
Over the next few months, TIM will explore a new dance/movement work that explores queer intimacy, with a particular focus on trans and gender non-conforming identities. Gathering and working with the stories of queer folk in Bristol, the work will build on existing research that TIM has undertaken as part of Bristol+Bath Creative R&D around dance, tech, and safe space for queer people.
TIM says of the work: “I aim to create a dance and movement celebration of Queer folks and Queer lives. (I use the term Queer here to imply folks who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ world.)
This project will be a playful exploration of intimacy with the self and others, and encompass the joy of moving and connecting with our own bodies.
I wish for the project to be multidimensional, pulling on all threads of Queer lives, particularly centring narratives in relation to Trans and Non-Binary folks. With additional focus on people who are BIPOC, disabled, neurodivergent, and working class, immigrants and older folks.”
Bristol Pride Director Daryn Carter said: “We are so excited to be working with MAYK to create a new funding opportunity to support an exciting LGBT+ development. It feels fantastic to be able to support LGBT+ artists and new ideas in this way.
TIM's work focuses on queer bodies and representation in an area which doesn't usually get any focus. We can't wait to see what develops from this and how this work will challenge perceptions, start conversations and allow people to be seen.”
MAYK Co-Directors Matthew Austin and Kate Yedigaroff said: “In a city as diverse as Bristol, performance work that centres trans and gender non-confirming people feels thin on the ground. The opportunity to collaborate with Bristol Pride to open up some opportunities for a non-outcome pressured exploration feels really good. We’ve followed TIM’s practice for a while and were thrilled to receive a proposal from them for this commission. They have a unique voice and we can’t wait to see how the research for this new project unfolds”