Jennifer Vickers’ Post

Reclaim The Bernie Grant Arts Centre Call to Action: Saturday 29th June 2024 2pm - 5pm Big Thanks to the community for supporting Black Arts Production Theatre (BAP) 👏🏾👏🏾 Speakers: Justice4Windrush & the local community The BGAC come from the community for local artists and to give local employment. Let our voices be heard… join us on this day... Questions: 1. How is our local theatre being used? 2. How many community events have you seen at the BGAC? 3. What are the aims and objectives of the BGAC? 4. Is it reasonable to only give one-month to a rent increase?

Creating Communities Through Applied Theatre 🎭✨ At Unlock Drama, we believe in the extraordinary power of Applied Theatre to not only entertain but to unite and heal. This week, we’ve witnessed the blossoming of a vibrant community within the walls of HMP Guy’s Marsh, a testament to the cohesive force of creative expression. Our projects do more than just impart skills; they foster a sense of belonging, understanding, and mutual support. Participants from diverse backgrounds find common ground, share experiences, and collaborate, turning a space of isolation into a hub of communal growth. The transformative effects of our work are clear: • Participants discover confidence and camaraderie. • Staff witness the emergence of positive peer influences. • The wider prison environment becomes infused with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility. Through Applied Theatre, we’re not just seeing individuals change; we’re watching entire communities within institutions evolve. We’re proud to facilitate these spaces where empathy flourishes and collective narratives reshape futures. Join us as we continue to unlock potential in the most unlikely places, one community at a time. Learn more about our mission and impact at www.unlockdrama.com #UnlockDrama #CommunityBuilding #AppliedTheatre #TransformativeArt #socialchange

Exposure to live theatre and arts education can help close the gap of economic disparities and impacts the academic and life success of our future workforce. But how beneficial is it really? Check out some stats below! 👇#DidYouKnow #ArtsEducation #STEAM 

Absolutely delighted in the quality, breadth and depth of the Unlimited shortlist, but also want to highlight the data behind it which shows the real need for more funding in this area of work. Unlimited's budget for commissions this round is just over £600,000 – now that’s a lot, over half a million pounds. However, to fund everyone who applied, Unlimited would need over 30 times as much: £18,217,517. Even to meet the needs of all the shortlisted artists we'd need four times as much: £2,284,721. We had to say ‘no’ to a record number of people this year: 431. That’s incredibly distressing for those artists and for us, especially in these times. We have only shortlisted 11% of those who’ve applied, we are likely to fund a quarter of them meaning the number we are likely to actually fund will be under 3%. More arts organisations and funders need to be funding disabled artists. With 22.7% of the population being disabled people, all arts organisations and arts funders need to be ensuring that at least 20% of what they award goes to disabled artists. Can we get asking this question - "what percentage of these awards/this programme/this season is going to disabled artists?" more often please?

It's disheartening to witness a troubling trend in our society – a noticeable decline in the ability to behave decently in public spaces. Recent reports of front-of-house theatre staff facing attacks for merely requesting consideration from fellow audience members are deeply concerning. The fundamental rule of good behaviour, treating others as you would like to be treated, seems to be slipping away in certain instances. Public spaces, like theatres, should be sanctuaries for shared experiences and enjoyment. The beauty of such places lies in the collective appreciation for art, culture, and entertainment. Let's take a moment to reflect on the impact of our actions on those around us. It's a call to rediscover the essence of empathy and courtesy. We all share the desire for a positive and respectful environment in public spaces. As we navigate the complexities of our world, let's renew our commitment to the basic principles of good conduct. Together, we can foster a culture of kindness and consideration, ensuring that our shared spaces remain havens for connection and enjoyment. Let's rekindle the spirit of treating others with the respect and dignity we all deserve. 💙 #respect #kindnessmatters #publicspaces

Is drama at the bottom of the subject hierarchy in your school? Yes it’s a familiar story to most of us. Drama mocked, scoffed at, called a ‘mickey mouse’ subject, not a ‘proper’ subject. The snobbery is alive and well. SMT teams putting up with it rather than endorsing it, pushing it as a stress-buster, a club, happy to market the shows but actively steering young people away from A level study. English co-opting Shakespeare (who was an actor). Arts careers de-legitimised. Arts teachers kept out of leadership posts. Drama as preserve of the wealthy - a nice to have. A toy. A bit of froth. Thing is - directing, play-writing, acting requires not only a deep sensitivity to language, but proper intellectual rigour and precision. It’s not about those ‘soft skills’ (a term I personally dislike). Not only are these people far intellectually superior than any I know - Cate Blanchette, Sam Mendes, Jez Butterworth, Arthur Miller, Harold Pinter, Caryl Churchill, Wole Soyinka, Sam Holcroft, Jessica Swale, but they are, or were, makers of theatre; nobel laureates, storytellers. When AI takes its foothold schools had better catch up - a bot will be taking care of the equations and formulae - but the bot will struggle to communicate the nuance, depth and humanity in the great plays, productions and performances. The arts might just save us. #drama #teaching #dramateacher #schools #learning

Check out this blog post by our Board of Directors Chair, Derek Muller, CPRP!

Theatre Communications Group upgraded me to a solo presentation at the national theater conference, and I love their description! "As nonprofit arts organizations we are fed the narrative that our most lucrative programs or productions are often the least mission-aligned, and vice versa: that our most mission-aligned work is the least beneficial for our bottom line. Out Of Hand Theater's story paints a different picture: we have developed a model that has tripled our income in four years while moving our neighbors to action on important issues and elevating the role of theater in our community. It’s a win for art, a win for business, and a win for our community... This session will illustrate more about this unique model, and generate further conversation about how to serve our bottom lines by centering our communities and harnessing our greatest potential for impact."

It's great to have so many organisations on board for our upcoming Intro to EDI workshop. On 20th Feb, we will have our first session where we will cover - The initialism and other themes such as access and belonging. - The fundamental principles of equity, diversity and inclusion - Up to date language related to protected characteristics - How our own identities influence our decision making and how we engage with others. - The barriers that some individuals and groups of people experience because of their identities - How different identities can intersect - How inclusive behaviours help us create safe and welcoming environments If you are interested in joining and would like to know more, please express an interest using this form https://buff.ly/48L1TY1 and we will be in touch. #equitydiversityinclusion #arts #artsandculture #leadership #inclusionleadership #inclusionmatters #theatre #dance #music #diversity #hr #training #education #onlinetraining #learning #inclusion #equity #development

From the front entrance, to across the theatre, and around the corner to the high school, forty-eight flags adorn the walls of our school. Together, they are a sight to see, a representation of who we are and where we’re from. And while these flags are something you see every day, you may not know why they’re there or how they’re chosen. 1 – Every flag represents a Meadowridge family and where they’re from, including current and alumni families. 2—Flags are hung in alphabetical order, currently from Argentina to Vietnam. 3—Meadowridge hangs four flags that are not geographical, these include: the Pride Flag, the United Nations Flag, the Survivors’ Flag, and the IB Flag.