Bush Bush Hartshorn's workshop "Giving and Receiving Feedback"

A 3-day practical workshop with Bush Hartshorn, 9-11th of October

How can we give feedback to artists in a way that genuinely supports the creative process? How can we ask for feedback in a way that helps us develop our work? And how can we listen to others’ observations so that feedback becomes a tool rather than a judgement?

Bush Hartshorn’s three-day practical workshop focuses on giving and receiving feedback within the artistic process. The workshop is intended for artists and for people whose work involves artists and their creative processes – including choreographers, dancers, dramaturgs, producers, curators and others working in the performing arts.

Over the three days, we will explore the principles of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and how they can be applied in both professional and everyday communication. At the heart of the workshop is a shared feedback methodology based on Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process. Time permitting, we may also explore other approaches to giving and receiving feedback.

The workshop is practical: participants will have the opportunity to try out different tools and to give and receive feedback based on real creative processes. We therefore ask each participant to bring something they would like to receive feedback on. This could be a work in progress or a finished artwork, a short performance piece, a curatorial programme, a text, an image, music, or even an idea that is still taking shape.

The workshop aims to increase awareness of when, why and how to use feedback within the creative process. A clearer feedback practice can support confidence, purposeful action and a sense of responsibility, while creating a shared practice within the group that participants can continue to use after the workshop.

Workshop facilitator Bush Hartshorn is a UK-based dramaturg, performer, curator, artistic director and artist mentor. He has worked in several European countries and has served as Artistic Director of Dansehallerne in Copenhagen and Head of Artist Development at Dance Base Edinburgh. In 2009, he qualified as a coach in Relational Dynamics and has since worked as a mentor and coach for artists in many countries.

Practical information: the workshop takes place over three days (9-11 October), from 10:00 to 16:30, with a small group of 12–15 participants. The workshop will be held in English, so participants should have a good working knowledge of the language.

Advance registration is required. As the workshop is based on active participation and a shared group process, registration requires a commitment to attend all three days.

Participation fee: €50, covering all three days of the workshop.