Increasing the representation
of first generation migrant artists in British theatre.


Migrants in Theatre is a movement made up of first generation migrant theatre artists and theatre companies who joined efforts to campaign for more and better representation of UK based migrant/foreign born/international theatre artists in the British theatre. This is for migrant theatre makers in any capacity, from actors, directors, set designers, playwrights, to stage managers, arts administrators and board members.

A movement initiated by and including theatre companies such as: Cut the Cord Theatre, Exchange Theatre, Foreign Affairs, Global Voices Theatre, LegalAliens Theatre, Notnow Collective, Theatre Témoin, Wretched Theatre, alongside migrant theatre freelancers (producers, directors, performers, etc... ) such as Flavia D'Avila, Sally Beck Wippman, Zhui Ning Chang, Ailin Conant,  David Furlong, Trine Garrett, Camilla Gurtler, Tina Hofman, Nick Ishmael-Perkins, Alexandru Istudor, Bence Kalo, Lora Krateva, Lara Parmiani, Margot Przymierska, Nastazja Somers, Christina Tsoutsi. 


If you are a migrant theatre artists based in the U.K. 
(or international or foreign or how you would want to be addressed as), you can :

 

- Fill the survey collecting Migrant theatre makers experiences.

- Join the mailing list below.

- email migrants.theatre@gmail.com

- Read the letter below and sign it online.

With the participation of Actors Touring Company, Battersea Arts Centre, Gate Theatre, LIFT, New Diorama Theatre, Royal Court, and Young Vic.

If you identify as migrant/foreign born/international to register and take part in the first London Town Hall with the artistic directors of the following venues: ATC, BAC, Gate, LIFT, NDT, RC, and YV.

This is the first of a series of town hall meetings MIT is organising all over the country, with a Midlands Town Hall and a Scotland-North of England Town Hall in the works. Different regions have different ecologies and we hope to create support structures that are specific to each locality.

The town hall meetings are envisaged as an introduction to the MiT movement, linking people with their local venues, and as a way to start important conversations about the issues we face as migrant/foreign born/international artists working in UK theatre. Through these meetings we will primarily aim to raise awareness of MiT’s work, the survey we conducted, our proposals on what we can offer and aspects we would like to see changing. There will be time for venues to ask questions and to engage in a facilitated, open floor discussion with registered participants.

Event facilitated and chaired by Anthony Simpson-Pike and Lora Krasteva.

Schedule:

13:00-13:30 - MiT presentation.
13:30-14:00 - questions from venue representatives in relation to MiT presentation.
5 min - break
14:05-15:00 - open floor and chance for participants to ask questions.

Register: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/migrants-in-theatre-london-town-hall-tickets-121926504457

THE LETTER

THE ISSUE: For decades the UK has been an international centre of culture and exchange between different theatrical cultures. However, whilst many artists and companies from all over the world have been platforming at established venues - such as the Barbican, Edinburgh Festival, the Young Vic, Home Manchester, etc - there have not been enough platforms and opportunities for first generation migrant theatre artists living in this country. According to statistics there are 9.3 million migrants living in the UK, 14% of the entire population, while in London the percentage of foreign born/first generation migrants reaches a staggering 37%. However, when it comes to their representation in the theatre industry, their presence is almost nonexistent. London and Midlands based theatre practitioners are in the process of completing an independent audit of a series of venues in those areas to reveal the exact percentage of migrant artists present on their stages and in the creative teams. We are actively widening our network across further areas of the UK, with the final aim of auditing major producing venues in main UK cities, historically homes to most of the migrant population.

Any discussion about diversity should also include the representation of first generation migrant artists living in this country and we think it is only fair that their proportion within society is reflected on British stages, in creative teams, boards of leading arts and cultural organisations, funding bodies, panels and decision making processes. 

The present lack of diversity is also reflected in the lack of openness towards different theatrical languages and styles, limited presence of plays in translation and of multilingualism.

 

WHO WE ARE: We are a group of first generation migrant artists (comprising theatre companies, freelance artists, arts organisations) coming from different backgrounds and countries who have faced similar barriers in entering the theatre industry in the UK. We are often relegated to operating on the fringe, with limited resources, no exposure and no systemic support at developing audiences for our work. The lack of opportunities and representation has significantly limited the development of our practice and hindered our attempts to create a community that the theatre industry and UK wide audiences can recognise and appreciate. This is more urgent than ever in light of Brexit and COVID-19 and the devastating impact on migrant theatre makers (especially visa applicants and holders required to meet work thresholds to remain resident in the UK). We are united by the necessity to bring structural change to our industry in regards to the representation of first generation migrant artists living in this country, and believe a more inclusive cultural sphere is beneficial and necessary to British society as a whole.

 

WHAT WE WANT: 

To start a UK wide movement to address the lack of opportunities and representation for first generation migrant theatre-makers resident in this country - directors, actors, writers, set designers, theatre-makers in any other capacity, producers, etc. 

 

WHAT WE OFFER:

  • Rich knowledge of alternate theatre making forms that interrogate the cultural traditions.

  • Inclusion for local migrant communities as participants, audiences, artists and co-creators.

  • Connections with international companies, festivals, venues and funders to facilitate transnational co-productions.

  • Diversity of languages, histories and cultural experiences to existing (dominant) narratives and nurturing multilingual environments with all the associated benefits.

  • Lived experience of migrating, immigration bureaucracy, and issues related to ‘cultural assimilation’ (working, learning and living in an ‘adopted’ culture).

 

OBJECTIVES:

  • To increase the representation of first generation migrants on stage and in the creative teams of theatres across the country to reflect the numbers of migrant population in each local area. 

  • To actively keep extending our network across all areas of the UK, partnering up with other migrant theatre artists and organisations in order to develop a strong national initiative/movement.

  • To actively engage with venues and their artistic teams in order to address this situation and develop strategies to overcome it.

  • To counter the negative effects of Brexit and fight insularity by fostering exciting cross-cultural collaboration with British-based audiences and theatre makers.

  • To redefine the idea of internationalism in the British theatrical culture in order to promote more exchanges and co-production with different countries.