Scene & Heard

*Behind The Curtain: Expanding Horizons for Young People in Somers Town* At Scene & Heard, we believe in opening doors to a world of possibilities for the young people we work with. Our “Behind The Curtain” careers fair exemplifies this commitment, offering a unique platform for our Member Playwrights to explore a variety of careers in the arts they may not have encountered before. We were thrilled to host a group of industry professionals at Scene & Heard HQ including touring assistants, gallery curators, marketing experts, and costume buyers, who generously shared their experiences and insights. Their candid discussions and practical advice provided our participants with valuable perspectives on various career paths. *Key takeaways from the event:* - Networking is crucial: Building connections can open doors to new opportunities. - Persistence pays off: Facing challenges is a natural part of the journey toward your goals; perseverance is key. -Diverse skills matter: Experience in one field can translate to success in another. A heartfelt thank you to all the professionals who contributed their time and expertise. Your involvement not only broadened the horizons of our young artists but also reinforced the importance of community and mentorship in the arts. Iqra Abbasrizvi, Andrew Emerson, Frankie Leaney, Frances Loy, Temi Majekodunmi, Debbie Meniru, Rosalind Paul MBE, Nicki Perrett FRSA, Tilly Smart, Chantelle T., Kasheina Vencatasawmy - thank you! We look forward to continuing our mission to support and inspire the next generation of young people in Somers Town, wherever their interests take them. #ArtsCareers #ProfessionalDevelopment #SceneAndHeard #CareerFair #Mentorshi

It's hard to believe that it's been almost two months since our Somers Town studio was transformed into 'Kind of Like Fantastic', our 25th anniversary pop up museum! If our visitors book is anything to go by, the museum was "amazing" and truly lived up to its "fantastic" name. It featured: 🗺 A map of Somers Town 🏆 A tower of awards, press and glowing reviews 🔦 A spotlight on our amazing volunteers 🎩 Costumes and props from past productions 👏 Shoutouts to our team, trustees, patrons, founders and supporters 🎭 Names and pictures of all past and present Member Playwrights ... and so much more! Take a look at the pictures below to get a flavour of the event if you missed it, or for a moment of nostalgia if you came along! Huge thanks to the team for making it happen, including Lizzie Bardwell, Katie Wee, Rosalind Paul MBE, Catherine Hylton, Natasha Shaw, Fiona Mallin-Robinson, Daisy Jacobs and all the other wonderful people who gave their time and energy to make the dream of this museum into a reality.

Did you know that we are one of the Mayor of Camden's Charities of the Year? Last month, alongside New Horizon Youth Centre, we were chosen by Samata Khatoon as one of two charities that she will support during her time as mayor. If you're following us on LinkedIn, you probably know what we do already... So we thought we'd take a moment to shine a light on the important work of our neighbours, New Horizon Youth Centre. NHYC provides unique, holistic support for London's homeless and vulnerable young people. They are a vital support network for 16-24 year old’s who have no one else to turn to, providing everything from hot food, showers and laundry to finding accommodation, training and employment. They are open seven days a week from 10.30am to 4.00pm, just around the corner from our Somers Town HQ. We are so grateful to have been selected by the Mayor alongside NHYC, and look forward to sharing this honour with them over the coming year! 📸 Photo Polly Hancock/Camden Council

We are honoured to have a piece in Phoenix Court Works' recent magazine, featuring writing from the Somers Town community and neighbours, including Camden Council, The Francis Crick Institute, Refugee Community Kitchen, Little Village, New Horizon Youth Centre and many more. Our article, 'De/Valuing the Arts', sits alongside some beautiful pieces that shine a light on the important work being done in our local area. From 'Radical Histories & Radical Change' by the Somers Town Museum, to 'Paying it Forwards' by Coram's Fields, the magazine contains urgent and important calls to action and reflection. We have some copies at Scene & Heard HQ, for those in the area who are interested in finding out more! Phoenix Court Rachel Johnson Natasha Shaw #PhoenixCourt #PhoenixCourtWorks #BuildingCommunity #Placemaking #CommunityBuilding #ThrivingNeighbourhoods #CSR

Have you read the Cultural Learning Alliance's 2024 report? It details the "systemic downgrading or exclusion of Arts subjects and experiences... within the state education system in England", despite the fact that "Expressive Arts subjects have an important, evidenced and unique role in contributing to improving outcomes for children and young people". We have seen this systemic downgrading first hand in our work over the past 25 years, and it is why we remain committed to ensuring that young people have access to creative spaces, regardless of their socio-economic context. Ahead of the upcoming General Election, Cultural Learning Alliance have created a Blueprint for an Inclusive Arts-rich Education for Every Child (see image below), which details the changes they want to see from the next government. We wholeheartedly support them in their call "for political parties to commit to giving children and young people an entitlement to a broad and balanced, future-facing and arts-rich education." #CulturalLearningAlliance #ExpressiveArts #ArtsInEducation #ArtsForAll

Our 25th Birthday Weekend was just one month ago! We are so grateful to everyone who came and celebrated with us (near and far!). Take a look at the link to re-live the day we welcomed HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh to open our 25th anniversary exhibition and the incredible Silver Jubilee tea party. Huge thanks to Ben Tunningley from Spare Part Films for the amazing video #SceneAndHeard25 https://lnkd.in/eRRPQ9ff

🎉 *Celebrating Our Incredible Volunteers at Scene & Heard!* 🎉 This week, we're shining a spotlight on our amazing volunteers and the immense impact they have on our charity. From Actors and Class Volunteers to Dramaturgs, Composers, Sound Designers, Directors, Prop Makers, Illustrators, Envelope Stuffers and Front of House Helpers – your dedication and passion make all the difference. We couldn't do the work we do without you. Thank you! 👏👏👏 Throughout the week, we'll be sharing photos of our volunteers, snapshots from our impact study, and highlighting our new 'Volunteer Spotlight' on our website. Be sure to check it out and join us in celebrating the wonderful individuals who contribute so much to Scene & Heard. To all our volunteers: Your hard work, creativity, and generosity are deeply appreciated. You help make Scene & Heard what it is and we are endlessly grateful. 🌟 https://lnkd.in/eD8vRasw #VolunteersWeek #ThankYou #CommunityImpact #VolunteerSpotlight

🎉 *Celebrating Our Incredible Volunteers at Scene & Heard!* 🎉 This week, we're shining a spotlight on our amazing volunteers and the immense impact they have on our charity. From Actors and Class Volunteers to Dramaturgs, Composers, Sound Designers, Directors, Prop Makers, Illustrators, Envelope Stuffers and Front of House Helpers – your dedication and passion make all the difference. We couldn't do the work we do without you. Thank you! 👏👏👏 Throughout the week, we'll be sharing photos of our volunteers, snapshots from our impact study, and highlighting our new 'Volunteer Spotlight' on our website. Be sure to check it out and join us in celebrating the wonderful individuals who contribute so much to Scene & Heard. To all our volunteers: Your hard work, creativity, and generosity are deeply appreciated. You help make Scene & Heard what it is and we are endlessly grateful. 🌟 https://lnkd.in/eD8vRasw #VolunteersWeek #ThankYou #CommunityImpact #VolunteerSpotlight

A moment of appreciation for our friends Jez Worsnip and Charlene Hutsebaut B.P.E., B.Ed., CSCS at The Quiz Team who went over and above to help with the AV during our 25th anniversary weekend earlier this month! We’re so lucky to have amazing friends to call on in our hour of need, thank you for helping to make sure our event went without a hitch. 

On Wednesday, our CEO Rosalind Paul MBE represented Scene & Heard at 10 Downing Street to celebrate 20 years of the The Centre for Social Justice. Scene & Heard were invited, along with other CSJ award winners who are all working to improve the lives of people living in poverty. It was great to meet Vanessa Longley from Chance UK, and catch up with Anton Babey from Drive Forward Foundation, amongst so many wonderful people and charities. We won this award in 2015 and are so proud that we have continued to champion, support and advocate for young people in Somers Town. Thank you for having us, Centre for Social Justice, and for all you’re doing to champion the work of charities like ours.