Andy

Ten absolutely necessary days back in one of the best places in the world 🇯🇵

A selection of what I ate and drank on my holidays in Tokyo and Kyoto 🇯🇵

2025 books done

It’s one year today since I had my surgery (heller myotomy with fundoplication, for all you medical heads out there) for #achalasia Just a few slides to say how it’s been over the year and of course the good outweighs the bad by a LONG way but I still think I’m finding my feet a little with food. It’s an emotional and physical rollercoaster. And of course I’m very special what with having a rare disease and all. If anyone thinks they might have achalasia then feel free to ask any questions - or contact @achalasiaaction for help and support. And shout out to the NHS - we’re lucky to have it, let’s protect it. But also, if you do have symptoms (difficulty swallowing, regurgitation etc) then really push your doctor for a referral for things like gastroscopy, barium meal and manometry). Oh and if you love noodles and pasta, man is achalasia the disease for you. Ok, I’m off to plan my Christmas ramen now lol

November.

@glasgow_improvisers_orchestra hosts the internationally acclaimed 2025 edition of their annual festival: GIOFest. This year sees GIOFest XVII bring together artists from around the world, presenting newly commissioned work created especially for GIO’s unique and diverse ensemble. Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra - one of the world’s leading large improvising ensembles - is the hub of a truly international community of musicians, reflected in the range of works they perform, and in their year-round programme of innovative collaborations with groups and artists from across the world. The festival will present a series of concerts, workshops, films and discussions, exploring new possibilities for large ensemble performance, improvisation and composition. We will host a live interactive virtual event with artists from around the world. This year the focus is on our collaborations with partners from South East Asia – Indonesia, Japan and Sri Lanka, with artists and groups from these countries joining us here in Glasgow for GIOfest. @perempuankomponis @wip_labs

September was Berlin.

Vienna and Bratislava completing two weeks on the road.

A week in Berlin…

Five days of performances and installations uniting Scottish and Ukrainian artists for Sonic Interventions. Exploring the sounds that shape us, move us and disrupt our world. Thanks so much to @_time_based_ and @arts_andparts for having me be a part of it. Glory to Ukraine. Glory to the heroes 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇦

Ten days in Colombia: Medellin - Unfinished buildings with haunted Cesar Aira vibes, big rock at Guatapé, the outdoor escalators at Comuna 13 (Escobar’s old neighbourhood). Bogota - up 10,000 feet at Monserrate, food in the local markets, finding the old town in a massive, massive city.

I’m super excited to be doing the PR on this important project between Scottish and Ukrainian artists, which takes place at venues around Glasgow 11-15 June. More details below but if you want any extra info just send me a DM! Time Based: Sonic Interventions is a festival of experimental music, sound art and cross-cultural collaborations between Ukrainian and UK artists.   With a focus on the imperative to speak out and have your voice heard, the festival offers a unique platform for collaboration via live concerts, sonic happenings and audio-visual installations – weaving together the rich cultural heritage of both nations.   A talks and public engagement programme further encourages audiences to pause, reflect, and connect, to demonstrate solidarity in the face of aggression and to engage with the beauty and danger of sounds beyond our control. The concept was conceived by Ukrainian curator Olha Bekenshtein as part of @_time_based_ , a platform dedicated to advancing contemporary performance arts in Ukraine and providing international opportunities for live and electronic sound creators, as well as experimental performance artists. Time Based: Sonic Interventions expands on this vision and is curated and produced in partnership with @arts_andparts , led by curator and creative producer Martel Ollerenshaw. Five new projects have been commissioned for the festival, to be presented across indoor venues and outdoor locations in Glasgow. Key works include those by Genevieve Murphy (UK) & alice haspyd (UA), Photinus Studio (UA) & Zoë Irvine (UK), Anna Khvyl & Piotr Armianovski (UA), Alla Zahaykevich (UA), Yuriy Seredin (UA) & Raymond MacDonald (UK) with Improvising Chamber Ensemble (UK). Time Based: Sonic Interventions is funded by the British Council’s International Collaboration Grants, which are designed to support UK and overseas organisations to collaborate on international arts projects.