New Creative Energy for Galashiels: Artist Residency Brings Douglas Bridge Retail Unit to Life

Thanks to support from CABN’s Small Grant Awards, choreographer and movement artist Claire Pençak transformed an empty retail unit at Douglas Bridge into a vibrant temporary artist space this summer. From June 18th to August 4th, the venue became home to her Douglas Bridge Residency ‘Entanglements’, a rehearsal space for Fields (Extract) that showed in the Assembly/Dance Base Fringe programme, and a public sharing of Gwala/Full Stream, an event created as a result of the Residency time

Unlocking a Space for Movement

Gaining access to the retail unit proved to be a journey in itself, with permissions and licenses changing hands. Ultimately, through the generosity of Tommy Reid (Eat Up Charity CIC), the doors were opened and the space was activated for artistic use.

For Claire, the opportunity was invaluable:

“It’s rare for a dancer to have access to large, dedicated rehearsal space—it’s often financially out of reach. Having this unit, offered the freedom to experiment and create.”

The industrial aesthetic of the unit and its visibility onto the pedestrian shopping street became part of the work, with passersby drawn in by movement, window displays, and the curiosity sparked by an A-board outside.

Collaborations and Experimentation

The residency supported a low-impact and exploratory process, with long summer daylight hours making it possible to work without electricity. Along the way, Claire engaged with the local environment and community:

Soundscapes of Gala Water – In collaboration with multidisciplinary artist Lucas Chih-Peng Kao, Claire recorded hydrophone sounds from the Gala Water and lades, which became the textured sound world for performance.

– Local Knowledge – Alastair Ling of Gala WaterWays provided historical context and community connections, sharing news of the residency with local networks.

– Creative Exchange – Dancer and rehearsal director Tom Goodwin joined for two intensive days, helping to shape the material into a sharable form and exploring embodied approaches to place. He also documented the work on film, creating valuable resources for the future.

– Sharing of Practice: Gwala/Full Stream

 

The residency culminated in a public event on Sunday 3rd August, attended by 13 participants. Structured in three parts, it invited audiences to:

– Connect directly with the Gala Water through a participatory score

– Experience a 20-minute installation-based performance combining movement, sound, and found river materials

– Engage in an open artist-audience conversation

 

Audience feedback highlighted the depth of engagement:

“I found you gave us a chance to stop and become absorbed… I’d have happily done another hour in the space discussing. Loved it.”

 

Looking Ahead

From this process emerged the idea of “small dances”—a sustainable and low-key format for making and presenting performance that Claire hopes to develop further.

 

Claire extends her thanks to CABN for enabling this residency through their Small Grant Awards:

“As a performing artist living in the Scottish Borders, this support has been vital in allowing me to research, experiment and develop new ideas.”