Scottee 10
10 years ago I started taking myself a bit more seriously. After 5 years of knocking about nightclubs, putting on performance and dress up parties for queer kids in London I attempted to self legitimise and become an artist - I became Scottee.
I got there with the help of many notable, heavy handed queer elders from the nightclub scene - Jim Warboy, Jim Stanton, Stefan Knight, Lee Benjamin, Simon Casson, Amy Lamé, Wayne Shires, Stuart Who?, Simon Hobart, Sue Tilley - the list goes on!
I started by reaching out to performance artists, performance companies and Arts Council NPO’s as the new kid, keen to know what they knew - many ignored me, pushed me to the sidelines ...and I still bare those grudges til this day.
I had no education, I didn’t go to art school, I was just a mouthy fat kid from an estate in Camden that had ideas above his station! I set about doing it myself because I was being kept out in the cold. I created performances for nightclubs, set up cabaret nights and collectives, infiltrated spaces, built a reputation as a troublemaker, made myself the centre of attention - unignorable ...for better or worse.
I got here with the help of many notable brave souls who took a chance on me - Ali Hillman, Leila Jones, Josephine O’Connell, Patrick Fox, Ben Walters, Chris Goode, Paul Oxley, Warren Dent, Mark Richards, Debbie Kilbride, Dicky Eaton, James Cronin, Michael John Harris, Tamsin Hughes, Molly Nicholson - the list goes on!
2018 marks 10 years of survival! A decade of making it up as I go along!
To celebrate getting this far, remembering a body of work that includes performance, live art, cabaret, nightclubs, pop ups, knees ups, theatre shows, projects, fine art, public artworks and international touring! My gang, collaborators and I have some very exciting things planned under the banner of Scottee 10!
Archive and Activism!
The first Scottee 10 project is a collaboration with Live Art Development Agency (LADA) on two publications! The first is a book, I Made It is a collection of all my past work into a not-so-neat package for bookshelves and coffee tables across the world. Full of recollections, dialogue and archive material and interruptions from me, my collaborators and the very brilliant editor, Professor Jen Harvie!
The second publication is a free zine, The Outsiders Handbook for queer, trans and questioning teenagers - a survival guide for figuring out a world beyond mainstream cultures and imposed heteronormative values!
To launch both publications LADA and I are hosting a retrospective of my cabaret and short performance work at my beloved Roundhouse in early September!I’m looking for anyone who can remember my cabaret turns to perform just one piece at this event! Apply Here!
A Big Fat Touring Show!
I’m making a dance show! Well, Fat Blokes is a sort of dance show about flab, double chins and the men* they are attached to, in collaboration with Lea Anderson and five fat blokes who’ve never done this sort of thing before.
The show is supported by Home in Manchester, Southbank Centre in London, Metal in Peterborough, Colchester Arts Centre and Deda in Derby. Made possible with funding and support from Arts Council England! A preview tour will kick off with our partners this spring with national touring from A/W!
Do you identify as male, masculine or MOC? Are you a fatty? Do you want to audition to be in Fat Blokes? Apply Here!
An Old Favourite!
Wherever I go in the world people always ask me about one project!For one night only Hamburger Queen is back! My beauty pageant and talent show for fat people once again will be seeking to crown another brilliant fatty!
Hamburger Queen will be on sale this summer and will be held in early October!Want to be a contestant? Email us!
Three meaty, brilliant projects to mark the Scottee 10 year and I’m super excited about them all! Other equally brilliant stuff to tease you with is a queer almanac in collaboration with Oberon! Naff Drag Pride Special at Hackney Showroom! Queer Peterborough continues! More Bravado Touring! Notepad Warrior Workshops! ...oh and I’m likely to become a Dad too!
This work is largely funded project to project through commissioning, funding, the generosity of others and unpaid hours! My gang of four and I receive no core funding to make these activisms and projects happen across the country - help us do more, do better and keep the doors open for as long as we can! We need your help to keep going and perhaps last another 10 years...
