The Buzz Lab in Bremen was an incredibly experience for me, and has been hugely impactful to my arts practice, as well as considering how I engage with both theatre making and the wider world.

The power and importance of international collaboration cannot be understated. The sheer fact of being able to spend time with such a rich and diverse group of theatre makers has created so many new ideas and lenses through which to view my work.

Not just in the workshops, but in the downtime, the walks, the meals, conversation was exciting and inspiring. It was always a pleasure to hear about someone’s work, and how the theatre sector in their country functions.

I think a better working practice can only be achieved through this method of sharing and collaboration, especially in an international context. It’s so thrilling to be able to dedicate time and space to this, especially in the context of exploring youth theatre and making more aesthetic and essential youth theatre work.

I am so grateful for this opportunity, not only for the ability to network and collaborate, but also to validate my own work and theatre-making. I think all of us felt imposter syndrome in the beginning, but very quickly we realised that we were all there for a specific reason, and that sense of belonging was hugely beneficial to my own artistic wellbeing. It also provided me space to interrogate my work and working processes, as well as ask other artist some advice in how they might approach situations I have found difficult in the past.

Some of my key takeaways after the week are the following:

• Always be open to play. Keeping an open-view, and embracing every opportunity can open so many more doors than you might think. Don’t try to pre-meditate a result. Take the challenge and play the game. Only consider the results at the end. Instinct and feeling should always be key – sometimes you need to jump into the void.
• What does art look like when it doesn’t have to be “fundable”. When artists have time, space and resource to play, make and explore.
• The idea of a practice as the combination of art + education, particularly in regards to youth theatre is incredibly important. The act of taking part in theatre as a young performer is always also a medium for education.
• Language is beautiful, and that the same one can have many meanings and translations. There is no right definition, and new interpretations mean new ways of thinking.

Visit Fraser’s website to find out more about his work: https://frsrsctt.com/