How does it help us understand the world we live in?

With Bob and Roberta Smith, Kerry Michael, Sara Wahid, Mark Londesborough and Matthew Couper.

In the second of our political salon’s (and still keeping clear of all mention of Tories, Lib Dems, Labour, Greens or UKIP) we are thinking about the ways that arts and culture is usefully, importantly, critically political.

Whether we are thinking about Israeli funding of the UK Jewish Film Festival at the Tricycle, Brett Bailey’s EXHIBIT B for the Barbican, or that art can engage people in the democratic process,  the ways that arts and culture confronts, challenges and creates contentious debate across the media is well established.

When do we want our arts and culture served politically hot? What issues do we not want to see mediated through a cultural lens or festival theme?

Some of the questions we might be asking could include;

* How have the arts and culture shaped the way you see the world?

* In what ways have your views or consciousness been raised through arts and culture?

* What themes and ideas have been most interesting to you recently?

We bring Bob and Roberta Smith, artist famous for his political work, recently stood against Michael Gove in the election and at the heart of the ‘Vote Art’ project to engage people in voting through the power of art, to describe the next stage in his plans to use art to engage the nation. We also have one of our generations leading socially engaged artistic directors to the chapel for The People’s Salon – Kerry Michael, Artistic Director at Theatre Royal Stratford East will open the discussion talking about the social/political context of the organisation and how audiences engage with that Theatre. We will also have Sara Wahid, Head of Public Engagement at Royal Museums Greenwich with us – Sara is really interested in the ways that sexuality is presented and represented in heritage settings, we also have People’s Salon regular, Mark Londesborough, Creative Learning Director at Tricycle Theatre sharing some of his thoughts…

These fantastic people will start off the debate and then we can get the discussion going!

18th May 2015

Come to The People’s Salon, where being the audience is the performance and explore the daily politics of arts and culture – listen, think, question and share…

Acting – Oh what a privilege! 

With the press often full of highly privileged actors and a live debate about who gets access to a drama school education, we thought we’d take a look at the question through the other end of the telescope…

Who are the people who are acting today and how did they build their careers?

What is the social impact of diversifying the people who we see on our stages and our screens and what impact does that have on the way young people see opportunities and possibility in their lives?

Where are the social and educational origins of casting decisions? What impact does education, facilities and environment have on the skills and talents of our young people to develop into extraordinary actors and performers?

We are bringing the Principle of LAMDA (London School of Music and Dramatic Art) Joanne Read to the House to start off our discussion. LAMDA has alumni that includes Jim Broadbent, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brian Cox, Hermione Norris, Paterson Joseph, Toby Stephens, Anna Chancellor and Anna Maxwell Martin. With a national and international outreach programme and a significant bursary programme, Jo will be exploring the ways that LAMDA does and should find and support the development of diverse people to reflect the diverse society we inhabit. She will be joined by alumni and some current students to explore the barriers and social implications as well as debating some of the initiatives that we might advance to increase diversity within the acting profession.

As ever at a ‘People’s Salon’ event, the discussion will be shaped by you, the audience so that we have live and real debate and everyone’s perspective, questions and concerns are heard and responded to… So come along, get a ring side seat, explore these questions with us, and debate the ideas and implications with actors who you see daily on your stages and screen.

Postponed from 7th September – New date to be released soon

Come to The People’s Salon, where being the audience is the performance and explore the impact of the arts on the way we live and engage – listen, think, question and share…