Applying practise fuels and inspires me as an artist – this page is designed as a holding space for creative journeys with community groups, inspiring creators and artists – because each and every one of us is an artist!
“The idea of workshops is to break the myth that people are not creative”
The first incline that I could channel my creative spirit as an independent artist and use my lived experience to expose toxic narratives of disability was founded as a young person participating with Doorstep Arts. I believe much of my performance skill and knowledge of how creative processes can change lives was developed in weekly workshops with this grassroots organisation. Ever since, I aim to participate and facilitate in as much rich community led practise as possible. Years of participating in/observing applied practise, steadying applied drama through a theatre degree, building a workshop activities/games portfolio and engaging with CPD with inspirational teaching artists has developed my workshop ethics/practical principles. Workshop settings enable genuine conversation; where we can look each other in the eyes, smile and begin meaningful change. Tension, politics, risk and discomfort are held by fun, understanding and connection – examples of workshops/community engagement below:
Expanding Squeeze Box making process and themes to diverse voices with lived experience, 2021-ongoing, co-facilitating –
hybrid workshop with learning-disabled artists, asking questions and probing through play and games about assessments and social care processes and starting the conversation with local social/medical workers.
live mini workshop-series of the theme of identity, self-expression, telling your own narrative, disability as self-identity and a tool to start conversation about what is disabling about being disabled. Participants make mini figures by adding things that represent them or someone they know. Over the course of the session, we embody a social worker who takes those things away then workout a way to undermine this objectifying process.
Introduction to disability politics, 2021 & 2022 – Facilitating a theatre-based workshop with masters students studying Arts and Ecology. With the course focussing on the development of arts practise in the context of the climate crisis, my workshop stimulates conversation around perception of disability, the impact on hegemonic views and how the disabled community are rebelling against these unhelpful narratives
Assistant Facilitator Scheme Theatre Royal Plymouth, 2018 - 2020 – Working with fantastically diverse participants, groups, communities and facilitators, I assist workshops in all manner of settings to use theatre and performance as a tool to teach skills, confidence and nurture artistic talent
You, Me & My Voice wrap-around workshop offer, 2019 – Five unique workshops exploring the piece’s themes: voice, listening, companionship and who gets heard. Accessible theatre devising workshop with learning-disabled artists, analysis by practical exploration of workshop techniques with applied drama students at Plymouth university, accessing ACE funding with college drama students, autobiographical story-telling and the confidence to tell your own story with secondary school pupils at Plymouth School of Creative Arts and supporting/being an outside eye to Doorstep Youth theatre’s curtain raiser to the show
Level Stage confidence and group dynamic workshops, 2017 – Three workshop series working with South Devon College’s provision for excluded young people applying theatre games and techniques to engage, build community and individual confidence.
Assistant director/assistant facilitator to Doorstep Youth Theatre, 2016 - 2018 – Co-writing and developing with young people from Torbay stories from scratch which speak directly to local experiences and national/international issues. Termly showbacks/platforms including regional Youth platforms would enable the cohort to experiment with theatre making and engage with the wider community.
