Shut in or shut out? Does it matter which side you're on?

Your perception of a Doorway depends on which side you're on.

Are we making a transition or has it just been made? Are we deciding whether to pass through, to move on, full of anticipation, excitement or fear of the unknown; or have we already passed through - the unknown has become the known, the decision made, the path chosen. Are we happy with our choice, or resentful of missed opportunities.

Image: Matt Brandon 2013

The matter of which side we're on is particularly redolent when thinking about a locked door. This can represent safety - we all lock our doors at night to keep the 'outside' out and keep us, our loved ones, our possessions safe. If there is something out 'there' - a physical fear, a worry, a doubt, a unwelcome thought - we can keep it out.

But a locked door can also represent imprisonment - if we have not been the ones to lock the door, this represents a path we are forbidden from taking; a direction closed to us. We could be physically or emotionally stuck in our present situation, trapped in the here and now, unable to get out or move on.

And if we're on the outside of a locked door, we are banished, forbidden from entering. We are a refugee from the safety within, prevented from seeking shelter, cast out, ignored, excluded and unprotected.

It really is all a matter of which side you're on.

Inspired? This is an open call-out for artists and creatives in any media to submit responses to the theme of 'Doorways'.

Remember, you can follow us @DoorwaysArt2018 on twitter, and keep and eye on this blog for more updates, ideas and inspiration.

To ask us a question, and to submit your work for Doorways for Fringe Arts Bath 2018 by the deadline of 20th March, email doorways@fringeartsbath.co.uk. Check the FaB website for details of how to apply.