We’ve had a busy and exciting time working with our local community and partner schools. Our Engagement team have been supporting the development of fantastic future Unicorn productions by inviting our fantastic Creative Associates to be part of the creative process this term. Working closely with the artists, they have come from our Southwark Community partners and our Partner School, Friars Primary.

In early autumn last year, we kicked things off straight away with a community project exploring music and songs from around the world. We delivered five workshops for children under 5 and their parents/carers, focusing on bringing a wide range of cultural perspectives into the development of a new show for early year’s audiences. By working with local families, we ensure that the artists can put together a production that is relevant and meaningful for the communities we are aiming to reach and inspire. Delivered by our engagement facilitators and the artists, each workshop was a joyful and musical experience, with the families sharing lullabies from their childhoods and singing along to new songs together.

Later that term, we also worked with two classes (Years 4 & 5) at our Partner School, Friars Primary. With the writer present, we explored themes of difference versus similarities, the importance of family and how to travel through the wilderness on an exciting journey across forests, mountains, and lakes. The Creative Associates of Years 4 and 5 were fantastically imaginative and inspired our artist in the development of this new production. We’re excited to bring this work to the Unicorn stage soon- watch this space!

Coming up this year, we have many more Engagement projects planned at our local school and community partners and we can’t wait to share more soon.

The Unicorn’s Engagement Programme is generously supported by our community of funders including:

Southwark Council: Culture Together Grant, Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Charitable Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Portal Trust, The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust, The Childhood Trust, Christina Smith Foundation, The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, Enterprise Arts Trust, Newcomen Collett Foundation, Old Possum's Practical Trust and supporters of our 2021 Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign.