Displace Yourself Theatre (DYT) and Stockton-based arts centre, ARC, teamed together to deliver free specialist week-long theatre workshops for displaced people in the area.
Coinciding with Refugee Week, the ‘Creating Together’ sessions ran from the 18th to the 21st of June. Combining various forms of expression, including music, theatre and movement, these sessions aimed to boost participants’ wellbeing and foster community. The work co-produced throughout the week was performed at ARC on Friday, 21 June.
DYT’s Creating Together workshops have been a regular monthly feature at ARC for almost a decade. As the only provider of creative mental health wellbeing programmes for refugees, asylum seekers and displaced people in Stockton, DYT’s trauma-aware sessions continue to be an integral activity for the community. One participant commented: “the Stockton Creating Together sessions are a fantastic opportunity to explore and share some of our own experiences and hear those of others.”
Jen Nevin, Co-Director of DYT, said: “At Displace Yourself Theatre we’re dedicated to providing crucial support to families facing displacement in Stockton. Through our Creating Together sessions, we offer a lifeline to those who have experienced trauma and upheaval, whilst providing access to trauma informed professional theatre spaces.
“We deliver workshops tailored to the unique needs of these individuals. Whether they’ve been forcibly displaced from their homeland, their family structure, or they feel disconnected from their community, these sessions aim to help individuals by integrating various forms of expression, including music, theatre, movement, and therapeutic techniques. By fostering a supportive environment, we aim to help families connect, heal, and rediscover hope.”
Lynne Lawson, ARC Creative Learning Coordinator, said: “There is a lot of love and support in the room during these Creating Together sessions. I love that we give participants a ‘magic’ ticket that allows them to access theatre, cinema and all our activities without charge. Displace Yourself have a unique way of working, which is nurturing and creative. They bring a calm, relaxed feel to the sessions which makes it so easy to join in.”
Stockton residents are invited to attend the next Creating Together session which will take place on Thursday, 18th July from 11am by dropping into ARC on the day or getting in touch with their box office at box.office@arconline.co.uk.