A group of leading British artistic directors, producers and writers from culturally diverse backgrounds will be coming to this years festival to explore the possibilities of setting up creative links, collaborations and exchanges with South African artists and companies.
Sustained Theatre artists aim to transform the national arts landscape to reflect the diverse , rich and vibrant talent that exists in Britain. Sustained Theatre is a regional, national and international network for artists supported by Arts Council England.
For further information contact Pervaiz Khan: pervaizbrum@yahoo.co.uk
Garfield Allen is the Artistic Director/CEO of Greenroom. A venue featuring experimental urban theatre, dance and live art from a broad range of cultures. As head of artist recruitment, development and creative programming, his vision has cemented the venues reputation as a natural 'home' for innovative and groundbreaking art forms,
Sâmir Bhamra is a multi-disciplinary artist creating dance, theatre and multimedia. He was an artist in residence at Leicester Theatre Trust. He has been part of a film festival for seven years and recently programmed the autumn season at Rich Mix in London .
Donna Briscoe-Greene is a singer/vocalist and performer with over twenty years experience. She became interested in Arts Management eight years ago. A freelance arts support worker, a festival performer for City Arts Nottingham, and a drama producer for small charity organisations. She works as East Midlands Sustained Theatre volunteer co-ordinator.
Felix Cross Artistic Director of Nitro since 1996 - Britain's longest running black theatre company (30 years old this year); composer, playwright and director with over 100 productions in UK and worldwide, from musicals to Bollywood to opera and hip hop theatre. Specifically concerned with the development of new musical theatre.
Tyrone Huggins has performed in over sixty stage productions, as well as many appearances in radio, television and film. He is a director and commissioned playwright currently producing DIGITAL INHERITANCE, comprising his Inheritance Quartet - charting Caribbean Diaspora, and his Digital Projects - four productions exploring the digitization of modern life.
Karena Johnson - director, producer and facilitator. Recent work includes Crossings by Julie McNamara a DADA Festival commission, Forty by Angie La Mar at Hackney Empire and critically acclaimed Underneath – nothing as silent as snow commissioned for the BLACK SEAS Festival in the Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania. Currently Artistic Director at the BROADWAY in London.
Pervaiz Khan is the international broker for Sustained Theatre. He is a theatre director, filmmaker and writer. His new media art has shown in the UK and Europe. For a decade he programmed cinema from Africa, Asia and Latin America. And was a contributing editor of 'Sight & Sound' international film magazine.
Jenni Lewin-Turner is a Creative Producer & Arts Consultant with a Masters degree in Cultural Leadership and is the founder of Urbanflo, a socially engaged collective of creative professionals sharing a vision of equity and excellence in the arts; collaborating to produce, programme and promote a diverse range of projects.
Jonathan Man is a British Chinese freelance theatre director, passionate about theatre that explores the dynamic between cultures. He is a member of Sustained Theatre artist leadership team. He was recently appointed Co-Artistic Director for Yellow Earth, the leading British East Asian touring theatre company in the UK.
George Matheson works for Kirklees Council as an Arts Development officer – Cultural Diversity Specialist, Co-ordinating Kirklees Diversity Season Cultural programme, coaching BME cultural leaders. Vice-Chair of the Sustain Theatre Yorkshire HUB, Advisor to Back A Yard Arts African Creative Arts Company and Non-Executive Director for Beaumont Street Studios.
Keith Saha is co-artistic director of 20 Stories High in Liverpool. Over 20 years he has worked professionally as an actor, writer, director, workshop leader, composer and musical director. In his current projects for 20 Stories High, he is exploring the marriage of Hip-Hop theatre, mask and puppetry.
AYODELE SCOTT was born in Sierra Leone into a tradition of street theatre, music and dance. He trained with the Sierra Leone Dance Troupe and in community theatre for development. He won the National Actor of the Year Award. During his 21 years in England he has shared his craft widely. He utilises the arts as a creative force for social change.
Kully Thiarai is a theatre director and arts consultant. She has extensive experience of working within a range of organisations and making work with and for diverse communities. Kully has been Artistic Director of Red Ladder Theatre Company, Leicester Haymarket Theatre, Theatre Writing Partnership and more recently Contact Theatre, Manchester.
Bea Udeh is a producer. She finds that radio, theatre and creative writing are her avenues for delivering productions which come from grass-roots values. Bea is behind Pieces: Unity through Comedy, the TMA 2009 award-winning comedy sketch show and the Big House of Tiny Starts - a BBC radio series.
OSCAR WATSON is director of NECDAF an organisation supporting the professional development of artists from other countries who live and work in North East England. Oscar is a director and playwright with experience of training actors. He is a former director of the actors centre and coordinator of the Black Theatre Forum.
