Held online in February 2023, our third Arts for Social Change Showcase brought together 7 quick-fire presentations exploring participatory arts projects, passions and practice. Each presenter had 5 minutes and no more than 15 slides to share the theme, project, issue or community that they wanted to showcase. Watch back the presentations and the question and answer sessions here.

Joe Merriman, Birmingham City Council

Joe is a Public Health Senior Officer working in the Communities Team at Birmingham City Council. One of the projects that Joe has commissioned was to celebrate the Jamaican 60th Year of Independence. Joe will present the successes of the project in improving health and wellbeing.

Francesco Sani

Francesco is currently conducting a PhD at De Montfort University, Leicester, exploring the practice of the Brechtian Learning Play in the context of theatre for education and community theatre. He presents on his participatory performance project: September 11.

Aidan, Wendy & Cristina, Collective Encounters

Aidan Jolly (Research Lead), Wendy O’Connor (Programme Manager) and Cristina Justino do Nascimento (Associate Artist) present on Collective Encounters’ approach to Popular Education Methodologies

Vince Laws

Vince Laws is a poet, artist, performer and campaigner. His participatory happening A Very Queer Nazi Faust highlights the deaths of disabled benefit claimants dealing with the DWP.

Laura & Bethany, Blank Cheque

Blank Cheque’s mission is to amplify the voices of those who are marginalised and criminalised, primarily women, through acts of creativity that develop life skills and deepen community connection; telling real stories, unlocking infinite possibilities.

Alison Porter

Alison Porter is a playwright, poet and researcher in Theatre & Performance Studies at the University of Warwick. As part of her research ‘Mediating Victimhood’ she has created a portfolio of work about modern slavery and human trafficking from Albania consisting of a dance film, a series of monologues and an installation of artefacts.

Angela El-Zeind

Angela is a director, applied theatre facilitator, performing arts lecturer, and founder of Speak Up! Act Out! Cic.

Q&A part 1.

Q&A part 2.