KEYNOTE SEMINAR - CREATING POSSIBLITIES AND CO-CREATING ARTISTIC WORK

Ellie Griffiths is artistic director of Oily Cart Theatre and has been a performer and director in several performances for children and young people with complex special needs. Oily Cart Theatre, who in 2022 is celebrating 40 years of artistic work, creates sensory performances for very young children and for those with profound and multiple learning disabilities, autism, deafblind and others.

Ellie will talk about her work with Oily Cart and about the larger perspective in creating performing arts that is accessible to everyone.

Fiona Ferguson is Creative Development Director of Imaginate in Scotland. Imaginate promotes, develops and celebrates theatre and dance for children and young people, and produces the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. Fiona’s current role includes initiating and managing projects and opportunities for artists and schools as well as also mentoring and curating artistic platforms.

Imaginate especially want to focus on artistic work for people with special needs. Fiona will highlight some examples; one of them is the Jerwood Fellowship, a collaboration with Oily Cart Theatre. They offer education for artists to develop performing arts for children and young people with special needs.