An international arts organisation and network engaging with music, dance, theatre and visual art, Phakama creates adventurous, site-responsive performances with large groups of people from diverse backgrounds. With contributions from participants, artists, academics and cultural commentators from India, Ireland, South Africa, the UK and USA, this book features case studies, interviews and articles covering two decades of practice. At the heart of the book is a selection of carefully explained and beautifully illustrated exercises which will enable Phakama's methodology to be used by organisations and practitioners working with young people internationally.
Phakama is a Xhosa and Zulu word for stand up, arise, empower yourself. With a focus on collaborative, non-hierarchical performance making, Phakama invites cultural sharing and critical engagement with the world we live in.
As well as engaging with political and critical concerns about contemporary theatre and performance, the book offers unique approaches to devising theatre, applied and social theatre, intercultural performance practices and pedagogic models of collaboration and cultural leadership.
CAOIMHE MCAVINCHEY is Lecturer in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies at Queen Mary, University of London, UK.
Fabio Santos was Artistic Director/CEO of Project Phakama UK (2005-14) and is a Contributing Writer on Playing for Time: Making Art as if the World Mattered (2015), a collaboratively written handbook of transitional arts practice, led by Lucy Neal.
Lucy Richardon's research interest, which includes both traditional and performance research, is in 'creative processes and the politics of participation'. She has a particular interest in ethics and subjectivity. She established and directs The Facility: Research Centre in Creative Practice at London Met to champion practice based research. She continues to work as a theatre director and facilitator. She is one of the founding members of Project Phakama, an international arts and cultural exchange programme supported by London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT). She has directed several projects in Southern Africa and London and launched Phakama in South America. She has worked in India training actors.
Andrew Siddall trained in theatre at Dartington College of Arts (UK) and has worked extensively both nationally and internationally. He is a founder member of Project Phakama, a long-term associate of LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre), ex-Chair of Lewisham Youth Theatre, and visiting artist at Tallaght Community Arts in Dublin.