For the last 15 years, Chinese Arts Now have been committed to presenting works focusing on contemporary Chinese perspectives. Recognising that there was a lack of shows presenting their narratives, CAN have established a network of partner organisations such as the Southbank Centre, Soho Theatre and the Young Vic amongst others who have supported the presenting of their work. Last year welcomed a new addition to CAN, the Chinese Arts Now Festival “dedicated to showcasing to the public performing arts that explore contemporary Chinese themes, perspectives and art forms. CAN Festival 2019 showcased a diverse range of art forms (music, drama, live art, dance, films, digital arts) with over 60 events across London“. Adapting to current theatre closures due to the Covid crisis, CAN are currently supporting artists with their ‘Digital Commissions’ initiative. CEO & Artistic Director of Chinese Arts Now An-Ting Chang tells us more about the festival and the commissions.

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With the current Covid crisis having made the arts adapt to alternative ways of reaching audiences, the number of productions that have been presented via online streaming has significantly increased. The digital sphere has offered a new way of accessing arts content, with online platforms becoming the go to place for live art. But how else can audiences be reached? New Perspectives have decided to take a nostalgic turn, creating a postcard drama with their new work Love from Cleethorpes.

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Starting from 1837 and ending in 1901, The Victorian Era, named after Queen Victoria, is an era commonly associated with figures such as Charles Darwin and Charles Dickens, the industrial revolution, various inventions including the telephone amongst other era defining moments. What’s little known and not as widely discussed are the various stories and contributions from the black community within that time period, a presence often forgotten. Inspired by this part of Black British history, acclaimed director and choreographer Jeanefer Jean-Charles has created Black Victorians, a 20 minute dance piece exploring the characters within this time period further. Ahead of its debut at the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, Jeanefer tells us more about the show.

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The Harewood Artists Programme, Established in 1998 by the English National Opera aims to support talented Opera artists on their performance journeys. A mixture of vocal and language training offered by various experts in their field, the programme also offers the chance for performers to take part in current ENO productions. Twelve artists will be joining the 20/21 cohort, one of which will be award winning baritone Benson Wilson. Ahead of his training and performance in ENO Drive and Live’s La Bohème, Benson tells us more about taking part in the programme.

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Six months post lockdown due to the Covid-19 crisis, the theatre industry finds itself adapting to a socially distanced era as Phase Four of the Government’s Five Stage plan now sees a handful of theatres open for performances. An uncertain time for the industry, it’s a case of adapting to an ever changing climate. A response to the current situation, Artistic Director of Spun Glass Theatre Jessica Cheetham, alongside a team of regional leads have worked together to create Theatre Search, a resource for the theatre industry documenting the opening status, dates and programming windows of nearly 900 theatres, venues and festivals UK wide. Jessica explains further about this crucial resource.

Returning to St Paul’s Church in the heart of Covent Garden, award winning theatre company Iris Theatre will showcase an eclectic line up of live outdoor performance as part of their Summer Festival. A mixture of music, theatre and new work, the festival champions and celebrates performance in a time of uncertainty. Taking part in this summer’s event, writers Asa Haynes and Jesse Bateson will showcase their work in progress Words I’ve Said, a play exploring themes of family and loss. Ahead of the festival, Asa tells us more about his inspirations for the show, writing the show during this unique time and what audiences can expect.

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We – the modern human (Homo Sapiens) have embarked on a 12,000 year journey that presently sees us where we are today whereby we’ve created complex civilisations and social structures. Within this time we’ve compiled, measured and collected countless amounts of data documenting our existence, at present the online space the new frontier in terms of the archive of human history it holds. Delving into this facet of human history further are composer Jamie Perera, artistic filmmaker Katherine Round and journalist Leah Borromeo in their audio visual presenting their work Twelve Thousand Years in Fragments playing as part of the Electric Dreams Online Festival.

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Overwhelmed by a myriad of images on our timelines constantly, photo sharing has become the norm in terms of how we communicate to others and curate our digital lives. Our accounts serving as digital legacies telling our story how we choose to, each image a gateway to a differing chapter. Delving into this phenomenon in their topical work Rich Kids: A history of shopping malls in Tehran, Javaad Alipoor and Kirsty Housely craft an early 21st century defining show tying together entitlement and technology to showcase the theatrical within our new normal.

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Frozen Light’s foundations were formed from co-founders Lucy Garland and Amber Onat Gregory’s “shared dream of wanting to create high quality theatre for audiences with Profound Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD). Having created 4 shows and toured over 70 venues across the UK, their work has seen them collaborate with venues to promote accessibility for audiences with complex disabilities. In response to current theatre closures due to Covid-19, Frozen Light have created a podcast series sharing the experiences of people with PMLD, their carers and companions as they adapt during these unpredictable times. Frozen Light tells us more about what to expect from the podcast!

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Founded by circus aerialist and associate director of Improbable, theatre-maker Matilda Leyser, Mothers Who Make is a peer support group recognising “the experiences and challenges specific to being both a mother and artist”. Noting parallels between the two roles in terms of “creativity, play and patience” amongst other attributes, the group intends to challenge the idea that the two are “incompatible”. Having established the network 6 years ago, the initiative has gone from strength to strength, taking place in nearly 30 regions across the UK and overseas with 26 peer support meetings taking place monthly. Leading the Northamptonshire hub is creative producer of Carbon Theatre Courtenay Johnson, here she tells us more about the initiative and connecting with local artists.

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