About Articulation
Our vision is that Scotland is a place where outdoor arts, circus and spectacle can flourish, now and in the future.
We seek to realise this by growing and developing a network of members working across all areas of outdoor arts, circus and spectacle in Scotland; supporting their needs, celebrating their work and giving collective voice to these artforms.
Why We Exist
We believe in the power of outdoor arts, circus and spectacle to create impactful human experiences, delighting and surprising audiences and creating unique and unexpected encounters.
We know that creative professionals working within these artforms are dedicated and skilled practitioners striving for excellence in their craft. They continually seek new sites and opportunities to develop and present their creative work, to advance their skills and experience and to build new connections and partnerships with communities, presenters, festivals and more. Much of this work occurs outwith conventional art spaces – animating our civic spaces, bringing artistic and creative work to the streets and building creative connections in powerful and unexpected ways.
Despite a growing appetite and enthusiasm from artists and audiences for this kind of work, this sector in Scotland is often fragmented, under-resourced and fragile. Articulation exists to harness the power of the collective to provide a more connected, supportive and assertive environment for this creative community to thrive.
What We Do
Community
We invite anyone working within outdoor arts, circus and spectacle – or who identifies that their creative practice or interests belong in this space – to join the Articulation network.
Listening
We listen and learn from our professional community – to understand needs and challenges; identify opportunities and gather data and insights to promote the sector.
Support
We run events – on and offline – and support the needs of our members through training programmes and opportunities for skills development and targeted professional support.
Advocacy
We work with others to help bring about the changes you want to see – developing relationships with key decision-makers, increasing the visibility of our sector at national level and championing the importance and impact of these artforms.
Development
We work to develop and nurture new opportunities for Scottish-based performers and presenters to work in collaboration with international partners, enabling a more diverse, collaborative and inspiring environment for ideas and opportunities to flourish.
Who We Are
Our Staff
Angela Adams-Gray
Director
Angela is from a visual arts and design background, rooted in collaborative, interdisciplinary working including film, festivals, outdoor arts, performance and music. As a Consultant, Creative Producer and Project Manager, she has delivered high-profile projects including the Dandelion collaborative celebration.
Clare Gunn
Digital and Communications Lead
Clare has worked with some of Scotland’s leading cultural organisations, including Glasgow Life, The National Piping Centre, and Glasgow Film Festival. She is on the board of the Tidelines Book Festival and has been a volunteer reader for the Highland Book Prize since 2021. She joined Articulation in 2021, and manages our social media channels and monthly newsletter.
Sophie McCarthy
Programme and Membership Coordinator
Sophie is a Scottish based Storyteller and Outdoor Performer with a background in the music industry, event and festival production, political representation and lobbying, and membership and community engagement. She has been a Board Member of Independent HE, representing students in specialist higher education, and a Trustee of the Beltane Fire Society, where she is still actively involved in community organising and performing. She is currently also an apprentice storyteller at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
Our Board
Navid Foroutan
Co-Chair
Navid brings 18 years of experience in public health, community engagement, and a passion for governance to Articulation. His work has spanned different areas of physical and mental health improvement, including exploring the link between art and well-being.
Nicola Lawton
Co-Chair
Nicola (she/her) is a Scotland-based producer working across art-form with a specialism in Circus. From managing festival stages to intimate theatre performance and small to mid scale touring her work covers an array of activity over the past decade. She now co-runs Glasgow-based production company Scissor Kick Ltd.
Shirley Alexander
Treasurer
Shirley is a qualified CIMA accountant with over 25 years’ experience across global organisations and the not-for-profit sector. She is co-founder and Finance Director of Community Circus Paisley CIC, where she supports inclusive circus arts programmes that promote creativity, wellbeing, and access. She brings strong financial stewardship and a values-led approach to sustaining community-led arts and social impact.
Bex Anson
Bex is a visual theatre maker based in Glasgow. Her practice explores expanded choreography, participatory dance and immersive spectacle. She is the co-director of award winning company MHz scenography with Dav Bernard.
Ruxy Cantir
Ruxy is a Moldova-born, US-trained, Glasgow-based physical theatre maker and performer. She is a member of Single End Collective, an artist-run space in Southside Studios, Glasgow and co-founded LARDS Ensemble.
Jusztina Hermann
Jusztina is an Edinburgh based performance artist and director. She has an MA in Theatre Theory, researching street theatre and contemporary circus, a Diploma in Physical Theatre Practice, as well as over two decades of experience in circus and street theatre. She mentors circus artists and curates Scotland's ongoing circus showcase Cirqulation.
Riccardo Olivier
Riccardo is a producer, choreographer, and advocate with extensive experience in the international arts sector. After co-founding Fattoria Vittadini, he managed major venues and festivals, including the award-winning Festival del Silenzio. His work is defined by a commitment to Deaf art forms, leading initiatives like the Beyond Signs project. Currently producing for MoonSlide in Scotland and Italy, Riccardo’s diverse portfolio includes directing for opera and cinema, alongside his work as an international trainer and facilitator.
Jennifer Paterson
Jennifer has performed internationally in aerial and dance for over 20 years. She is Artistic Director of All or Nothing Aerial Dance Theatre, and is currently focusing on creating work as well as helping make aerial, circus and outdoor arts an integral part of the arts in Scotland.
Manuela de los Rios
Manuela de los Rios is a Dundee-based artist and community organiser. Her socially engaged practice and research is focused on regenerative placemaking projects that nurture people and urban nature. Her interactive performances, public installations and experiences are grounded in local skills, stories and collective imagination and making.
Gemma Simpson
Gemma is a multi-discipline circus artist from Perth, Scotland. In 2015, she founded Adventure Circus in her home city to share her love of aerial arts with others. Gemma is also a Sports Development professional, with nearly 20 years of experience working with British and Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport, as well as Local Authority and club sport.
Vee Smith
Vee Smith is a circus and performance artist based in Glasgow, working across aerial and circus – teaching, producing shows, performing and in a number of advisory roles.
Luke Winter
Luke Winter is an outdoor artist who makes public spaces more playful. Working with storytelling, writing and sculpture outdoors, his work is participatory and always includes strangers in creation. He runs Story Wagon CiC, is a fan of rural touring, writes and is developing new work for international festivals.
Our Partners & Networks
Articulation is a member of national and international performance networks, including the Federation of Scottish Theatre, outdoor arts networks including Outdoor Arts UK and the European Circus and Street arts network, Circostrada.
We are grateful for ongoing support from Creative Scotland to help us deliver our work.
