Come and be part of an incredible new piece of projection mapped video art at Selby Abbey, in which YOU could feature as one of the characters!

As part of an upcoming project based in Selby, we are offering a series of FREE creative workshops for those who call the town home, with the opportunity for an animated character based on you and your story to appear in the final video piece.

Imitating the dog, Mediale and Now Then! (North Yorkshire Council) are looking for participants to take part in a series of creative workshops exploring the seemingly simple question ‘How did you get here?’ Whether your family has lived in the town for generations or you have only recently arrived here, we want to hear your story! 

About the Workshops

Over a series of three fun, friendly, and creative workshops, we will work with you to develop a fictional character inspired by your or your family’s journey to Selby. Your character will then be animated and appear in a brand new video installation to be projected inside and outside of Selby Abbey. 

The workshops will involve telling stories, sharing ideas, creative writing, drawing and other visual arts, and greenscreen film-making. They are free, and travel expenses can be reimbursed. You do not need to have any previous artistic experience, and imitating the dog will provide all necessary equipment.

All you will need is yourself and your story. 

Workshop Dates

The workshops will take place at the Hawdon Institute, Selby on the following dates: 

Workshop 1: Mon 24th & Wed 26th Nov – 5.30 – 8.30pm

Workshop 2: Wed 3rd Dec – 5.30 – 8.30pm

Workshop 3: Wed 10th Dec – 5.30 – 8.30pm

You must be available to attend either of the workshop 1 dates (Mon or Wed), plus both workshops 2 and 3 to take part in the project. 

Address: The Hawdon Institute, Church Avenue, Selby, YO8 4PG

Sign Up

Further information can be found in the FAQ below, but if you have any further questions, please contact ben@imitatingthedog.co.uk. 

To reserve your place on the workshops now, please fill in this short registration form and (optional) equality and diversity monitoring form.

Homeward Workshops FAQs

• What will happen in the workshops? 

You will be working with imitating the dog (ITD) artists to create a fictional character or avatar based on your experience of ‘arriving’ in Selby and making the town your home. That could have happened recently, or generations ago. The character you create may draw on current culture or media references that you’re into, religious or mythological figures from your own or other cultures, or something completely unique from your own imagination! 

The workshops will use a range of art-forms, which will most likely include storytelling, creative writing, drawing, collage, digital art and greenscreen film-making. You don’t need to have any previous artistic skills or experience, though if you do you’re very welcome to share and use them in the sessions. This is a basic breakdown of what will happen in each workshop: 

• Workshop 1: Sharing stories and ideas in response to the question ‘how did you get here?’. This session will mostly involve conversation, storytelling and creative writing.
  
• Workshop 2: Turning your personal story into a fictional character, inspired by your own cultural, mythological, religious, spiritual or media influences. This session may involve more creative writing, but also drawing, collage, and digital art.
  
• Workshop 3: Greenscreen filming – in this session we will film and record video and audio content to be animated for the installation. This will involve very simply performing or acting a short action or movement for your character, either with or without sound. 

After the final session, the content will be animated into video pieces that will be projected inside and outside of Selby Abbey as part of Selby Light at the end of February. 

• Do I need to come to all of the workshops?

In order to create a character to be included in the final piece at Selby Light it is important that you attend all three workshops. Workshop 1 is running twice, on Mon 24th and Wed 26th November, so you can come to either of those, you don’t need to come to both. You will then need to come to both Workshops 2 & 3 (3rd & 10th December). 

• Who’s running the workshops?

Homeward (working title) is being created by imitating the dog, commissioned by Now Then! (North Yorkshire Council) and co-produced by Mediale. The workshops will be led by writer and performer Laura Atherton, and digital artist Jazmin Morris. To see a showreel of imitating the dog’s previous work, please click here. 

• Where are the workshops happening? 

The workshops will be held downstairs at The Hawdon Institute, Church Ave, Selby, YO8 4PG, just over the green from Selby Abbey. 

• Can I get there by public transport? 

Yes! From the train and bus stations: Follow Station Road onto Park Street. Cross the road and walk around the front of Selby Abbey and turn right. Walk down Abbey Place – the building is on your left.

• What about parking? 

The nearest public car parks are Micklegate and Church Hill, both a two-minute walk from The Hawdon.

• Are the venue and workshop accessible? 

There is step-free access to the building, and accessible toilets. Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas. We strive to make the content and activities in the workshop accessible to all. If you have particular needs that we may be able to help support please contact ben@imitatingthedog.co.uk to discuss, we will do whatever we can to accommodate them. 

• What about child protection and safeguarding?

All of ITD’s staff that work directly with children and young people have full enhanced DBS certificates, in accordance with our safeguarding policy (available on request). If you have any concerns regarding the safety of your child at one of our workshops please contact ben@imitatingthedog.co.uk to discuss. 

• Will there be photography or video at the workshop? 

In addition to photo/videography used creatively during the workshop, we may take photos/video to document the process, which could be used for publicity on ITD’s, Now Then!’s and Mediale’s websites and social media platforms. Consent for this will be requested on the day, if you would prefer not to give consent, just let us know. 

• Is there a latecomers policy? 

Please arrive 10 – 15 mins before the start time to settle in, grab a brew etc. so we can start on schedule and make the most of our time together. But we know that things don’t always go to plan, so if you are going to be late please contact Ben Mellor at ben@imitatingthedog.co.uk (Ben’s phone number will also be shared with all participants signing up to the project). 

• Do I need to bring anything with me, or any food? 

No – all equipment, software and physical materials are provided. However, if you already make your own creative work, feel free to bring along whatever you use to do so – laptop, tablet, phone, camera, sketch book, notepad or whatever (at your own risk). We will provide hot and cold drinks, as well as hot food and other snacks, but please feel free to bring your own if you’d prefer.