Name: An Intro to Participatory Theatre Methods for Social and Legislative Change
Start: 2025-02-26T13:00:00+00:00
End: 2025-02-26T15:00:00+00:00
Location: Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama (University of Manchester)

An Intro to Participatory Theatre Methods for Social and Legislative Change

Come learn how to use participatory theatre methods to engage communities in social and legislative change at our interactive workshop.
About this Event

AN INTRODUCTION TO PARTICIPATORY THEATRE METHODS FOR SOCIAL AND LEGISLATIVE

Join us for an introduction to an arts-based method for legislative change, led by theatre practitioner and scholar Reka Polonyi.

Legislative theatre is an interactive theatre piece that brings together community members, advocates and policymakers to identify and develop new legislation. Originated in Brazil in 1992, legislative theatre appeared with the work of political activist, theatre director and city councillor Augusto Boal. This was pioneered as a tool for participatory democracy, and further developed internationally as a way to collectively construct proposed solutions to unjust and inequitable systems.

The workshop will: 1) contextualise the practice of legislative theatre; 2) introduce how participatory theatre may be a method to promote social and legislative change; 3) lead into a more practice-based exploration of what it looks like; 4) end with a discussion on the potential significance of this method within your work and relevant fields of research.

This workshop is open to all academics and activists interested in participatory arts-based methods for social and legislative change. No drama experience is required – this is a relaxed, fun and informative session.

Please book your spot here and get in touch if you have any questions. For more information on legislative theatre, you can check out People Powered, the global hub for participatory democracy, and the resourceful The People Act led by legislative theatre practitioner Katy Rubin.

Reka Polonyi is a practitioner of theatre for social change, and currently Associate Researcher with the Drama department on the interdisciplinary (AHRC) Care Aesthetics Research Exploration (CARE) Project. Her work has specialised in promoting the rights of immigrants through theatre across non-governmental, humanitarian and grassroots organisations. She has worked in prisons, refugee camps, community centres, and public spaces in the UK, France, Hungary, New York, Ecuador, and Lebanon. [email protected]