Introducing the INVEST Artist Takeover! We’re excited to launch our INVEST Artist Takeover, a monthly feature where our INVEST artists share their experiences, creative journey, and insights from the programme in their own words.
Kicking off the series is INVEST Fellowship Artist Nathan Martin, who takes us behind the scenes of his time on INVEST so far. In this blog, Nathan shares his artistic practice, what he’s been working on, and how the programme is shaping his creative process:
“I think as artists we can feel entirely singular in our design of self. We usually work and create in an insular environment and as such we may put ourselves in a lane of thought and practice that can bring us down a familiar path, especially when it comes to our art. I have only been creating my own work for around 2 years at this stage in my artistic career and in that framework, I created my own company, Dark Forest Theatre to showcase my artistry via the medium of theatre. Yet with that, my viewpoint has always been that of not wanting to become stagnant or predictable in my practice. Therefore, when I was accepted onto the Fellowship Programme of INVEST, I jumped at the chance to learn from long established and expert minds in the field of theatre. Having this opportunity has truly been a gift to me as it has allowed me to ask questions, I never even knew I needed answers too.
As an artist I will admit that I am self-assured in the work I am creating and, in the stories I wish to tell. However, having individuals like Steven Atkinson from the Royal Court and Brona Whittaker from Arts & Business NI be there to guide me, to dissect my decisions and to offer me invaluable opinions as an Artist has transformed how I see my work and given me assurances that I didn’t know I needed.
From my experience on this programme, I would also urge other artists in the Northern Ireland Theatre and Dance scene to utilise the talents of the team at Theatre and Dance NI. Although I had been a member before I was on the programme, I had rarely contacted the organisation but this programme opened a channel of communication that was already there for me to harness and now I am grateful that I have used it and will continue to use after I finish the Fellowship.
My time on the Fellowship has been used to refine work I had been contemplating before and will be used to create a new piece of work which will be shown later in the year called ‘I, She, Medusa’. This is a play which focuses on femicide and the dangers to women in Northern Ireland through the character of Medusa. At the same time, I am also working on a full production of a piece entitled ‘The Fall of a Dragon’, a queer retelling of the story of creation from the side of Lucifer, which aims to shine a light on the huge issues facing the queer community.
Currently I am holding workshops at The MAC over the next few months for professional actors to explore different concepts within the world of performance and bring a lightness and joy to the work which I feel we are losing due to the treatment of the arts sector.
In November, my current play ‘Marjorie’s Dead’ will be shown at The Grand Opera House. This play is based on the true story of Marjorie McCall from Lurgan, who in 1705 was buried alive. This will be the third run of this show which has gone on to have a sold out run over the last few months with a team of creatives I am incredibly proud of.
Regardless of the work I am creating, I am just incredibly grateful to have been selected for the INVEST programme this year and to have forged a strong relationship with the wonderful team at Theatre and Dance. I am also very grateful to have gained a firsthand insight into the incredible and vital work they are doing for our sector and exceedingly grateful to have been selected along with such a strong and powerful team of creatives who truly inspire me to think about my art in a new way. Having such a strong team on this programme has allowed me to have conversations with some of the most brilliant minds in our community and I am inspired by their insights, their experience, and their knowledge every single day.”
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Photography by Gordon Creswell