Works in Progress:
Make Your Own Tools
April 24–28, 2026
A collaborative residency for musicians and sound artists designing personal tools, instruments, and ways of working
Works in Progress is a group residency for musicians and sound artists who want time to focus on their own work, supported by shared space, collective presence, and open-ended making.
The Basics
- Five nights accommodation in Cornwall, in a shared house
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Structured but flexible studio time, held by Dyski and experienced returning participants
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All meals included, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks
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Shared tools, materials and workspaces, with guidance available throughout
The Highlights
- Extended, uninterrupted time to focus on your practice away from everyday demands
- Support to develop tools, systems, or working methods you can continue using after the residenc
- Greater clarity around your tools, instruments, or systems, and how they support your way of making sound
- A small group of generous, experienced practitioners who actively share work and learn from one another
- A balance of focused solo work and collaborative sessions, without pressure to present finished outcomes
Booking options
This residency costs from £795
The fee brings together an expert-led, curated residency programme alongside accommodation and full catering for the week.
These prices reflect an introductory rate for this residency.
Shared room £795
Private double £1050
Private double with en suite £1250
Non residential £500
The non residential option includes full participation in all workshops and shared sessions, plus all daytime meals and refreshments.
Accommodation options
We offer a small number of room types subject to availability.
Private rooms
Private Double with ensuite (x1)
Private Double (x2)
Shared twin rooms
There are three shared twin rooms with two single beds. Two shower rooms and two toilets are shared between them. One room includes an ensuite bathroom and can be set up as a private room if required.
This edition of Works in Progress focuses on developing personal tools for making sound. Participants are invited to experiment with software, hardware, objects, and self-designed systems, exploring ways of working that grow out of their own practice.
It is designed for musicians and sound artists who sense that their way of making music is shifting, particularly in relation to the tools, instruments, or systems they work with, and who want time and space to explore what that change might lead to.
The focus is on self-directed development, supported by shared space, informal exchange, and time spent working alongside others.
The residency supports people working with early ideas, unstable instruments, and evolving processes. This includes those building small or portable modular systems, working with grid-based and custom instruments such as monome-style setups, writing patches or scripts in environments like Max MSP or SuperCollider, or developing hybrid performance systems that combine hardware, software, and MIDI in personal ways.
It also welcomes experimental sound artists and improvisers whose work is shaped by listening, behaviour, and response, as well as those exploring field recording, tape and electroacoustic systems, feedback paths, or physical signal chains. DIY instrument builders with a musical focus are encouraged, especially where the emphasis is on process and play rather than technical optimisation.
This is not a taught course or a technical bootcamp. There is no expectation to arrive with a finished plan or to leave with a completed instrument. Some participants may bring prototypes or ongoing projects, while others begin with a question, a curiosity, or a sense that their current setup needs to evolve.
For those who benefit from shape and constraints, gentle prompts and shared structures will be available to help guide time and attention. For those who prefer to work more freely, there is also space to explore independently, follow intuition, and discover new directions. Participants are welcome to move between these modes throughout the residency.
With a group drawn from different musical approaches, Works in Progress offers the chance to learn by working alongside others, seeing different setups up close, and sharing ways of making through conversation, listening, and informal exchange.
Make Your Own Tools is for musicians and sound artists who want time and space to experiment, take risks, and develop tools and methods that feel truly their own, supported by a small group exploring new ways of making together.
It is designed for musicians and sound artists who sense that their way of making music is shifting, particularly in relation to the tools, instruments, or systems they work with, and who want time and space to explore what that change might lead to.
The focus is on self-directed development, supported by shared space, informal exchange, and time spent working alongside others.
The residency supports people working with early ideas, unstable instruments, and evolving processes. This includes those building small or portable modular systems, working with grid-based and custom instruments such as monome-style setups, writing patches or scripts in environments like Max MSP or SuperCollider, or developing hybrid performance systems that combine hardware, software, and MIDI in personal ways.
It also welcomes experimental sound artists and improvisers whose work is shaped by listening, behaviour, and response, as well as those exploring field recording, tape and electroacoustic systems, feedback paths, or physical signal chains. DIY instrument builders with a musical focus are encouraged, especially where the emphasis is on process and play rather than technical optimisation.
This is not a taught course or a technical bootcamp. There is no expectation to arrive with a finished plan or to leave with a completed instrument. Some participants may bring prototypes or ongoing projects, while others begin with a question, a curiosity, or a sense that their current setup needs to evolve.
For those who benefit from shape and constraints, gentle prompts and shared structures will be available to help guide time and attention. For those who prefer to work more freely, there is also space to explore independently, follow intuition, and discover new directions. Participants are welcome to move between these modes throughout the residency.
With a group drawn from different musical approaches, Works in Progress offers the chance to learn by working alongside others, seeing different setups up close, and sharing ways of making through conversation, listening, and informal exchange.
Make Your Own Tools is for musicians and sound artists who want time and space to experiment, take risks, and develop tools and methods that feel truly their own, supported by a small group exploring new ways of making together.
The setting
The residency takes place in a beautiful old house set within private woodland, with a stream and an ancient fogou on site. There is also a yoga studio at the house, offering space for movement, rest, or quiet reflection. It is a short walk to the Merry Maidens stone circle and to Lamorna Cove.
The residency is fully catered, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided each day.
By the end of the week
You will leave with:
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The residency takes place in a beautiful old house set within private woodland, with a stream and an ancient fogou on site. There is also a yoga studio at the house, offering space for movement, rest, or quiet reflection. It is a short walk to the Merry Maidens stone circle and to Lamorna Cove.
The residency is fully catered, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided each day.
By the end of the week
You will leave with:
- Greater clarity around your tools, instruments, or systems, and how they support your way of making sound
- Practical developments in an idea, setup, or process, whether a prototype, a sketch, or a new direction
- Insight gained from working alongside others, through shared listening, conversation, and informal exchange
- Renewed momentum and confidence in your practice, shaped by time, space, and collective presence
Residency Support :
Dyski founder Dion Star, a writer and musician who develops and hosts the Dyski residency programme and works across experimental sound, creative process and collaborative practice.
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︎︎︎ dionstar.co.uk
︎ dionstar
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Dyski founder Dion Star, a writer and musician who develops and hosts the Dyski residency programme and works across experimental sound, creative process and collaborative practice.
︎︎︎ dionstar.co.uk
︎ dionstar
Funded places and access
There are fully funded places available for this residency, intended to support those who may need financial assistance to attend.
Funded places cover the residency fee, accommodation, and all meals for the week. Travel costs are not included.
Access is important to us. If there is anything that might make attending difficult, including access to equipment, please let us know when applying. We will do what we can to support access.
How to apply
To apply for a funded place, please submit a short statement of no more than 300 words explaining why you would like to take part, what you hope to gain from the experience, and how it would support your practice.
Grant deadline: March 13, 2026.
Apply for a funded place
Dyski
Pronounced [dɪski], a Cornish Verb which means to learn, or to teach.
Creative residential workshops in Cornwall with a focus on immersive, experimental & place-based learning.
Pronounced [dɪski], a Cornish Verb which means to learn, or to teach.
Creative residential workshops in Cornwall with a focus on immersive, experimental & place-based learning.
Grants
We offer cutting-edge immersive workshops that nurture creativity, emphasising community support and giving back. Each Dyski workshop includes two grants, designed to assist those who may need financial support to attend.
We offer cutting-edge immersive workshops that nurture creativity, emphasising community support and giving back. Each Dyski workshop includes two grants, designed to assist those who may need financial support to attend.