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| Niamh Hicks

BPT Launches Summer School 2024 with funding awarded from Paul Hamlyn Foundation

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded three years of funding from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to enable us to continue our work in bringing people together from 2023 – 2026.

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation has supported us since 2019 and it’s safe to say that we simply would not be here without their belief in and trust in us.

Their funding will enable us to co-create more shows with more people who currently don’t think theatre is for them. We are really excited to get going in implementing our methodology of making new shows.

Shoubhik Bandopadhyay, Head of Programme – Arts, said:

“We are delighted to continue to support Brighton People’s Theatre – through performances, conversations and workshops like this, they bring people together to centre the community’s voices and to create ambitious new work that makes people feel connected to something bigger than themselves. Their approach supports a richer, inclusive arts ecology, and we’re glad to be a part of this work.”

Naomi Alexander – Artistic Director and CEO of BPT, said:

“We are delighted to receive ongoing support from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. They have invested in the development of Brighton People’s Theatre since 2019 and we are grateful for their sustained belief and trust in us. This latest investment enables us to have a sound financial footing from which we can fundraise for the next 3 years, enabling us to plan and work long-term with the people we serve. Their recognition of our practice also means that we are able to share our methodology for co-creating original work with the wider sector through our People’s Theatre Summer School which will run for the first time at ACCA at Sussex University from the 16-19 July 2024.”

People’s Theatre Summer School

Part of this funding will enable us to share our know-how with artists who are interested in developing their creative practice.

For the first time in July 2024, we will be running a four-day summer school, welcoming people to Brighton to learn about how we co-create original work. Our summer school will run from 16 – 19 July 2024 at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts.

The summer school is suitable for:

  • Experienced artists looking to develop their practice in co-creation
  • Emerging artists who want to focus their practice in co-created work
  • Recent graduates wanting practical tools to make co-created work

The summer school will be structured so that there are two days exploring how to direct co-created work, and two days exploring how to produce co-created work. You can either come to the two days most relevant to you, or to all four days if you are a self-producing artist.

We will cover:

Directing Co-Created Work

  • Holding space – the qualities that artists embody to lead co-creative practice effectively
  • Tools and techniques for working ensemble with non-professional artists
  • Creative techniques for co-creating characters and narrative development
  • Rehearsal techniques for enabling co-creation during the rehearsal process

Producing Co-Created Work

  • Community engagement – strategies and tools for engaging with people
  • Choosing, contracting and supporting artists
  • Responsibilities that producers have to hold to lead co-creative practice effectively
  • Casting, rehearsal scheduling and supporting non-professional artists

Cost

Our first summer school will be charged at a rate of £100 per day; £200 for the Directing days and £200 for the Producing days. We want to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. If the cost of the training prevents you from attending, please contact us in confidence to discuss how you can be supported to take part.

Applications will open in February 2024.