Providing three artists of colour in Scotland a chance to develop their work and have their voices heard loud and clear
Megaphone is a new residency which will support new work by artists of colour based in Scotland. This residency is about empowering artists and bringing vibrant diversity to Scotland’s theatre. It’s a direct response to the barriers to getting their work produced that artists of colour face right now .
This is a chance for us to show solidarity with artists of colour in Scotland and ensure that their voices are heard. It is needed now more than ever. We need to stand by those communities that are most vulnerable in the current political climate. Your support will back three mentored residencies for artists from under-represented communities who want to undertake a theatre project. Funds raised will be used to provide bursaries, space, mentoring, and production costs. Lack of diversity in Scottish theatre is not a new problem, but it is one that is more and more urgent and needs to change now.
Megaphone is one step towards making that change.
And your support will make that happen.
Megaphone is a partnership between Sara Shaarawi, and The Workers Theatre, who will be supporting and producing the residency.
Sara Shaarawi is a playwright, translator and performer from Cairo who is now based in Glasgow. She has had her work performed at the Tron Theatre, The Traverse, Village Pub Theatre, Platform, and the CCA. Sara also took part in the Playwrights Studio Scotland’s 2015 Mentoring Programme and the National Theatre of Scotland’s Breakthrough Writers programme. Other credits include dramaturg, performing and translation for One Day in Spring (Oran Mor/NTS) and Here’s the News from Over There (Northern Stage). She is also one of the recipients of the Playwrights’ Studio Scotland’s New Playwright’s Awards this year.
The Workers Theatre is a new co-operative theatre company in Scotland working to create structures, resources, and space for new, radical performances that engage directly with audiences. Each artist receiving a residency will be invited to join us in sharing their work at the Workers Theatre’s first pop up festival in 2017.
Residencies are open to artists and collectives from a theatre background and across other disciplines (including music, sound, movement, film, story-telling, spoken word etc), who want to undertake a new theatre venture that explores an exciting, vital idea and/or moves forward their practice and learning. We will consider applicants from all levels of experience and can be at any stage of their career. The call is open to groups as well as individuals.
Residencies are opportunities for the Workers Theatre to support an artist to develop their skills and potential or the initial seed of an idea. They are not commissions or production opportunities.
Residencies will run from April to June 2017 and we need your support to make them happen. Details on how to apply will be added in the coming weeks!
ALL BACKERS (£1+): A personal thank-you and a credit at workerstheatre.couk
SHOUT AND LOUDER (£10+): A snazzy Workers Theatre button badge
CHEER AND LOUDER (£20+): Tickets to the first sharings of the new work
YELL AND LOUDER (£100+): A Workers Theatre t-shirt with one of our radgest slogans
HOLLER AND LOUDER (£200+): A private Q&A or performance!
Physical items include delivery to the UK; for delivery overseas, please contact us and we’ll work something out.
We have a committed and excited team ready to go on this project!
There are, of course, always things that could go wrong. Between us, we have masses of experience in running large projects and dealing with unexpected hiccups, and we’re confident that we will be able to absorb any surprises. There is enough flexibility in our timeline and budget to ensure that we can deal with any practical difficulties.
One important challenge will be ensuring that we reach the right people with the residency call out. We have excellent networks and will be using them to make sure the call out goes to a diverse range of artists.
We have many aspects of the residency already provisionally in place: the venue for the showcase is booked as part of the Workers Theatre pop up weekend, we have respected artists interested in being mentors and part of the selection panel, and we know there are people who are raring to support artists of colour in Scotland.
We just need your support and solidarity! Please join us!