Open Call: Diasporas Now Formula
Diasporas Now RIEKO and Lulu Wang by Furmaan Ahmed
We’re excited to invite artists to take part in Diasporas Now Formula, a practice-led live art laboratory led by RIEKO and Lulu Wang of Diasporas Now, here at Toynbee Studios.
This free creative workshop draws on holistic East Asian embodiment practices and offers participants the opportunity to experiment, collaborate, and co-create a performance. Diasporas Now Formula is part of Whitechapel Gallery’s Backyard Biennial: East programme and is aimed at artists from the Global Majority and/or based in East London, celebrating creative practice and cultural diversity in the area.
What to expect from Diasporas Now Formula
- A practice-led workshop exploring breathwork, sensory awareness, movement, sound, and improvisation.
- Opportunities to experiment collaboratively and co-create performances across disciplines and experience levels.
- Engagement with diasporic identity, memory, and belonging through guided prompts and creative exercises.
- A supportive, inclusive space foregrounding experimentation, collective authorship, and community in East London.
Who is it for?
We are seeking up to 25 artists from the Global Majority and/or based in East London who have an interest in exploring diasporic identity, embodied practice, and collaborative performance, and who would benefit from participating in this experimental, practice-led workshop.
- Global Majority refers to people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the Global South and/or have been referred to as “ethnic minorities”
- East London refers to the areas of Barking and Dagenham, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest.
No previous performance experience is needed; we welcome curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to explore.
Date & Time: 1 August 2026, 2 – 4pm
Location: Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London, E1 6AB
Travel: Practitioners based outside of London are very welcome to apply. Please note that participants would need to cover their own travel costs.
How do I apply?
You can apply through our online submission platform which opens on 15 June and closes on 30 June at 12pm. To apply, please:
- Click on the Apply Now button below
- Sign up/ log in to the Awardstage portal
- Click ‘Create an entry’ on the Dashboard page
- Select Diasporas Now Formula from the list
Need help?
You may find what you’re looking for in our Guidance Documents, which cover most questions. If you’re still unsure or would like to ask something else, feel free to email us at admin@artsadmin.co.uk