Aim

To support our free community led theatre programmes which improve social cohesion, mental health awareness and long term wellbeing.

WHO ARE WE

Theatre for Life is a registered community - led arts organisation working with young people (14-25 years old) from disadvantaged backgrounds in Southampton with limited access to the arts. 

We want to empower young people to tell their stories through safe and therapeutic activities in the arts, placing their voice at the heart of every project we create. 

‘We believe your story is your power and that it is yours to make something great from, helping others to be inspired when facing adversity.’ 

(Michelle Smith, Artistic Director) 

Our work focuses on: 

• Devising original, innovative and informative theatre 
• Creative exploration, developing skills in theatre making 
• Developing positive growth mindsets
• Instilling self confidence 
• Building emotional resilience (our work uses mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy 
• Supporting the wider community and audiences with interactive theatre projects, performances and workshops on life-changing subject matters that will develop community resilience.

We provide free, weekly, creative opportunities for young people, including workshops, rehearsals and live performance opportunities in both professional venues and within the community. 

Grace Aluko,19 years old (Actor from Silent Mind 2019 project) 

‘For me personally I’ve learnt so much that I didn’t know before, the whole process has really made me take a look at my life and the people around me and encourage us all to be as caring for our mental health as our physical health. The use of coping mechanisms, mood diaries, breathing exercises and everything else used in the stories I personally try to do! Silent Mind has changed my life’ 

Our 2020 Silent Mind project is an innovative work experience programme and performance tour for young people (18-25 years old).

• Developing life long and transferable skills; communication, team work, acquiring creative skills in performance, production and design 
• Youth leadership skills in production & performance roles 
• Live performance opportunities in professional theatres and community venues 

WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR

Throughout our last youth project we successfully engaged with over 830 beneficiaries, including young carers, LGBTQ groups (Breakout Youth) asylum seekers (ICN), schools, youth organisations and professionals from NHS, Mental Health Network at UCL and Artswork. Our project was filmed by the BBC for a news story and was commended by our audiences, reviewers and Artswork as an ‘authentic’, ‘inclusive’ and ‘empowering’ piece on mental health awareness and wellbeing. 

• Theatre for Life have been awarded £5,000 funding for our 2020 Youth Social Action programmes as part of the the #iwill fund, administered by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation  
• We are previous recipients of Arts Council of England Funding, Southampton City Council Community Chest grant and People’s Postcode Lottery Trust 

We have formed strong community links with:

• Southampton City Council (Theatre for Life is an active member of Southampton Children Services and Lead Engagement Group. The purpose of the group is to support engagement between Children’s and Families Services, Schools and other providers connect with the City’ Cultural Offer.) 
• Southampton Cultural and Education Partnership (Theatre for life is an active member of the group and regularly attend meetings) 
• Southampton Art in Health Forum 
• Southampton Mental Health Network 
• No Limits 
• Solent Mind 
• NHS PEEER Youth Group at the University Hospital Southampton 
• Nuffield Theatre Southampton 
• Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 
• Point Theatre, Eastleigh  
• Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham 
• Theatre for Life performed 2019 Silent Mind at the Nuffield Theatre in June, 2019
• We have featured in a BBC News story as part of the 2019 Mental Health Awareness week 

2020 SILENT MIND COMMUNITY THEATRE PROJECT 

Following the successes of our 2019 Silent Mind production, Theatre for Life, Solent Mind and No Limits have teamed up to explore NEW mental health issues impacting our local community. 

Our 2020 Silent Mind theatre project will be tackling how poverty and deprivation in our local area can lead to social isolation and loneliness, alongside contributing significantly to mental health issues. 

Our young theatre makers will devise an original piece of theatre which will safely explore their own experiences, alongside current issues in our local community. 

'Nearly 17,000 of Southampton’s young people (36%) are living in poverty.'

'Over 45% of Southampton’s population live in neighbourhoods within the 30% most deprived nationally (around 117,000 people)'.

Daily Echo Newspaper, Southampton 

According to the Southampton City Better Care Plan 2017-2019. ‘Mental health hospital admissions, both for adults and children and young people are high, as is the hospital admission rate for self-harm. Alarmingly, the suicide rate is twice that of the England average, increasing since 2009-11’. 

We want to tour Silent Mind in response to these high statistics in our community, supporting our group and audiences with an informative piece on how to manage mental health issues.

Our creative workshops and live performances embed useful advice, coping strategies and signposting. This innovative and new experimental approach will allow all our audiences to actively engage in mindfulness and wellbeing techniques throughout the play, creating a lasting impact beyond the theatre.

We will be touring Silent Mind in and around our immediate community as an outreach programme to a wide demographic of schools, colleges, youth and community organisations. 

We will also be performing at professional theatres such as the Nuffield Theatre (Southampton) Ashcroft Arts Centre (Fareham) and The Point Theatre (Eastleigh) with the view of extending our tour regionally. 

We feel confident that Silent Mind will resonate or raise awareness on important issues and matters around mental health affecting people of all ages and backgrounds in our community, providing supportive tools, coping strategies and advice which can be practiced individually or shared with others beyond our performance. 

WHO ARE OUR SILENT WARRIORS?

Our 2020 project will involve us working with young people aged 18-25 years old  from across Southampton, some of whom attend support groups at No Limits and Prince’s Trust. 

Many of our young theatre makers have lived experience of mental health, NEET (Not in education or employment) or have faced hardship. 

 It is their stories that will inspire the piece alongside facilitating their own individual journeys and personal growth. 

This is a community-led project, placing young people at the forefront of the creative process and performance work. 

Silent Mind is a celebration of the vigour and courage of young people overcoming difficult circumstances, our Silent Warriors. 

#silentwarriors

#silentmind

TEAM 

Our team is a collective of professionals and young people leading community theatre projects. Our approach is about placing aspiring theatre makers at the forefront of the process, providing creative platforms which inspire and rebuild communities through restorative and interactive theatre. 

MICHELLE SMITH - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR 

My name is Michelle and I’m the founder and Artistic Director of Theatre for Life CIC, a huge thank you for taking the time to read our Crowdfunding campaign. 

I am a qualified Performing Arts teacher of 20 years and have worked extensively in youth and community theatre. I also currently work as a freelance youth leader and practitioner for The Point Theatre and Mayflower Theatre. 

As the founder of Theatre for Life CIC, I set up the company in 2017 to support young people from marginalised communities with limited access to the arts, providing free participation in life-changing theatre projects.  

I’m so proud of all the young people we have worked with over the years, watching them aspire and develop through the arts is such a privilege it drives my determination to continue to offer free and inclusive opportunities. Any support you can give this project will be making such a difference to the lives of our company members. Thank you.

ABIGAIL OAKLEY - FOUNDER OF HEAD’S UP 

Abby works for Solent Mind affiliated with the National Mind Charity. She has lived experience of mental health problems which lead to her founding Heads UP, a young persons’ project where she goes in to educational establishments and teaches about mental health and wellbeing.  Abby is extremely passionate about this and after being in the industry 10 years has a vast amount of experience within this field.

RACHEL HARDY - YOUTH WORKER 

NO LIMITS 

I work for No Limits as the lead for group and peer support, for young people from 8-25 years old. I have previously taught children through to adults with different backgrounds, needs and skillsets. As a youth worker, I guide and facilitate young people to find solutions and opportunities that will have a positive effect on their mental health, above all forming healthy friendships and strong connections with other young people who are going through similar struggles in life. I have lived in Southampton for ten years and am passionate about seeing  young people here thrive and realise their potential through the local opportunities available here.

HOW WILL WE USE THE FUNDING? 

If we are successful with funding we will be using the money to secure a weekly rehearsal space which is safe point of contact for our community groups. Regular contact and a community base is incredibly important to ensure our theatre makers feel secure. We will also endeavour to provide food and basic essentials for company members impacted by financial difficulties. 

We have ensured great depth of variety amongst our workshop leaders and personnel, including high levels of training and experience, to safeguard the welfare of our young people and frame the subject nature of this project.

We have researched extensively to obtain the cost-effective and quality efficient methods implementing our project. 

We have liaised with theatres obtaining up to date hire costs, taking into consideration front of house, ushers and additional commission fees.

Please support us today, all donations will be supporting both our theatre makers and the audiences we reach with this life-changing theatre project. 

'Silent Mind is a wonderful, well thought-out youth theatre project, exploring mental health issues and helping to fight the stigma surrounding the open discussion and acceptance of mental health in the big wide world. It’s sure to inspire many young people and adults alike; it’s an important educational piece of art.'

(Jo Fisher, Theatre review, 2019 Silent Mind project)

This project successfully funded on 12th August 2020