Research Lab

Over the past seven years we’ve developed a wide range of innovative projects, evaluated their impact and disseminated our findings in order to contribute to development within the field of theatre for social change. We’ve seen many success stories and witnessed many transformations.

We’re now ready to push our research further. Over the next six years Sarah Thornton will carry out research into international models of best practice which she’ll feed into the creative work delivered by Collective Encounters in Liverpool and beyond. The research will tie directly into all our practical programmes, and will lead to exciting international opportunities for our participants and artists. In particular Sarah will be looking for ways in which theatre can make an impact beyond personal and local transformations: ways that theatre can influence changes in policy and provision.

Whether it be the health sector, legislation for carers, homeless support services or policy affecting young people, we hope to find ways in which both our professional work and the theatre our participants create can have a real and lasting impact. To find ways that theatre can really enable people to connect more directly to the processes of democracy and change.