Placing collaboration at the centre of what they do, Intercultural Roots are a network of 120 practitioner-scholars connected to communities and universities in over 26 countries, committed to the sharing of embodied practice and applying research gained within their practice. Currently adapting to the effects of the pandemic on collaborative practice by hosting sessions online, Intercultural Roots have introduced the Ripples Project, an initiative encouraging anyone online to respond to the question ‘What matters to you?’, with the first edition having taken place on World Mental Health Day (Saturday 10th October 2020), the 2nd due to take place on Saturday 24th October 2020. Ahead of the 2nd edition – Executive Director Dr Alex Boyd and fellow practitioner-scholars Dr Andrea Maciel and Alice Motta tell us more about the initiative and the organisation.

A crucial component of Grime culture, important in terms of their influence and preservation of music – DJs help to promote undiscovered voices to new audiences – bridging the gap between communities and inviting all to connect within a shared experience. Their ability to compile their own musical sets an opportunity to showcase creativity and a musical language unique to them. Establishing a career within a male dominated genre, award nominated DJ Kaylee Kay has performed for some of the UK’s well respected venues and radio stations including Rinse FM, Kiss FM, the O2 and is currently a resident DJ at Boxpark. Ahead of HighRise Theatre’s online Grime rave Lil.Miss.Lady where she’ll performing pre and post sets, Kaylee tells us more about what to expect from the show!

Celebrating Grime’s 20 year journey, a music form deriving from an array of other UK based genres such as Garage and Funky House, HighRise Theatre’s Dominic Garfield recognises the need to highlight contributions made – particularly by women within the genre as well as showcase how the form continues to evolve. Currently enjoying mainstream success, it’s important to learn about the genre’s past, as well as its present, and to celebrate those who don’t receive the recognition that they deserve, as it is those who often help shape the culture. Ahead of digital theatre rave Lil.Miss.Lady taking place on Friday 23rd October via Contact, Manchester Theatre, Dominic tells us more about what to expect from the show.

Drawing inspiration from the sophisticated world of James Bond, Co-Founders of the London Cabaret Club Evelina Girling and Doni Fierro present London Never Dies, a glamorous immersive dining experience entertaining audiences with choreographed dance sequences, specialty acts and a selection of tracks from the iconic franchise performed by talented singers. A welcome back to the venue post the pandemic, Evelina and Doni have made a commitment to support their artists – opportunities created for past and current cast members to perform in their upcoming Christmas and NYE Season a glimmer of hope. Having just experienced their opening weekend, Evelina and Doni tell us more about the production, and what to expect!

Having engaged the community of Barking and Dagenham for over 30 years, Studio 3 Arts is committed to putting ‘local people at the centre of everything they do’. Having launched their inaugural Groundbreakers Leadership programme earlier on this year, the initiative highlights the need to support our leaders of tomorrow – participants having gained the confidence to go on and build their own projects and inspire others to do the same. With applications now open for the next programme later on this year, Artistic Director Liza Vallance explains how applicants can get involved, what her hopes are for the initiative and what the £1.2m worth of funding awarded to the organisation to transform the 1960s Galleon Community Centre into a community arts centre means for the Barking and Dagenham community.

Founded in 1987, Big Telly Theatre, founded by director Zoe Seaton has established itself as one of Northern Ireland’s most respected and long running theatre companies – their work spanning multiple sectors such as tourism and heritage. Adapting Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth for the digital stage, the production follows the director’s succession of well received online productions, her most recent – Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Ahead of the productions online showing as part of this year’s Belfast International Arts Festival, Zoe tells us more about her adaptation of the classic.

With theatres and companies having to adapt to our new normal, the industry have responded by creating works available to stream online. Adapting their show Romantics Anonymous to this new format, Wise Children will offer a mixture of live performances and online streaming – performing to a socially distanced audiences, whilst also streaming their work with partnering theatres via their digital tour format. Ahead of the show, performer Omari Hardwick tells us how he feels about performing to a socially distanced audience for the first time since lockdown!

Notably one of East London’s most well known streets, Brick Lane is the home to various vintage stores, market stalls and restaurants. An integral part of the Bangladeshi community since the 20th century, Brick Lane is a melting pot of culture, a welcoming environment adding to its charm. With a history spanning back to the 15th century – it’s name deriving from the manufacturing of bricks and tiles, there are various stories to be told about the street’s transformation ever since. Tapping into Tower Hamlet’s local history, Tamasha Theatre producers Debo Adebayo and Ellie Browning bring back their We Are Shadows: Brick Lane – an audio tour of the street. Debo and Ellie tell us more about the experience.

Marking its 50th year, the Young Vic celebrates with a year-long programme paying homage to the venue’s legacy of creating ‘an experimental workshop for authors, actors and producers’ as well as factoring in affordability. Established by Royal National Theatre Associate Director Frank Dunlop, successive Artistic Directors Michael Bogdanov, David Thacker, Julia Bardsley and Tim Supple, Tim Supple, David Lan and now currently Kwame Kwei-Armah have shaped the venue into what it is today. Commemorating the past as well as envisioning the venue’s future, Kwame tells us more about the venue’s initial programme, possible plans for a block party to mark the important milestone and his hopes for the theatre moving forward.

Returning with their hyper local radio show Radio Local; creatives Jenny Hunt and Holly Darton stop off at Nine Elms to bring listeners a mixture of gameshows, song requests, news bulletins, interviews with influential residents and more – ‘celebrating the joys and necessity of local radio and community.’ Ahead of their Nine Elms visit, Jenny and Holly tell us more about the show!