Please welcome ‘Imagine If’, one of the newest members to join Forum Central. Imagine If allow people to ‘imagine if’ within their own lives – thought-provoking theatre comprising real stories from real people. More information on Imagine If can be found on their website, or by reading below.
Who are Imagine If?
Imagine If theatre company was founded in 2015 by Francesca Joy to instigate real change in disadvantaged people’s lives through the arts and to place those without a platform for their voice at the forefront of each production. They allow people to ‘imagine if’ within their own lives through Imagine If’s thought-provoking theatre productions. The theatre they create is based on the world around us producing real stories from real people.
Who do Imagine If work with?
Imagine If has a solid record of making an active contribution to a fairer, more equal, diverse, and inclusive society by working with, hiring, and engaging those with the lowest access and engagement with the arts from low socio economic backgrounds, facing discrimination and with less opportunities than others in society.
Imagine If programmes
Imagine If has also run programmes such as Phoenix for people with convictions, where they offered weekly drama-based workshops and one to one support. Several of the participants from Phoenix then led ‘Is Anyone There?’ their live, outdoor production with support from a professional creative team and explored their real-life experiences including the cycle of offending, relationship breakdowns, immigration, and homelessness.
Current and upcoming projects
Their latest projects include Writers Toolbox, a six-month workshop for emerging writers who identify as female, are working class and over the age of 25 and are from or live in West Yorkshire. Led by award winning writer Mark Catley and Chesca Joy, it provides a supportive and friendly environment for participants to develop their writing ideas for stage and screen, whilst being paid to attend.
