We have opportunities for 16 new creatives (8 from London and 8 from the rest of the UK) aged 14-26 to contribute. We’re not asking anyone to create the entire zine – instead, we need work that can take up a few pages. Beyond Borders will have a limited print run and will be available digitally too. You can find our first zine here.

Successful applicants will be asked to create and develop a new piece of work over a period of 8 weeks. Everyone’s work will be shared in the same zine, which will be put together by the brilliant Zoë Thompson.

We want to encourage each artist to think playfully and to experiment – this isn’t about making something perfect and polished – it’s about trying things out and exploring a creative idea. This is a low pressure, supportive opportunity. There will be a chance to meet with the Touretteshero team, take part in a workshop and meet the other artists.

The theme Beyond Borders will mean different things to different people – if it sparks an idea for you, we want to know about it. You can approach the theme in any way that excites you.

Borders can be physical – like space dividers, or the edges of shapes and objects. They can also be more abstract or political – like borders between countries, or barriers that make it hard to access certain things. Borders might relate to real places, imaginary worlds, or be internal and personal to you.

The title is a guide to support the development of your ideas, and to help bring everything together within the same zine.

This opportunity is for young artists in the early stages of their creative development, so there’s no need to have done anything like this before. For most people who apply, it’s likely to be their first paid creative opportunity. We want to support lots of different types of artworks. It could be stories, poems, songs, drawings, photos, knitting, collage, sculptures, or a dance – pretty much anything that can be put into a zine. Our team can help you think about how your idea or piece of work is presented.

Each commissioned artist will receive a £400 investment in their work. This is a bursary and it can be used to pay for your time to make your work, or it could be used to purchase equipment or materials. It’s flexible and can be tailored to meet your needs.

Each commissioned artist will then contribute an artwork to feature in the zine and a short profile that describes their creative work and who they are (250 words) that will be shared on the Touretteshero website alongside the artwork.

How To Apply

To apply, you need to:

• Be a UK resident aged between 14 and 26. If you’re 14 or 15, you’ll need an adult to apply on your behalf who can commit to supporting you with the process.

• Identify as being disabled. We have a broad understanding of disability which includes those who are: neurodiverse, chronically ill, have a learning disability, a mental health condition or who are at higher risk from COVID. You might not have thought of yourself as disabled before but if you experience barriers because of how your body or mind works, this is an opportunity for you. We particularly welcome applications from young people from the global majority.

You can apply via our online form or you can download our application pack which contains information on how to apply. We have easy read, plain text and audio versions of the form.

For any questions, email Katie at [email protected]