DIT 2026: We Showgirls Are Offline

About the Open Call

Are you a digital slut, a Grindr whore, or a Hinge princess? Do you need to unplug? Tom Marshman is looking for eight queer artists/creatives of different ages to join him in Southend for a shared intergenerational enquiry into digital identities and intimacies. Co-produced with Duckie and hosted at Metal, this playful three-day offline lab creates space to slow down, log off and reconnect – with ourselves and each other. Across lazy brunches and tea parties, participants will share stories of desire, shame, and visibility. Artists will pair up into duos to create and present short live responses exploring themes such as performer and avatar, memory and screen, and presence and absence.

What is Offered

Participation in a three-day professional lab, food provided (brunches and tea parties), accommodation at the Metal lodge house for selected participants, and access to a small collective access budget.

Requirements

Applicants must be queer artists or practitioners interested in digital identity and intergenerational exchange. While practitioners from any location may apply, the organizers are particularly interested in hearing from artists local to Southend.

How to Apply

Complete the online application form linked in the opportunity. Alternative formats are accepted, including written, video, and audio applications. For video or audio applications, answer the form questions in a recording of up to 5 minutes and email it to willy@thisisliveart.co.uk.