Development
Arts for Action both applies the arts and communication for development, and develops artists and cultural forms through training, expert advice and production.
“People are at the centre of our development work: performers are at the centre of our creative practice. We don’t change people, people transform themselves – and creativity and ownership are at the heart of that process.” Melissa Eveleigh, Founder Arts for Action.
What sets us apart from other development actors is that we offer genuinely collaborative, bottom-up approaches for positive change. With in-depth knowledge about the places we work, and investing in front-line practitioners; ‘beneficiaries’ become implementers and take the lead on design all the way through to monitoring, programme management and evaluation.
If our values and intention don’t shape innovation, our humanity will be in trouble
Julie Hanna, Executive Chair, Board of KIVA
Specific Development
Arts for Action use theatre across the following key development areas
- Theatre and communication for good governance
- Theatre for decision makers
- Theatre for justice
- Theatre for conflict resolution and peace
- Theatre for women’s rights
- Theatre for child rights
- Theatre for HIV & AIDS prevention
- Theatre for hygiene and sanitation
- Theatre for Malaria prevention
- Theatre for environmental health
Theatre is used to describe both theatre based processes and theatre as an event or rehearsed product. Training in these specific thematic areas encompasses knowledge and understanding or specific development needs in developing countries, incorporating practice experience of the barriers to achieving positive change in challenging contexts. Realities in mid and post-conflict states, fragile states and “least-developed” states where poverty and/or traditional cultural practices can hold back ‘development’ as defined by western donors.