Beyond Face: Devon’s first Global Majority theatre company
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As past funding recipients of Arts Council England’s Elevate programme, the organisation has gone from strength to strength, and is now supported through our Investment Programme for 2023-26.
Read on to hear how Alix’s work is empowering a new generation of Global Majority producers and performers, and how a further grant of £750,000 will support their ambitions for expansion.
Regional Voices and ‘We are Here’
There are currently four strands to our work: young people, artist development, regional voices and productions. These themes often weave into one another, with writers, participants and members of our youth company inspiring one another to create touring productions such as Sitting in the Grey and Bigger than Lyrics, due in 2024.
We often hear people state that the south west isn’t diverse, and so our Artist Development offer operates under the title ‘We Are Here’. By highlighting Global Majority Artists, we are letting people know that we are here as a company to develop creative skills and employment prospects in the region.
Because of the sessions, I have felt able to write creatively - something as a journalist I never thought I would do. I have acted and submitted my work to a production house - huge steps for me. I’ve felt comforted by writer sessions that stressed we didn’t need to confine ourselves to traditional methods - Western or patriarchal. This is liberating!”
- Beyond Face, participating artist
Our Regional Voices programme connects Beyond Face with local people who have little to no experience engaging with the theatre industry. We provide spaces for communities to connect and thrive in one another’s company. It also aims to reveal how people outside of the arts sector can benefit from a creative outlet and express themselves. This strand is a chance for us to interrogate our approach and think beyond our usual ways of communicating.
Celebrating Global Majority talent in the south west
Five values underpin every aspect of our work; care, community, joy, representation and quality. We practice these values on and off stage in our internal teams and across our programme delivery.
Our long-term vision is to lead the south west in becoming an industry recognised home of Global Majority talent. Somewhere that truly amplifies and celebrates marginalised people in the arts and cultural sector. We want to be at the forefront, providing opportunities for historically underrepresented artists to live, work and thrive in the theatre scene.
Joining the National Portfolio and future plans
One of the joys of being a National Portfolio organisation is that we have more time to be responsive rather than reactive to evolving ideas. This helps us responsibly allocate our resources and advocate for Global Majority Artists to a greater extent.
Public funding has given us flexibility in how we create and design our activity. We recognise the responsibility to artists and audiences that comes with this.
Our Autumn/Winter programme includes We are Here to Write - a Global Majority stage writers’ group every fortnight from Wednesday 13 September onwards. This event offers a supportive community to gently keep you on track with your goals.
I would work, act, share and exchange ideas with young people of different ages. We probably wouldn’t have met and formed bonds without these two to three sessions.”
- Beyond Face youth company member
The Autumn term also includes group writing sessions, guest workshops and specialist talks aimed at demystifying arts funding and how to apply for support. There will also be opportunities to share your ideas with the group for feedback and to submit material to be performed at the We are Here to Write scratch — a rehearsed reading where members’ work is brought to life by professional actors.
At the end of September we’ll launch We are Here to Create – an in-person series of themed workshops for artists from different disciplines to collaborate.
Want to get involved? Come along to our Open House event at Bristol’s Tobacco Factory Theatre on Saturday 14 October.
You’ll get a chance to meet the team and hear about past work and the company’s journey since 2015, alongside live performances from local Global Majority Artists.
