Clean Break services will be closed over the festive period, from 4pm on Thursday 19 December 2024 until 10am on Monday 13 January 2025.
We know that this can be a challenging time of year, so we've made a list of helplines which will remain open.
NHS Direct 111 - Lines open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Confidential advice if you have a medical issue that is not life threatening or an immediate emergency.
Samaritans 116 123 - Lines open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can get in touch about anything that’s troubling you. They’re here to listen.
Talk to Frank 0300 123 6600 - Lines open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Honest, non-judgemental support and information about drug use.
Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 917 7650 - Free advice and support for people struggling with alcoholism.
Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000 247 - Lines open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Trained women helpline workers and volunteers will answer your call in confidence.
National Rape Crisis Helpline 0808 500 2222 - Lines are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Confidential support if you have survived any form of sexual violence, no matter how long ago.
Shelter Emergency Housing Helpline 0808 800 4444 - Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am - 8pm, closed on weekends and bank holidays.
Housing experts will advise you if you are at risk of homelessness. If you are not in an emergency situation, but need housing advice, visit Shelter's website.
BEAT Eating Disorder Helpline 0808 801 0677 – Lines open from 3pm to 8pm - Monday to Friday.
Support and information about eating disorders no matter where you are in your journey.
Cruse Bereavement Support 0808 808 1677 – See their website for opening times.
A space to talk about your bereavement with trained helpline volunteers.
Find a local NHS urgent mental health helpline
If you are in serious danger call 999
Click here for a longer list of support services.
We wish everyone a peaceful time over the next few weeks, and look forward to welcoming our Members back in January.
We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved at Clean Break this year, as a theatre company and a community, despite the continuously precarious landscape we exist in. The ongoing challenges faced locally and globally, makes the community we have built at Clean Break all the more important.
We started off the year with a new audio play, A Proposal for Resisting Darkness written by Yasmin Joseph in collaboration with HMP Downview Theatre Company. The play was the outcome of Clean Break’s participation in the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance Inspiring Futures research project. Originally performed inside the prison in 2022, A Proposal for Resisting Darkness was adapted into an audio drama, first broadcast on National Prison Radio and now available online.
In March, Lakesha Arie-Angelo joined Clean Break as our Associate Artistic Director, making an incredible addition to our team. As a writer, dramaturg and director, Lakesha is already enriching our artistic life and has brought new relationships with playwrights, venues and creatives, putting Clean Break in a strong position artistically for the coming years.
Also in March, Clean Break joined The National Women’s Justice Coalition (NWJC), an alliance of women’s organisations that share a mission to drive change for women and girls in contact with the criminal justice system and improve outcomes for them. It is a privilege to be part of this group, and to bring Clean Break's unique perspective to this collective voice.
Our anti-racism work remained a priority this year, and included a company-wide session in May, led by our Anti-Racism Working Group of Members, staff and Trustees. The session was an important moment to come together to continue to learn, build community and champion our anti-racism work, and included presentations, discussion, and in true Clean Break fashion, time to share a meal together.
In June we opened The Trials and Passions of Unfamous Women at Brixton House, a co-commission as part of London’s International Festival of Theatre (LIFT). We are incredibly proud of this production, which was a new approach for Clean Break. Member artists Athena Maria, Yvonne Wickham, Sarah-Jane Dent, Dominique Lavine Wood-Whyte and Kim Teresa (KT) Marsh devised the work led by Janaina Leite, Lara Duarte and Rachel Valentine Smith, and explored stories of women who have faced judgement across time.
Clean Break held its second ever Members Festival in July. Titled Beyond, the festival was co-created by our Festival Committee and showcased our Members’ personal creative projects. Over three days we saw short plays, participated in workshops and enjoyed a dance performance in association with The Place. It was a delight to host Clean Break’s founders at the festival, amongst many guests.
Over summer, our Capital Project works came to their apex with our Welcome Area and Green Room receiving a full makeover. Our Operations Team engaged in a trauma-informed design process, bringing in Members and staff to help inform the design. The result has been a much improved, open, welcoming and more accessible space.
After saying farewell to co-Chairs Alison Frater and Tanya Tracey, we welcomed Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE and Clean Break Member artist Sarah-Jane Dent as new co-Chairs of our Board of Trustees, as well as new Trustee Joni Emery. We are excited to enter a new year with such a broad range of passionate, experienced and skilled women governing our company.
This October we said goodbye to Erin Gavaghan, Clean Break’s Executive Director since 2018. Erin stepped down to move home to Canada and take up the position of Managing Director at Canadian College of Performing Arts. We are so grateful for Erin’s six years at Clean Break, during which time she has spearheaded significant work on company culture, wellbeing, governance and impact measurement. Natasha Bucknor MBE has joined us as Interim Executive Director, and is a brilliant addition to the team while we recruit for the permanent position.
Following the launch of our digital Knowledge Hub last year, this autumn we hosted our first online Film Festival on the platform. The festival showcased films which tell authentic stories of struggle, survival and healing from a range of unique perspectives, from a group of incredible filmmakers. We were glad to be able to include Wings in the festival, a very special short film written by the late Sonya Hale.
Towards the end of October, Radio 4 audiences across the country heard Clean Break’s charity appeal message, beautifully read by our Patron Harriet Walter DBE. Harriet shared some of Member artist Jennifer Joseph’s story, and encouraged listeners to donate to Clean Break, achieving over £10,000 in funds to support our life changing work.
This year marked 25 years in Clean Break’s Kentish Town building. We celebrated this milestone with an event, Women’s Spaces: Landmarks on the Journey, part of the Being Human festival of humanities. Hosted by academic Shona Minson, the event celebrated our work with an exhibition of Laura Dean’s art, a film screening, monologue performances from Clean Break’s canon and a panel discussion.
This November, we announced our new production, Scenes from Lost Mothers, written by acclaimed playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti. The play brings to life the findings of the Lost Mothers research project, and examines how decisions are made about separating imprisoned mothers from their babies and young children. Scenes from Lost Mothers is designed to be performed in educational and professional settings and will be touring in February and March 2024.
Earlier this month, we hosted our biggest fundraiser event yet, Clean Break’s Big Night Out, at The Other Palace. A line-up of talented comedians, singers and performers donated their skills and their time, and helped us put on a fabulously joyful and energetic show, hosted by our new co-Chair Josette Bushell-Mingo and Patron Zawe Ashton.
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2024 saw another successful year of Clean Break’s Members programme. This season, we had the addition of a series of comedy workshops from The Comedy School, and audiences were treated to a hilarious sharing of stand-up routines at the end of the course.
Clean Break’s training offer continued to grow, as we took our popular Leading with Kindness trauma informed training to arts organisations across the country, as well as to Scotland and Ireland.
Our work in prisons and women’s centres continued this year, and we are grateful to have been able to connect with and explore creativity with more participants. A highlight being a series of creative workshops with Young Adults in HMP/YOI Styal, delivered by Artistic Director Anna Herrmann and Associate Artistic Director Lakesha Arie-Angelo, in partnership with Gilly Sharpe at the University of Sheffield, as part of her research on how to improve safety in prison for young women.
Our most heartfelt thanks to all Clean Break Members, Member artists, staff, artists, volunteers, Trustees, Patrons, partners, funders and supporters for another wonderful year of collaboration, courage and change-making through theatre. We wish everyone a restful break and look forward to connecting again in the new year.
From 3 to 10 December, all donations to Clean Break will be doubled. That means twice the support for our Members Programme.
Women who have survived gender-based violence experience higher levels of criminalisation. So this year, we are using our Big Give campaign videos to platform our Members' stories, from surviving violence and abuse to finding their creative voices at Clean Break, and moving forward with their lives.
To protect our Members' anonymity, our Patron Lia Williams, staff member Shabina Cannon and Member artist Yvonne Wycombe have lent their voices to the campaign. Hear these three talented performers read our Members stories on their behalf, and support our campaign today so we can reach even more women.
Watch our campaign video:
We are excited to announce that Clean Break is taking part in this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge!
We are grateful to be taking part in this brilliant fundraising campaign once again, and have ambitiously increased our target to £40,000!
The vital funds we will raise - thanks to our incredible supporters and match-funder will allow us to continue our life changing work with women who have experienced the criminal justice system, or are at risk.
This year, the Big Give Christmas Challenge coincides with the UN’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence. Around 60% of women in the criminal justice system are survivors of violence or abuse. That’s why this year, we are using our Big Give campaign to bring attention to how violence impacts women who are criminalised, and how Clean Break can help.
Donating to our Big Give Christmas Challenge supports Clean Break’s groundbreaking Members programme. Our creative workshops help women to rebuild trust and confidence after experiences of violence or abuse, improving wellbeing and increasing aspirations. Our Members gain transferable skills which enable them to access employment, training and volunteering opportunities, allowing them to move on with their lives and reach their full potential.
Double your donation to Clean Break
We will be sharing our Big Give campaign video on Clean Break’s social media channels at the start of the campaign on Tuesday 3 December.
In the video, our Members have generously shared some of their experiences of gender-based violence, and how Clean Break’s offer of theatre workshops and holistic support helped them to heal and move towards more positive futures.
To protect these Members’ anonymity, permission was given for the stories to be read by others, on their behalf. Thank you to our Patron Lia Williams, staff member Shabina Cannon and Member artist Yvonne Wycombe for lending your voices to the campaign, and providing a safe way for our Members’ stories to be heard.
Make sure you follow Clean Break on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook, and keep your eyes peeled for our campaign video on Tuesday 3 December.
Take a look behind the scenes of our campaign video shoot:
Because our work is about highlighting women’s experiences and providing gender-specific services to women, all of our positions are open to women only (exception under Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, part 1).
We’re looking for a friendly, positive and diligent candidate, who has an eye for detail and enjoys working as part of a close-knit team as well as with colleagues across the organisation.
You’ll have good communication skills both written and verbal and be capable of holding relationships with a range of stakeholders. You’ll have great organisational skills that help you manage competing priorities and to keep on top of research and systems.
You don’t need experience in fundraising, or in an arts organisation, to do this role; you might equally use the application to show you have the transferable skills to fulfil the responsibilities. The role is broad, and as such will be a great introduction to working in a fundraising team.
Recruitment pack - link to the application portal is in the Recruitment Pack
Criminal Records disclosure information
Please read the recruitment pack before applying
The application deadline is Monday 6 January 2025 at 12pm.
Scenes from Lost Mothers is a new play from Clean Break and the University of Hertfordshire. The play brings to life the findings of the Lost Mothers project, research project led by Dr Laura Abbott, a midwife and Associate Professor in research at The University of Hertfordshire, in partnership with Birth Companions and their lived experience team.
The project examines how decisions are made about separating imprisoned mothers from their newborn babies. The project team have interviewed women in five prisons as well as prison officers, midwives, social workers, and health visitors. The team have also observed mother and baby decision making boards
With the voices of women with lived experience of prison at its heart, Scenes from Lost Mothers explores the multiple challenges faced by women who spend their pregnancy awaiting the possibility of separation, and those who are compulsorily separated from their babies.
Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Playwright: "When speaking to mothers in prison, I came to realise that our broken system simply perpetuates another kind of brokenness.
I saw how becoming a mother could unlock fresh potential in women, but that sense of hope was too often crushed by the oppressive patterns and structures which are part of daily life in an institution.
It’s time for radical action and for the justice system to start viewing mothers and pregnant women as human beings instead of problems that cannot be solved."
The play has been designed specifically to be performed at conferences, seminars, training events or educational settings, presenting complex subject matter in a creative and accessible format.
Topics explored in the play include maternal separation, health care provision, access to mother and baby units, living conditions, increased risk of mental ill-health, and the consequences of decisions made by professionals run ragged by a system that’s falling apart.
Within the scenes, there is a celebration of the vital work of women’s organisations and campaigners. The show is a cry from the heart for change and compassion.
Scenes from Lost Mothers will be touring in February and March 2025, and is available to book with an accompanying reflective workshop, for professional and educational settings.
Find out more by downloading our information pack, and get in touch with Clean Break’s Producer to book: dezh.zhelyazkova@cleanbreak.org.uk
Image: Ayesha Antoine in [BLANK] by Alice Birch at the Donmar Warehouse. Credit: Helen Maybanks
Hear Clean Break Patron Dame Harriet Walter deliver our appeal message on Radio 4 on Sunday 20 October and Thursday 24 October.
In the appeal, Harriet shares some of actor and Clean Break Member artist, Jennifer Joseph’s story. Jen has generously shared some of the challenges she faced both in and outside prison, and how Clean Break helped her to turn her life around.
In 2012, Harriet and Jen performed together in Julius Caesar at the Donmar Warehouse, part of the all-women Shakespeare trilogy directed by Phyllida Loyd, which makes this appeal message all the more special.
“This could not be a better place to put your charitable gifts. I’ve watched this work for 30 years, growing from an idea to a very professional theatre company, with outreach beyond most institutions.” - Dame Harriet Walter
We are very grateful to Harriet for delivering the message, which will be heard by listeners across the country. This appeal will introduce Clean Break to new audiences and raise much needed funds, which will enable us to continue our life changing work, reaching more women like Jen.
Hear the appeal at the following times on BBC Radio 4, or listen after the first broadcast on the BBC website.
Sunday 20 October – 7:54am
Sunday 20 October – 9:25pm
Thursday 24 October – 3:27pm
Please share our appeal with your networks, we would love our message and Jen’s inspiring story to reach as many ears as possible.
Thank you to BBC Radio 4 for broadcasting our appeal.
Join Clean Break and a line-up of acclaimed comedians, singers and performers for an ‘unruly variety show’!
Expect comedy sets from Desiree Burch, Sophie Duker and Laura Smyth, musical delights from West End stars Bronté Barbé, Sia Kiwa and Alice Ellen Wright, contemporary dance from Chrissy Brooke and R&B classics from Michelle Gayle.
Come along for your seasonal outing with friends and family, your work’s festive-do, or just a dose of comedy and entertainment for yourself!
Clean Break’s Big Night Out will be a very unserious event, with serious impact.
Every ticket purchased will directly fund Clean Break’s work, transforming women’s lives through theatre workshops and holistic support.
Women come to Clean Break for a change, for community, to learn new skills and build confidence. Without the generosity of our supporters, none of this would be possible.
Your ticket will make a real difference in the lives of women who have experienced the criminal justice system or are at risk, and we thank you for your support.
Image credit: Eloise Dorr
We are thrilled to announce the exciting line-up of films we will be presenting at our first online short film festival. Hosted on our Knowledge Hub, developed with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Programme, the festival will run from 23 September to 6 October.
We are proud to showcase a gripping range of films which navigate stories of:
Anna Herrmann, Artistic Director of Clean Break: “We chose these films believing that they offer an eclectic range of voices, perspectives and styles, wanting the experience to be broad and dynamic as a collection... I am so proud of this programme and all the terrific filmmakers we are championing. We trust that you will find something that moves you, challenges you and inspires you.”
Clean Break’s Film Festival 2024 is proud to present:
Adra Ni Y Môr (Our Home The Sea) - from filmmaker Mared Rees
After Time – from Kestrel Theatre Company, directed by Dorothy Allen Pickard
Buddleia: The Unchained Story – directed by Tracy Kiryango
Boiling Frogs (More Than One Story film series) - from Cardboard Citizens, directed by Chris Sonnex
Dues – from Synergy Theatre Company, directed by Esther Baker
Home – from filmmaker Nia Childs
Hope – from Clean Break, directed by Kirsty Housley
Smart Justice: animated video series – from American Civil Liberties Union and Neon Zoo
No Comprendo – from filmmaker Bukola Bakinson
Sandwiches: More Than One Story film series - from Cardboard Citizens, directed by Chris Sonnex
Snakes and Landlords: More Than One Story film series - from Cardboard Citizens, directed by Chris Sonnex
Sweatbox - from Clean Break, directed by Anna Herrmann
Violet Gave Willingly – from filmmaker Claire Sanford
Wings – directed by Billy Boyd Cape, written by Sonya Hale
Without Walls – from filmmaker Clare Richards
Booking for Clean Break's first online Film Festival is now open!
Unlock Clean Break's full programme of films by purchasing a Film Festival Pass.
We also have a range of films which are available to watch for free. Simply create a free Knowledge Hub account to start watching.
All films will be available to watch on our Knowledge Hub from 9am on 23 September until the end of 6 October 2024.
Trailer by Tea Films
Image: still from Home by Nia Childs
Get ready to explore Clean Break’s first online film festival, celebrating the intersection of film and theatre.
The festival will run from 23 September to 6 October, and will be hosted on our Knowledge Hub, which has been developed with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Programme.
Clean Break is excited to showcase short films which raise difficult questions, inspire debate, and help to effect profound and positive change in the lives of people who are criminalised, or who are at risk.
Discover a diverse and gripping programme, from a talented selection of filmmakers. We are proud to showcase authentic stories of struggle, survival and healing from a range of unique perspectives.
Watch short films that navigate stories of...
Moving image has always played a crucial part in Clean Break’s artistic practice. From Killers in 1984, to more recently Sweatbox and Hope, film compliments our on-stage work and allows us to share stories of women and the criminal justice system to audiences beyond the theatre walls.
Theatre and film have a rich shared history, having influenced each other since the birth of film in the late 19th century with the early silent films of the Lumière brothers.
In the 20th century, the rise of stage-to-screen adaptations influenced cinema’s three-act narrative structure and dramatic character arcs, as well as the stagecraft elements such as set design and lighting.
Today, we see cinema’s influence in theatre, with the use of digital projection and sound design being commonplace in on-stage productions.
We are excited to continue this legacy by putting film in the spotlight on Clean Break’s Knowledge Hub this autumn.
You will be able to unlock Clean Break's full programme of films by purchasing a Film Festival Pass.
We also have a range of films which are available to watch for free. Simply create a free Knowledge Hub account to start watching.
All films will be available to watch on our Knowledge Hub from 9am on 23 September until the end of 6 October 2024.
Keep your eyes peeled for our programme announcement!
Image credit: Eloise Dorr
Erin joined Clean Break in 2018 as Executive Director alongside Artistic Directors Anna Herrmann and Róisín McBrinn, as part of a new leadership structure and subsequently became Joint CEO with Anna after Róisín’s departure in 2022. As part of the leadership team, Erin’s huge impact has included steering major capital works to improve sustainability and accessibility; championing the company’s industry-renowned well-being and mental health commitments; supporting the development and embedding of our anti-racism practice; and achieving a Silver Award for Clean Break’s trauma-informed practice.
Natasha Bucknor MBE will take up the role of Interim Executive Director and Joint CEO for Clean Break this Autumn. Natasha brings a wealth of leadership experience having worked as an Executive Director and Senior Manager across the cultural sector, most recently as Head of Operations at English PEN and as Interim CEO at VocalEyes. Natasha is also a freelance consultant and an Associate at Counterculture. She is a Trustee at Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres, and in 2019, received an MBE for services to theatre.
Erin Gavaghan, Executive Director and Joint CEO: “Working with the women at Clean Break has been such a rewarding experience, one that has generously offered me the opportunity to learn and grow into the leader I want to be. Clean Break is an extraordinary company which consistently punches above its weight, producing excellent theatre that truly changes hearts and minds and through this, changes society for the better. I will miss the dedicated and passionate team and trustees who have inspired and supported me through the past six years, especially my joint CEO Anna Herrmann whose vision and artistic leadership shines so brightly.”
Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE and Sarah-Jane Dent, Clean Break Co-Chairs: “As incoming Co-Chairs, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Erin for her great work leading Clean Break. Her unique strength, skills and dedication are present in everything she does and leave a lasting impact on the company, its team, Members and everyone it with whom it engages. We wish Erin joy for the next step in her journey."
Anna Herrmann, Artistic Director and Joint CEO: “Erin has brought her passion for theatre and her values of equity and inclusion along with her rigour with finance and operations, her love of all things data and her expertise in people management. Amongst other achievements, she has spearheaded brilliant work on company culture, wellbeing, governance and impact measurement. She leaves the company in a strong, healthy position, and with an abundance of love and respect for her across the staff team, trustees and Membership. I will miss her and wish her incredible success in her move to Canada and her new position.
I am also thrilled to have Natasha join us in this interim period – bringing such a wealth of expertise from her various roles in the sector, and invaluable experience as an interim. We are very lucky that she could support us in this moment.”
Natasha Bucknor MBE, Interim Executive Director and Joint CEO: “Clean Break is a company that I’ve admired for a very long time. I’m absolutely thrilled to be working with Anna and the team over the next few months, whilst they recruit for the permanent role.”
Clean Break’s recruitment for a permanent Executive Director and Joint CEO will begin in September.
Photography: Tracey Anderson
This year Clean Break is celebrating 25 years in our Kentish Town studios with an event, Women’s Spaces: Landmarks on the Journey, part of this year's Being Human Festival. The event will take place on 7 November 2024. There are two time slots to chose from, from 2pm - 4pm or from 4:30pm - 6:30pm, both at Clean Break's building.
This event is part of Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 7 – 16 November 2024. Led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, with generous support from Research England, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. For further information please visit the Being Human website.
The theme of this year's festival is Landmarks, to celebrate the landmark 10 year anniversary of the festival. We couldn't think of a better theme to acknowledge the anniversary of Clean Break's building, which has been a landmark of community, healing and creative discovery for hundreds of women over the past quarter-of-a-century.
At Women’s Spaces: Landmarks on the Journey, join Clean Break Members, Artistic Director Anna Herrmann and Dr Shona Minson from University of Oxford's Centre for Criminology, for an exciting day of creative engagement. Expect a screening of our film Sweatbox, an exhibition of Clean Break-inspired artworks by Laura Dean, insightful discussions and more.
Together, we will be exploring the importance women-only spaces hold for those with experience of the criminal justice system, and asking how a physical space can become a site of healing and liberation.
Come and celebrate this landmark anniversary with us, and explore what else Being Human Festival has to offer.
Award-winning actor and director Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE and writer, actor, and Clean Break Member artist Sarah-Jane Dent have been appointed co-Chairs of the Board of Trustees for Clean Break. Josette and Sarah-Jane take up the position from 24 July, succeeding Alison Frater and Alex Rowse, who step down from their roles as co-Chair and interim co-Chair respectively, with Alex remaining a Trustee. The company also welcomes new Trustee Joni Emery.
Josette Bushell-Mingo is Principal of Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (CSSD). Her career has included performances with the RSC, National Theatre, and Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester and she was nominated for an Olivier Award for her role as Rafiki in the West End production of The Lion King. As a director, she was Founder and Artistic Director of PUSH, a Black-led theatre festival with the Young Vic Theatre and through this work she was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the arts. She is an active spokesperson for inclusive arts and politics and has served on the board of Swedish Film Institute, as Chair for CinemAfrica, and as Patron of the Unity Theatre, Liverpool.
Sarah-Jane Dent has been in several Clean Break productions including devising and performing in The Trials and Passions of Unfamous Women (Clean Break’s co-production with LIFT at Brixton House), Hours Til Midnight by the late Sonya Hale, Hear by Deborah Bruce, and collaborating with Chloë Moss on Through This Mist. Further stage credits include Donmar Warehouse’s all-female Shakespeare Trilogy directed by Phyllida Lloyd, and Zina, a one-woman show by Naomi Westerman at Vaults Festival.
Joni Emery enjoyed a 14-year legal career and has worked in the criminal justice voluntary sector with the charity User Voice and infrastructure organisation CLINKS. She leads on four main areas in her work including finance, income generation, HR, and governance. Her passion for supporting women in difficult and challenging circumstances stems from her own lived expertise and enables her to bring an authentic outlook.
Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE: “To say that this is a total honour would be too short a response. Clean Break's work to serve, to champion, and to understand chimes with my belief that the arts are fundamental to a person's life and wellbeing and help to create meaningful societal change within our communities. This is a shared Chairwomanship, and I am delighted to work alongside the talented Sarah-Jane Dent and to welcome new Trustee Joni Emery. Clean Break is an iconic organisation using theatre to transform women's lives in prisons, on stages, and within communities. Anti-racism, care, equity, and justice are central to everything they do - and they prove that whatever our herstories, they are never a barrier to greatness. I look forward to this journey."
Sarah-Jane Dent: “I am absolutely thrilled to be taking on the role of the co-Chair at Clean Break, alongside the brilliant Josette Bushell-Mingo and a board of such skilled and diverse women. To be part of the incredible work the women of this company do in helping to empower other women is phenomenal. It is an organisation incredibly close to my heart and I cannot wait to contribute and help to shape its future, putting our Members at the forefront of its work. I look forward to continuing the great work of the previous co-Chairs and am thankful for all their work and commitment to the company.”
Joni Emery: “I am honoured to be joining the board of such a valuable and impactful organisation. Clean Break is truly inspiring to women within the justice system and I am proud to step into the role of Trustee and add my support to the work in whatever way I can. I know first-hand their work as an authentic audience member, through working relationships, and now to be directly involved on a personal basis is wonderful.”
Erin Gavaghan, Anna Herrmann - Clean Break’s leadership team: “We are thrilled to welcome Josette and Sarah-Jane as co-Chairs, and Joni as a Trustee to the Board of Clean Break at this pivotal moment where we deepen our resolve to achieve greater equity, diversity, and lived experience representation at every level of the organisation. Josette is such a powerhouse who speaks passionately about the transformative role of the arts, and her energy and commitment to theatre and inclusion is infectious and energising. Sarah-Jane has been connected to Clean Break since 2010 and throughout that time her passion for women, for justice, and for theatre has shone through. She shows great compassion, care, and understanding for others, and we cannot wait to get started with them both, alongside Joni and our existing trustees, on leading Clean Break into the future.”
Clean Break thanks outgoing co-Chairs Alison Frater and Alex Rowse (who remains a Trustee) for their invaluable contribution to the company in the role of co-Chairs:
Erin Gavaghan, Anna Herrmann: “We would like to give our heartfelt thanks to Alison and Alex for their support as we transition leadership of the Board. Alison in particular, came into post as Chair in July 2020 and supported the charity through the pandemic, then with her wisdom and insight nudged us towards a co-Chair model, bringing lived experience and diversity into the heart of decision making. Alex, who stepped into the Interim co-Chair position, following Tanya Tracey’s end of term in July 2023, has offered her counsel and her expertise, and together they have held our values close to their hearts. We thank them for their kindness, gentle challenge, support, and unswerving belief.”
Image credits
Josette: Cam Harle Photography
Sarah-Jane: AKTA Photography
Clean Break’s biennial Members Festival is back this summer with an exciting line-up of original stories, performances and workshops by Clean Break Members. Beyond is a celebratory event led and delivered by our Members*, dedicated to showcasing the creative talents and personal projects of the women at the heart of Clean Break.
Connection, discovery and healing are the central themes of this year’s festival. Audiences are invited to connect with Clean Break’s creative community, at an event which will inspire and nourish.
The festival is proud to be a participatory and community-focused event organised by our Members Festival Committee.
Taking place from Thursday 11 to Saturday 13 July, the first day of the festival is for the Clean Break community, including Members, staff, volunteers and supporters. On the Friday and Saturday, members of the public are invited to join the performances and activities.
Tickets are free, with the option to donate to Clean Break. All donations are gratefully received, and help us continue our transformational work.
Clean Break community only
Sliding Doors – an audio drama by Sue Sandeman
Health and Wellbeing Sharing – from Clean Break’s Members programme
Creative Space Sharing – from Clean Break’s Members programme
Down at the Sycamore Tree – by Inka J Lorde
Writers Circle Sharing - from Clean Break’s Members programme
Women only
Sliding Doors – an audio drama by Sue Sandeman
Movement Workshop – by Michelle Hamilton
Open Mic Event
Open to all
The Self-Love Sessions – by Denero Richards
Le Starlet – by Natasha Sparkes
Soul Sisters – by Sharon Leigh
Rebirth – by Susannah Gale
Nether Regions – Nubian Co-heARTs
Dance Project – in collaboration with The Place
Artist in Residence, Christina Shultz - Walls of Breath: from inside out
Open to all
Sliding Doors – an audio drama by Sue Sandeman
Nether Regions – Nubian Co-heARTs
Rebirth – by Susannah Gale
Dance Project – in collaboration with The Place
Le Starlet – by Natasha Sparkes
Theatre Makers – from Clean Break’s Members programme
Artist in Residence, Christina Shultz - Walls of Breath: from inside out
*women with experience of the criminal justice system or at risk of entering it.
We are excited to be welcomed as one of three new partner organisations of The National Women’s Justice Coalition (NWJC), alongside Kairos WWT and Trevi.
Established in September 2021, the NWJC is dedicated to achieving social justice for women by driving transformative changes within the criminal justice system (CJS) to reduce stigmatisation and improve outcomes for women and girls. The coalition’s membership group now includes 22 organisational partners, all expert in delivering trauma-informed support through women’s centres, women’s prisons and women-only premises. NWJC partners also include national women’s organisations that provide specialist services to women in custody and the community.
In November 2023 NWJC invited applications from UK based women’s organisations working with women in contact with the criminal justice system. This was with the intention of welcoming up to six new partners to increase the coalitions reach, increase representation and support the NWJC’s growth. The coalition plans to welcome a further three new partners before the end of June 2024, taking its membership group up to 25 specialist women’s organisations from across England and Wales.
Our Artistic Director Anna Herrmann said, “We are thrilled to announce Clean Break's membership of the National Women's Justice Coalition and join their community of organisations doing such vital work with and alongside women who have experience of the criminal justice system. We look forward to bringing Clean Break's unique perspective to the coalition, and to learn from their growing membership”.
Women who dare to transgress will face judgement.
The world premiere of The Trials and Passions of Unfamous Women asks what is justice, and who has the power to decide. This bold and theatrical experience immerses us in the haze between the shared rituals of theatre and the halls of justice.
A passion is what obsesses us, what we take risks for. Throughout history, driven by "passion", women have crossed the line between the legal and illegal, the moral and immoral and, because of that, faced the laws of their time. Whether in public trials or in the intimacy of homes, a visible and invisible struggle has been waged against women who are judged for their passions.
Brazilian theatremakers Janaina Leite, Lara Duarte and Clean Break theatre company Members devise an epic journey through the theatre of judgement. We encounter the voices of historic, mythic women and the personal stories and passions of the women on stage, labelled as transgressive as truth and fiction collide.
London's International Festival of Theatre | Brixton House | 14 - 22 June 2024
Credits
Created by Janaina Leite, Lara Duarte and Athena Maria, Yvonne Wickham, Sarah-Jane Dent, Dominique Lavine Wood-Whyte and Kim Teresa (KT) Marsh
Concept, Dramaturgy and Direction - Janaina Leite
Co-Direction, Dramaturgy and Writing - Lara Duarte
UK Associate Artist and Dramaturgy - Rachel Valentine Smith
Production Director for Artist team - Carla Estefan
Set & Costume Designer - Alex Berry
Sound Design - Mwen
Light Design - Sarah Readman
Artwork: Peek Images
Did you know 47% of women identify workplace environment and culture as the primary obstacle to their leadership development? It is therefore unsurprising that 44% believe their organisations aren’t prioritising enough support for women to achieve career goals. [The Pipeline, Women Count, 2023]
This is why throughout March, Clean Break will be offering a limited number of one-hour training sessions for businesses who want to support their female colleagues in reaching their full potential and cultivate a culture of empowerment in their organisation.
Celebrate International Women’s Day by challenging the expectations put upon women in the workplace, from a position of awareness and empowerment, whilst supporting a charity that transforms the lives of women who have experienced challenges such as criminalisation, homelessness and mental ill health.
Book a session for your team, and our expert facilitators will come to your workplace to share Clean Break’s unique insights, developed over four decades of supporting women to achieve beyond their highest expectations, and raising awareness of the visible and invisible ways which gender dynamics impact women professionally.
The expert facilitators who will lead your session are Anna Herrmann and Katherine Yates. Anna is Artistic Director of Clean Break and has been working in the field of theatre and social change for thirty years. Katharine is a facilitator and coach, who uses creativity to lead cultural transformation work with a range of organisations.
Set aside one hour, maybe over a lunch break, and provide your female employees with a platform to get inspired, learn new skills, shift perspectives and give their work a new lease of life.
Women will leave the session
The session will also provide a taster of how we work with our Achieving Greater Impact full day training and coaching offer.
The details
To register your interest or find out more information, please contact our Producer Maya: maya.ellis@cleanbreak.org.uk
Clean Break is excited to present a new audio drama, available to listen to for free on our Knowledge Hub.
"We will always be too loud for a world that never intended on listening to us. But we’ll speak all the same."
The malevolent beast Darkness has taken the voices of all women on earth, but a group of magical women in the clouds create their own proposal for resisting Darkness's power. Will they succeed or will Darkness silence them for good?
A Proposal for Resisting Darkness was created with a group of women at HMP Downview and playwright Yasmin Joseph during a series of workshops. The play was the outcome of Clean Break’s participation in Inspiring Futures, a research project involving leading arts in criminal justice organisations and the University of Cambridge and led by the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance. A Proposal for Resisting Darkness was originally directed by Anna Herrmann and first performed by HMP Downview Theatre Company inside the prison in 2022.
To extend the reach of this abstract yet relatable play, A Proposal for Resisting Darkness has been adapted into an audio drama, originally broadcast across the prison estate of England and Wales on National Prison Radio and now available online on Clean Break’s Knowledge Hub.
The audio play is performed by Lisa-Marie Ashworth, Shona Babayemi, TerriAnn Cousins, Polly Frame, and Jade Small, and is directed by Anna Herrmann. It was produced by Clean Break in association with Prison Radio Association.
With thanks to The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance, Clinks, University of Cambridge, and Arts Council England for their support.
Listen for free on our Knowledge Hub
Credits
Playwright - Yasmin Joseph in collaboration with HMP Downview Theatre Company
Director - Anna Herrmann
Cast – Lisa-Marie Ashworth, Shona Babayemi, TerriAnn Cousins, Polly Frame, and Jade Small
Producer (Clean Break) - Maya Ellis
Producer (Prison Radio Association) - Perri Hurley
Assistant Producer (Prison Radio Association) - Richie Makepeace
Executive Producer (Prison Radio Association) - Andrew Wilkie
We are incredibly proud of all Clean Break’s achievements this year, despite challenges we continue to face, both locally as a community and globally. Below, we have taken a moment to reflect on some of our activity in 2023 and extend our thanks to everyone who made it possible.
At the start of the year we embarked on an eight-week national tour of educational and professional settings with Sonia Jalaly’s play Catch, designed to deepen understanding about the vital role of women’s centres. The play was performed by Clean Break Members*, Daisy Bartle, Amy-Jane Pearce and Ann Whitely as part of an actors’ traineeship and reached over 400 audience members.
In March, we received the brilliant news that Clean Break had achieved a silver Trauma Informed Quality Mark from the charity One Small Thing. We are so proud to receive this recognition from an organisation we admire deeply at Clean Break. Following receipt of the quality mark, we began delivering public sessions of our Leading with Kindness training, developed for arts practitioners and facilitators to learn about working safely with trauma.
In April, we opened our co-production Dixon and Daughters by Deborah Bruce, on the National Theatre’s Dorfman stage, a first for Clean Break. Dixon and Daughters told a moving and challenging story which highlighted the complexities of cycles of violence and was performed to our largest audience in the history of the company. The National Theatre welcomed our Members behind the scenes, embraced our initiatives around audience care, and played a significant role in helping to amplify this important story. Dixon and Daughters is now available on NT at Home.
Across the year, Clean Break has taken part in multiple research projects, which continue to build greater understanding and new thinking about the transformative impact of theatre and the arts in criminal justice settings. These academic partnerships, including with Goldsmiths and Southbank Universities, are an important way for us to extend our learning and connect across sectors, and we place great value on the learning that arises from them. In May, key findings from Women/Theatre/Justice, an interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project focussing on Clean Break, were presented at a celebratory event at the Shard, where keynote speakers included our Patron Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, academics from the project, Professor Caoimhe McAvinchey and Dr Deborah Dean, and members of our team. Artworks inspired by the research, by Laura Dean, were also presented in an exhibition titled un:mute.
In June, we hosted an ‘Anti-Racism Takeover day’ for the Clean Break community, led by our Creative Associates Titilola Dawudu and Rachel Valentine Smith. This event was an important milestone in our anti-racism journey, and with an emphasis on learning and joy, we explored what anti-racism and allyship means to us collectively. Together we participated in beautifully held workshops, and as always at Clean Break, shared a meal.
In July, our Head of Participation and Deputy CEO Jacqueline Stewart received well deserved recognition from Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), receiving their Companionship Award for her outstanding contribution to participation work in the arts and criminal justice, which was presented by Paul McCartney.
Over the summer we also welcomed five new trustees to our board, Catriona Guthrie, Lara Grace Ilori, Carien Meijer, Naima Sakande and Jess Southgate, who bring their expertise from the worlds of policy and campaigns, women’s rights advocacy and the arts, and all have a shared passion for Clean Break’s work.
2023 also saw us complete the second phase of our Capital Investment project. Informed by our participation in the Mayor’s Business Climate Challenge and part-funded through Arts Council England, this phase focused on improving our environmental sustainability with the installation of LED lighting, replacement of boilers and refurbishment of other systems. The works were part of a filmed case study by Bloomberg Associates, sharing the improvements and impact. Our team, Members and hirers have already felt the difference in our building, and we look forward to beginning the next phase in 2024, which will improve our accessibility and enhance our trauma-informed environment.
Clean Break’s first Playwrights Pathways programme took place this year, where six Members embarked on a nine-month playwrighting journey, in partnership with Royal Court Theatre. This programme was a huge success, with five writers, Fatima Dupres-Griffiths, Sorcha Fhionntain, Jill Power, Oriana White and Ann Whitely having extracts of their full-length plays performed in a celebratory showcase at the Royal Court Jerwood Downstairs in September.
In October, we premiered our new film, Hope at an event at Kiln Theatre, hosted by Clean Break Patron Zawe Ashton. Hope is our first co-created film, by director Kirsty Housley and Member artists* Nicole Hall, Michelle Hamilton, Carina Murray, Natasha Jean Sparkes, and River. This lyrical documentary invites audiences to consider where hope really comes from, and what sustains hope during times of darkness. It is now available to watch online.
2023 was also the second year of our participation in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Program, which saw us launching our new digital Knowledge Hub. We are thrilled to now have a new area of our website, rich with content and resources for audiences looking to engage with our work more deeply, including access to our film Hope. We are grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies for their support throughout the program and look forward to creating more content and resources for our Hub in the new year.
Our work in prisons and women’s centres continued this year, offering regular weekly workshops at Women in Prison and Advance women’s centres, and playwriting and theatre making workshops in HMPs Styal and Downview respectively. It is hugely important to us to have a presence in women’s prisons, as it binds us to our company roots, and we know from women we meet there of the hope, creativity and vital connectivity such workshops provide.
We recently had the pleasure of announcing Lakesha Arie-Angelo as Clean Break’s new Associate Artistic Director, who will be joining us in March 2024. This new role was created to ensure shared decision making which reflects a broader plethora of voices, and we are so excited to welcome Lakesha to our senior management team next year.
Earlier this year the Clean Break community received the heartbreaking news that Member artist Carrie Rock had passed away. We are grateful to the Royal Court for hosting a special event for Carrie in June, organised by her family and friends and supported by Clean Break. The event was an important moment for collective reflection and grief for those who knew Carrie, or who shared communities with her, as well as being a celebration of her life and incredible talent as an actor. As a community we have sadly ended the year with another loss – that of Member Katy Sage, who, like Carrie, has been known to the company for fifteen years. Katy performed in our 2020 small scale tour, Not Pretty Like the Rainbow. Our thoughts go out to her family and friends at this sad time.
We have so many people to thank for being part of Clean Break’s journey this year, first and foremost are our Members for the creativity, resilience and warmth which everyone brings to our building each week. We would also like to thank our Member artists for their work on and off stage, and our Members Advisory Group for spearheading this important initiative to build engagement and involvement of Members in all aspects of running the organisation.
Our team of staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly this year, we are grateful for everyone's commitment to Clean Break’s values and continue to be inspired by their dedication to our work. We are thankful to all who moved on from Clean Break in 2023, especially Lorraine Maher, who after ten years as our Participation Manager, and a year of sabbatical, has taken up a permanent role as Race and Justice Manager at CLINKS. We wish her all the best and thank her for many years of dedication and passion.
We would like to give special acknowledgement and thanks to our Creative Associates Titilola Dawudu and Rachel Valentine Smith whose fixed term contracts recently ended. During their year and a half in this role, Titilola and Rachel have immersed themselves across the company, and contributed significantly to our artistic output and to our organisational development. We wish them both all the best with their next steps and look forward to continuing working with Rachel in a freelance capacity.
We are excited to begin a new year with the team members who have recently joined us. We also look forward to welcoming Producer Dezh Zhelyazkova back in 2024, after going on maternity leave this year to have baby Florence Petra.
Thank you to our trustees for guiding us with passion and steadiness, and particularly to Tanya Tracey, who stepped down as Co-Chair this year after 9 years of service on our board, and whose expertise and dedication to Clean Break’s mission has been invaluable. We thank Alison Frater for continuing as Co-Chair with support from fellow trustee Alex Rowse, and we will be recruiting in the new year.
We are indebted to our Patrons for being such passionate champions of Clean Break, and we look forward to continuing to work with them, and with award-winning actor Michelle Greenidge, who we had the pleasure of announcing as our newest Patron earlier this month.
Clean Break is entering 2024 with a group of incredible writers on commission. We are excited to see what develops next year and beyond with babirye bukilwa, Emma Dennis-Edwards, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Tash Marshall and Yasmin Joseph. We are also thrilled to be working in partnership with London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT) and Brixton House on an international project with five Clean Break Member artists to produce an original works as part of the festival next June. More details will be announced in March.
None of this work would be possible without our dedicated community of supporters. We are so grateful for their generosity which allows Clean Break to continue its transformative work into 2024 and beyond.
We wish all our partners and everyone who has passed through Clean Break’s doors, engaged with us online, or seen our work on stage a restful break as 2023 comes to a close, and look forward to welcoming you back in the new year.
From Anna, Erin, Jacqueline and the Clean Break team
*Clean Break Members are women who participate in our programme, who have lived experience of the criminal justice system or are at risk of entering it.
Clean Break Member artists are women who have participated in our programme and now engage with Clean Break in a professional capacity as freelance artists.
Clean Break is delighted to announce two new appointments, as director and playwright Lakesha Arie-Angelo joins the company from March 2024 in the newly created role of Associate Artistic Director and award-winning actor Michelle Greenidge becomes a Patron with immediate effect.
Lakesha Arie-Angelo is a theatre director, writer, dramaturg, facilitator and, most recently, Associate Director at Soho Theatre. In her role within Soho Theatre, Lakesha co-led the Writers Lab programme and was lead programmer of theatre in the Upstairs Studio space. Her credits as a Director include The Color Purple (2022 UK tour, for Leicester Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome; Nominated for 2023 Black British Theatre Award for Best Musical Production); Sikisa-Life of the Party (Pleasance Theatre Edinburgh, Soho Theatre); Shuck ‘n’ Jive and soft animals (Soho Theatre); Summer Fest and Alive Day (The Bunker Theatre); and The Hoes (Hampstead Theatre).
As Associate Artistic Director, Lakesha will be part of Clean Break’s leadership team working closely with Artistic Director Anna Herrmann to shape and achieve the organisation’s artistic vision and strategy. As part of a new structure to ensure multiple voices at senior level, Lakesha will collaborate with our team, artists, Members, and partners to drive forward and enrich Clean Break’s voice and influence across theatre.
Actor Michelle Greenidge performed in Clean Break’s production House by Somalia Seaton (at Edinburgh Festival Fringe and The Yard Theatre, 2016) and as part of Rebel Voices On Stage (at Donmar Warehouse), a staged event launching Rebel Voices, an anthology of monologues from 40 Clean Break plays. Her stage credits also include Nine Night at the National Theatre (for which she won Best Supporting Female Actor in a Play at the inaugural Black British Theatre Awards and was nominated at The Stage Debut Awards for Best West End Debut), and debbie tucker green’s ear for eye at the Royal Court Theatre. Her television roles include Lola in Mandy (BBC) and Valerie in Afterlife (Netflix). She was recently announced by the BBC in the cast for the much-anticipated new series of Doctor Who
Lakesha Arie-Angelo: “It fills me with great pride and excitement to be joining such a respected and beloved company as Clean Break. To work alongside the executive team as Associate Artistic Director is a great new endeavour where I hope to further the important and innovative work Clean Break does. I first came to Clean Break some years ago as a volunteer, then as a facilitator on an education programme, so, to return as a creative lead within the organisation is a wonderful full circle moment. I look forward to championing the Clean Break community and creating positively impactful work and practices. Watch this space!”
Michelle Greenidge: “Clean Break has been so important to me on so many levels that to be made a Patron is not only a great honour but also a true responsibility to respect the life changing work that this incredible charity does. Working with Clean Break, on stage and through workshops at their studios and in prisons, has been an awesome and humbling experience and truly changed the course of my career.
It is through the opportunity for so many women to tell their stories, be they redemptive, cathartic, or just a damn good tale, that Clean Break has changed so many lives and been such an incredible force for good over the last 44 years and I have no doubt, for as long as it is needed and supported it will continue to do, its most incredible work. As a Patron, it goes without saying, I hope to pass on the support Clean Break has given me, as many times over as possible and to continue to raise awareness and spread the news of the superb work Clean Break does, as widely as possible.”
Anna Herrmann, Artistic Director/Joint CEO: “I am truly delighted to welcome both these brilliant women artists to Clean Break. Lakesha has been connected to the company over the years in various guises and being able to collaborate with her in this new leadership role is wonderful. I know she gets our focus on care and inclusion and brings a wealth of skills and experience that will support us making exciting new work in the future. Michelle has shown her unswerving support for the company since we first worked together in 2016. She brings her open heart to every interaction with us, and we are hugely grateful for her commitment to championing us as a Patron.”
Photo credit for Michelle Greenidge: David Reiss
Photo credit for Lakesha Arie-Angelo: Dujonna Gift
We are excited to announce that our Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign is now open. This means that until 12pm on Tuesday 5 December, you have the opportunity to double any donation made to Clean Break, at no further cost to yourself. No gift is too small to have an impact, as every £1 we receive will be doubled, sustaining our vital work.
This year, all funds we raise within the Big Give Christmas Challenge will go directly towards our industry-leading Members Programme, through which we offer a vital package of wraparound support which allows women to fully engage in our transformative programme, giving them the opportunity to rebuild their lives. This support includes provision for childcare costs, travel expenses to our women-only building, a hot meal at our workshops and more. Hear more about what this support looks like from the team and Members at Clean Break in our campaign video.
Please consider supporting Clean Break in this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge, to allow us to continue providing a safe and transformative space for women with lived experience of the criminal justice system, or who are at risk of entering it.
GIVE TODAY AND DOUBLE YOUR DONATION
Thank you for your kind support. We look forward to sharing more with you soon.
“I can look at the world and either get drowned in it, or I can see the ocean as it is and look at the beauty and go, ok, what can I do?”
Our Blueprint for Hope, a toolkit of ideas, exercises and prompts to accompany our co-created film, Hope, is now available to download.
The document is intended to support the creative exploration of what hope means to you. It can be used individually, or as part of a group; you can choose specific exercises to do, or work through it from start to finish.
The creative team used the exercises in this Blueprint to generate ideas, conversations, images and film footage that was edited together to make Hope.
Through this process, they conceived the film as a collage, understanding hope as a tapestry of individual people, actions and experiences that are woven together into something bigger.
Now, they hope the Blueprint will enable you to think about and generate your own projects for hope. The intention is to cause a ripple effect, bringing more people along a journey of hope, because it’s not us that needs to change, it’s the world.
Blueprint for Hope is available to purchase for £5 on our Knowledge Hub, where you will also find Hope the film.
Download our Blueprint for Hope
Blueprint for Hope is free for community groups. To request a free copy, email producing@cleanbreak.org.uk
Following months of hard work, we are thrilled to launch the Knowledge Hub with the digital premiere of our new film Hope. Developed with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Digital Accelerator for Arts and Culture, this platform will be an ever-growing library of resources, information and learning experiences.
The Knowledge Hub will build on Clean Break’s decades worth of knowledge and resources in women’s theatre, activism, trauma-informed practice and criminal justice sectors. Presented in a wide range of media, there will also be opportunities to gain a deeper insight into past and up-coming productions, with interviews, behind-the-scenes films and more.
The Knowledge Hub will engage Clean Break’s three main audiences of theatre lovers, practitioners and students, and women who have experience of the criminal justice system or at risk of entering it, including Clean Break Members.
Users will be able to navigate the Hub through three core areas, which each correspond to a strand of Clean Break’s work:
Theatre, highlighting Clean Break’s productions from past and present, including exclusive access to our new film Hope.
Community, platforming our Members’ voices and providing creative wellbeing resources.
Learning, exploring our unique, trauma-informed way of working and how we make an impact
Erin Gavaghan, Clean Break Executive Director and co-CEO: “Investment in strengthening our organisation’s technological infrastructure will support our strategic ambitions. The Hub will enable us to expand our role as a leading force in the sectors we work in - sharing our practice, sparking compassion and action in our audiences, and investing in and nurturing the voices of our Members who are at the heart of Clean Break. We now have the perfect home for all the incredible content we have and plan to develop to reveal the depth of our practice and deepen understanding of the experiences of women who are marginalised in society.”
This Black History Month has been all about 'saluting our sisters'. Celebrating Black women in our community is always important, and this month our Creative Associate Titilola Dawudu sat down with Clean Break-commissioned playwright Emma Dennis-Edwards and Black women-led theatre company Nubian Co-heARTs, to talk about their craft and the meaning of sisterhood.
