News

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Call for Ideas: Performative Drawing & Disability

Draw to Perform Festival 25-26 July 2026 (in development)

Draw to Perform is currently developing the Draw to Perform Festival for Drawing & Disability, planned for summer 2026 in collaboration with Chailey Heritage Foundation.

As part of our early research and development phase, we would love to hear from disabled artists who are working with, or interested in, performative drawing.

This is not an open call and no selections will be made at this stage. We are in the process of applying for Arts Council England funding and are gathering ideas, voices, and conversations that can help shape the festival.

Please email your ideas or questions to:
drawtoperform@icloud.com (with the title ‘Your name_DTP festival 2026’ in the subject line)

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Draw to Perform proudly presents the latest inspiring talk by our visionary founder and director, Ram Samocha. OCAD University – Drawing Across Disciplines, 21/11/2024

This video documents a special online artist talk given by Ram Samocha as part of the Drawing Across Disciplines course at OCAD University, which was led by artist and educator James Olley.

In this presentation, Ram Samocha shared his unique approach to performative drawing, discussing the intersection of performance and visual art in his practice. He highlighted key elements of his work, emphasizing the dynamic and temporal nature of drawing as a live and participatory experience.

The talk also reflected on the history and vision of Draw to Perform, an international platform founded by Samocha, dedicated to the art of drawing performance. Over the years, Draw to Perform hosted numerous festivals and events, bringing together artists and audiences to celebrate the act of drawing as performance. These events served as spaces for experimentation, collaboration, and innovation in contemporary drawing practices.

Follow us for more updates and videos: https://linktr.ee/drawtoperform

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Exciting Residency Announcement: Sachiyo Kaneko at Draw to Perform in Brighton

We are thrilled to announce that Sachiyo Kaneko, a talented artist who has dedicated her life to the art of SHO – a Japanese-Chinese calligraphy tradition – will be joining us for an exclusive residency at Draw to Perform in Brighton. Her residency will run from September 23 for one week.

Sachiyo began her journey into SHO at the age of 7, and since then, drawing lines has become her life’s work. She is passionate about transforming this ancient oriental tradition into a contemporary and universal art form, making it accessible for future generations.

Her residency will explore new ways of integrating performative drawing elements with her calligraphic art. While traditional SHO allows people to only see the final tracks on paper, Sachiyo seeks to incorporate the full motion and energy of her body’s movement, giving audiences a more complete, immersive experience. This integral approach has led her to collaborate in big-format performances, video dance, and shows featuring dancers.

At Draw to Perform, Sachiyo will have the opportunity to dive even deeper into this intersection of drawing and performance, sharing her process with other creative minds. This is an important moment in her career, and we are excited to witness how this residency will open a new chapter in her artistic journey.

Join us as we welcome Sachiyo Kaneko and support her as she pushes the boundaries of SHO through her innovative fusion of drawing, movement, and time.

Follow all our upcoming activities and updates online: https://linktr.ee/drawtoperform

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COMING SOON

Draw to Perform festival 2022

Sat & Sun 9-10 & 16-17 July 2022

Phoenix Art Space, 10-14 Waterloo Pl, Brighton, UK BN2 9NB

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Draw to Perform would like to thank all the people that came last week and joined our Free Your Map art tours. Thanks to all the people who were involved and collaborate with us, and all the organisations that supported this project.

Here are some close-ups of the artwork. All were part of the alternative tours that we did as part of our collaboration with the Enayball & Sussex Dance Network.

Free Your Map explored the city through the eyes and art of people who use wheelchairs. An accessible visual arts tour exhibiting work by disabled artists that draw with the Enayball tool created by @drawtoperform and @enayball and SDN.

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Draw to Perform is happy to share some information about our upcoming project, which will happen next month in London at the Canning Gallery. Please come and join us on the day of performances, workshops, panel discussion, or just drop by and watch the exhibition at the gallery from 5-20 March. Looking forward to seeing you with us in the Field of Action.

For more info please visit the Draw to Perform page on Eventbrite.

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Artwork by Nazir Tanbouli. Photo by Marco Berardi.

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