Last week, we hosted national theatre companies and Theatres of Sanctuary at Stage Two for the Counterpoint Arts Theatres of Sanctuary Away Day.
Counterpoint Arts is a leading organisation nationally in arts, migration, and cultural change, supporting work made by and about refugees and people seeking sanctuary. Every two years, they co-produce Platforma, a regional arts festival created in partnership with local artists and organisations; this year, it is taking place across the East of England.
The away day was a space for conversation, connection, and learning, an opportunity to share different approaches, to explore creative progression routes for people seeking sanctuary, and to reflect on the role arts organisations play in that journey. We were joined by representatives from across the country, including Leeds Playhouse, Good Chance, Theatre Royal Wakefield, and many more; each with a unique perspective, experience, and local context.
At a time of growing polarisation and media focus on negative views of sanctuary seekers, this gathering highlighted the power of the arts to shift perception, to celebrate the creative contributions of those seeking sanctuary, and to provide a platform for stories that are too often unheard.
Norwich Theatre became a Theatre of Sanctuary in 2019, recognising our commitment to supporting refugees and migrants locally through meaningful creative opportunities. Since then, our sanctuary programme has grown via local partnership projects and creative initiatives for sanctuary-seeking people. This week marked a particularly special milestone, as our Being Migrant Theatre Makers shared their new production, 3 Migrant Women, for the first time.
3 Migrant Women is an exceptional piece of theatre, born from the stories of our participants and developed gradually over two years with creative support from Gecko Theatre. Sharing it with partners and people with lived experience was a very special moment. The work is powerful and resonant, and the subsequent Q&A with the company affirmed the importance of creating art in response to difficult circumstances. 3 Migrant Women will be performed at Dance East as part of their Platforma Community Takeover, and we hope for further development and performances in the future.
“I could clearly see the influence of Gecko’s work throughout, but even more striking was the sense of your own humane and compassionate creative process — it shaped the piece in a way that felt generous, collaborative, and profoundly human.”
— Richard Hand, Professor and Head of School, School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, UEA
Theatre is about coming together and sharing stories. We are honoured to provide a platform for these stories, in turn enriching our work and helping to build a more connected, empathetic, and resilient community.
As part of the City of Sanctuary network, our partnerships with both local and national organisations are invaluable. We are grateful to Counterpoint Arts and the national Theatres of Sanctuary network for joining us in Norwich, sharing their learning and their support.
“It was a truly enjoyable experience from start to finish, and we really appreciate having so much space and everything organised so beautifully, culminating in that incredible performance. And very heartening and inspiring to hear how the whole theatre is committing to sanctuary status with so much thought, creativity and passion.”
— Tom Green, Senior Producer, Counterpoint Arts
For more information about our Theatre of Sanctuary work visit https://norwichtheatre.org/take-part/theatre-of-sanctuary/