Unity annual report low res

Annual Report 2012-13

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Welcome

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Unity is a cultural resource for Liverpool of which we are tremendously proud; a home for audiences, performers, writers, directors, companies and youth groups.

It is not just a catalyst for passion, inspiration and commitment, but a place of personal and professional development and a training ground for technical skills.

We think theatre and the arts matter – they make lives happier, more fun and more fulfilled. And so we use our programme to promote fabulous new shows, nurture new talent, create, innovate and encourage, and work with thousands of young people across our community. unitytheatre is a product of our city: brave, ambitious, daring and willing to take risks: we are proud, supportive and open. But we are also a contributor to the local economy, employer and creator of opportunities: the monetary value of cultural renaissance is not something that should be ignored, indeed the city’s European Capital of Culture status in 2008 changed perceptions towards artsbased regeneration.

Over 30,000 people came through our doors in 2012-13: it was also a year in which companies who produced their shows at Unity made just shy of £57,000.

That money creates jobs, investment, and is ploughed back into Liverpool’s vibrant cultural economy.

You can read more over the following pages, so read on, enjoy, get involved, give us your feedback, and pay us a visit…

Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Welcome to unitytheatre’s first annual report; a chance, perhaps, to shout a little more about some of our achievements, and to thank, celebrate and showcase the people, groups and organisations that have been central to that success.

Sue Williams, executive director, and Graeme Phillips, artistic director

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Artistic excellence

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Epic tales, world premieres, cult classics, acclaimed comedy and new voices contribute to our goals of innovation, diversity and artistic excellence. unitytheatre encourages creativity, experimentation and participation with an annual programme of more than 90 shows and over 400 performers.

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Artistic excellence Epic tales, world premieres, cult classics, acclaimed comedy and new voices contributed to making 2012/13 a year of high quality professional performance across our rounded programme.

Paul Hunter (L) plays a series of fall guys opposite Edward Petherbridge (R) in Told by an Idiot’s My Perfect Mind

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Our programme of professional promotions was predominantly new work, and included Improbable Theatre, Lipservice, ThickSkin, Paper Cinema, Best of the Be Festival (European Work), Mother to Mother (South Africa), Volcano Theatre, Ridiculusmus, Clout Theatre, Idle Motion, Fuel, Rhum and Clay, Les Enfants Terrible and Vamos.

Our flexible approach to programming enables us to choose the best of the national touring shows, develop long term relationships with artists, commission new work and nurture our local talent. We are looking to introduce our audiences to shows that inspire and excite, challenge and provoke with a quality that you could expect to see in any world-class city.

Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

The variety of performances across the year reflects our goals – to encourage creativity, participation, innovation and diversity – including nine in-house/ co-productions/ co-promotions with three new unitytheatre commissions.

Tmesis’ new show Red Wolf premiered with us before taking a short tour, while we also commissioned new summer and Christmas shows from the enduringly popular Terry Titter.

We exceeded our target of 75 performance days (81 in total), and contributed to the programmes of 11 festivals across the city: Afro Vibes, DaDaFest, Liverpool Irish Festival, Homotopia, Physical Fest, Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival, Writing on the Wall, Liverpool Comedy Festival, LEAP, FUEL and Hope Street Feast.

Unitytheatre’s roots go back to the mid-1930s and the Merseyside Left Theatre, which became Merseyside Unity Theatre in 1944. Our origins show a rich history of experimenting with talent and craft, new writing and new forms of performance, inviting interesting companies to perform in the space. The spirit of the original Unity organisation continues to run throughout our programme, as does our status as a community resource, giving a performance venue to local groups, providing the infrastructure, technical skills and support to work with them, raising both standards and expectations.

80

9

90+

36,000+

400+

11

performance days

in-house/ co-productions/ co-promotions

shows

tickets sold in 2012-13

performers

festivals in our programme

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Gold Mountain Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

International co-production Gold Mountain originates from our 30th birthday year, 2010, and continues to go from strength to strength.

“

You must leave – go and bring honour to your family. Find your gold mountain; make your fortune.

Then, and only then, can you return.

”

A co-production with the award-winning Canadian multi-media company Les Deux Mondes, Gold Mountain is the moving story of Yee Lui, pieced together by his son David as he explores his father’s stories. Every answer poses more questions, as David pieces together the fragments of his father’s life, while the ensuing journey – from a small village in China to war-torn Liverpool – takes in the perils of the Atlantic convoys, friendship, addiction and adversity, against a backdrop of Communist China.

4,500+

6

people in Liverpool, London, Sweden and Canada saw Gold Mountain

cities hosted the production

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Written by David Yip and Kevin Wong, Yip stars alongside Eugene Salleh in a performance inspired by his own father’s story. In 2009/10 David travelled to Les Deux Mondes’ Canadian base to put the production through an R&D phase, and the resulting production premiered at the Unity with a two-week run in October 2010.

Gold Mountain returned to the Unity this year for four performances, before touring to Skelleftea and Umea (European Capital of Culture 2014) in Sweden, an acclaimed week long run at the Albany Theatre in London and a homecoming in Canada, with performances in Vancouver and Montreal later in the year as part of the CINARS 2012 Festival of Performance.

A multimedia spectacle of storytelling, imagery, film and music, Gold Mountain

remains in Les Deux Mondes’ repertoire while they look for more opportunities to take the show on the road.

Described by the Liverpool Echo as ‘a moving story, delivered with great precision and crossing moments of visual poetry,’ it is one of the most ambitious shows produced by unitytheatre over the past three decades.

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“

Some of the stage pictures are truly outstanding… a beguiling illusion conjured from smoke and sadness The Guardian

”

David Yip in Gold Mountain, inspired by the story of his own father’s journey from China to Liverpool

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“

An exquisite piece of tomfoolery

”

Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

Edward Petherbridge (L) and Paul Hunter (R) play out a surreal and fragmented tale on My Perfect Mind’s off-kilter stage

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Told by an Idiot

With a title taken from King Lear’s closing scenes, My Perfect Mind recalled the moment classical actor Edward Petherbridge had a stroke in the rehearsal for Shakespeare’s play. Barely able to move, as he recovered, he discovered every word of the play was still lodged in his mind – but he had missed his great chance to play the eponymous king.

Petherbridge plays himself throughout, while Told by an Idiot artistic director Paul Hunter plays a series of fall guys, from a German psychiatrist to a Romanian Shakespeare professor, Laurence Olivier to a taxi driver, mirroring King Lear’s central relationship between the foolish king and his wise fool.

Mixing fact and fiction, it is a unique performance, capturing the resilience of

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the human spirit with the typical quirkiness of Told by an Idiot’s productions: a slanted stage and sliding chairs creating a set that is physically challenging, off kilter, and the perfect foil for a play that is funny, poignant and inventive.

Surreal and fragmented, My Perfect Mind proved the hit of the spring season, with a five-night run, and accompanied by a residency of workshops, post-show Q&As and discussions.

The sessions also included masterclasses for professional actors, a conversation with Edward Petherbridge led by medical professionals, and a fiveday workshop with Creative Alternatives, an Arts on Prescription project based in Sefton for adults with anxiety, depression and mental health issues.

unitytheatre has worked with Told by an Idiot since the company’s inception, which is symptomatic of our aim to give young companies an opportunity to try their work, blossom and grow. Told by an Idiot’s renowned reputation and national profile, coupled with a substantial press and PR campaign, also accounted for strong pre-sales and great audiences.

Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

The ‘comic tale of a man NOT doing Lear’, Told by an Idiot’s surreal, poignant and funny My Perfect Mind proved a highlight of the touring programme.

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Children and young people Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

We continue to plan a special programme of productions aimed at children, young people and families, focusing on companies whose work demonstrates high quality and originality.

Alongside our Youth Theatre (see pages 30-31), our aim is to create a catalyst for passion, inspiration and commitment through our theatre programme, making sure that unitytheatre is open to all through our accessible ticket pricing.

The year has seen a varied programme of performance and participatory work for children and young people, including 15 performances for 3-14+ year olds.

Many of the performances came from companies we have nurtured, including home-grown Travelled Companions’ Remember Remember (which was supported through Making Art), Hullabaloo, Cahoots, Yellow Earth and 20 Stories High.

Alongside the work aimed directly at young people, Christmas 2012 saw 46

performances of our family Christmas show Hansel and Gretel (read more on pages 12-13).

Besides those performances, the year has been marked by the performances of young people and students from across the region, including local drama groups, Edge Hill and John Moores universities, and LIPA students. Our acoustic music night also gave the opportunity for 37 young musicians to take part.

Members of Unity Youth Theatre (see pages 30-31) also get ticket offers, and worked with high profile names in the creative industries, including Toxteth TV, the Bluecoat, Clapperboard, The Big Event, Merseyside Maritime Museum and the Lantern Festival, as well as providing street theatre for the Olympic Torch relay.

5,000

6

46

5

children and young people have contact with the Unity each year, on average

month research project for UYT on the social and political context of the Toxteth riots

performance of our family-friendly Christmas show

days of scripting, acting and filmmaking for UYT with Toxteth TV

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This year has also seen us pioneer our education packs and resources. We have been working with one of our board members – an assistant head teacher – to provide advice and support for our schools programme. He also created the teacher’s pack for the Christmas show (see pages 12-13).

The Y Project, an anti-violence programme aimed at young people (see pages 30-31), saw us work with 22 partners, and involve 450 young people in a series of hard-hitting workshops.

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“

UYT means being part of a small community with similar interests and aspirations, creating a sense of comfort and security Annie, UYT member

�

Shawney Ross and Holly Wilson-Guy in our smash-hit Christmas show, Hansel and Gretel

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“

Each performance is tight and slick, with Holly Wilson-Guy the standout. Her superb nuances, glances and a delectable cackle instill trepidation at every turn…

The Stage

”

Jay Davies in Hansel and Gretel played to 95% capacity audiences over a five week run

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Hansel and Gretel

Nearly 6,000 people saw our Christmas show, Hansel and Gretel, over its fiveweek run, as a result of a combination of factors. Not only was it a better-known title than previous Christmas shows, but we approached the lead-in with a strategic marketing plan, including the development of a dedicated, interactive website – including film clips, downloadable resources, and a section for reviews/ artwork inspired by the production – accessible pricing schemes, education packs and resource boxes for schools.

Directed by Nina Hajiyianni, artistic director of Action Transport Theatre, the show also marked the start of new collaborative venture with the theatre, and we are also working with ATT on

the Christmas 2013/14 production.

Once again, our neighbours were very much involved with the programme, with LIPA students contributing design, production management and filmmakers on secondment, while Hope Street gave pastoral support and set up workshops and professional development sessions for the cast.

The production proved to be the most successful of recent years, not only artistically, but also by turning in a surplus of £4,483 despite working with a reduced budget and smaller cast. Though our auditorium (150 seats) limits our ticket sales, audience members enjoyed being closer to the actors, and feeling more involved in the performance.

95%

46

2

4

capacity – a record – over its five week run

performances to 5,750 people

performances included British Sign Language interpretation

partners: Unity, Action Transport Theatre, Hope Street Ltd., and LIPA

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Our schools resource pack, created by board member Ali Harwood proved popular, and boxes containing posters, flyers, workplans and sweets were hand delivered to schools across the city.

Written especially for the five to 11 age group, Hansel and Gretel was designed to entertain, inspire and educate, with themes linking to PSHE, citizenship, English and art and design at both Key Stages 1 and 2. Two schools took up the offer of pre-show workshops and each school met the cast at the end of the show.

We also provided employment for local makers, a composer and director, and showcased the work of both young actors and designers.

Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

2012’s production of Hansel and Gretel proved a smash hit, playing to a capacity of 95% over a five week run...

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Nurturing and supporting artists

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unitytheatre is the home of innovation, creativity and passion, ambitious entertainment and bold productions. In 2012-13 we worked with and promoted the work of 27 young and emerging professional companies and artists through our Making Art and Making Art Plus schemes, as part of a year than programmed 141 performances by 63Â professional companies.

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Nurturing and supporting artists Nurturing new talent, encouraging creativity, participation, innovation and diversity again became themes of the year, as we added the Making Art Plus programme to our existing Making Art opportunity.

unitytheatre has a central role across Merseyside and the North West, developing new companies, practitioners and artists, and the opportunity to stage new shows, nurture new talent and encourage people to create, participate and innovate is central to our ethos.

Now in its 18th year, previous Making Art participants have included Ullaloom and sister company Petit Ullaloom, Terry Titter, Big Wow, RAW and Tmesis.

Alongside our dramatic programmes, we’ve also created a series of acoustic music nights, involving both local and national performers.

Idiotsinsync’s melon mum in Tales from Under the Counter

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Making Arts Plus

Our Making Art programme, for emerging artists and companies, provides companies with a small financial loan, alongside technical, marketing and administrative support and assistance from the Unity team to develop new performances, shows and events.

2012/13 saw the development of five new productions: • Remember Remember: Travelled Companions’ multi-media piece aimed at 4-7 year olds, which went on a short regional tour • Paperwork: an experimental piece devised and performed by Caustic Widows • Waiting for Brando: presented as part of the Writing on the Wall festival • Purplecoat Theatre’s version of Titus Andronicus • Red Panda’s reinvention of the Frankenstein story

2012/13 saw the introduction of a new programme, Making Arts Plus, with support from the Arts Council, aimed at creating the next step for successful Making Art projects. Companies who have demonstrated the potential for a quality touring show can apply for a higher level of investment, supporting a key area that improves the piece and company or artists. Making Art Plus takes development to the next level, including engaging writers to act as dramaturges, working with set designers, directors and sound designers, with an average of £2,000 invested in each project. Three companies received investment in our first year: • Plastic Factory’s Cold Call: a physical theatre show • Next: a new piece by Graham Hicks and Chris Tomlinson • Idiotsinsync’s Tales from Under the Counter

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“

Making Art gave us a springboard into the world of arts. Without it we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to try something new and inventive with the backing of professionals – new emerging artists can come together and find their own way of working. Since Making Art we’ve gone on to take our shows to Edinburgh Fringe and tour successfully being nominated for a comedy award

Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Making Art

”

RAW (Random Acts of Wildness)

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Travelled Companions Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Travelled Companions directors Emma Hirons and Leila Chebbi have grown their Remember Remember production into an Arts Councilfunded touring show from its roots at Unity.

Travelled Companions is a multi-media children’s theatre company, specialising in creating original, imaginative and engaging theatre for young audiences.

Directors Emma Hirons and Leila Chebbi have both appeared in Unity Christmas shows, and have a long-standing relationship with the theatre.

They were accepted onto the Making Art scheme, and began working on their first production, Remember Remember, as a development piece. They worked with both our technical manager Phil Saunders to develop the show to a professional level for touring, and with our board member Ali Harwood, for specific advice about taking work into schools.

The Travelled Companions team uses music, movement, storytelling and

media, creating a stimulating theatrical environment for children to explore and engage with. Having developed the show alongside the Unity team, the first production of the piece was staged to a sell-out paying audience at Unity.

It has since toured to schools as well as other theatres, with the backing of Arts Council funding.

Remember Remember is a magical, interactive experience for 4-7 year olds, combining storytelling, original music by Sam Yates, animation by Gill Smith and play. It gives children an opportunity to interact with an enchanting interactive performance of forbidden stories and forgotten fairytales.

Alongside the show-specific support Travelled Companions has had for

12

810

480

venues on tour, including 5 theatres and 7 schools

children saw Remember Remember

children took part in 16 accompanying workshops

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Remember Remember, the Unity team has also worked with them providing critical feedback and advice, plus organisational development time with our executive director and artistic director on fundraising and company development.

Remember Remember toured to 12 venues in total, including five theatres and seven schools, performing to a total of 810 children. Sixteen workshops accompanied the tour, in which 480 school children took part.

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“

Tick-Tock, ticktock – can you beat Regi Ment’s clock?

A red hood... A glass slipper... Two little elves and a big bad wolf...

”

Tick, tock: the magical set of Travelled Companion’s Remember Remember

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Gill Hardie and Keddy Sutton as Caz and Britney in Scotty Road the Musical, part of the Homotopia 2012 programme

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Homotopia

Unity is the home of Homotopia, set up in 2004 with a view to representing the work of LGBT artists and communities during Liverpool’s Capital of Culture year in 2008. Mentored by unitytheatre from the outset, we have nurtured the development of the company and supported its annual festival.

Our support has been instrumental in the survival and subsequent flourishing of this exciting and dynamic festival.

Like all start-up organisations – with no permanent staff and no core funding – Unity was able to provide administration and financial management; practical items like desks, phones, computers, photocopier, insurance and meeting spaces. Just as important was our staff team who shared their skill, knowledge and enthusiasm.

Unity’s own LGBT programme of performing arts has been strengthened through this partnership and has resulted in the commissioning of an eclectic and diverse range of shows.

Homotopia added new elements and partners to their annual programme and Unity has expanded its role to include international initiatives, working with a new group of freelance workers delivering new projects. These included a programme of arts, social justice and education projects and – as they worked on an expanding national and international platform – our advocacy included the need for them to have organisational and financial independence.

This has now been achieved, with core funding from both Culture Liverpool and Arts Council England.

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8

29

artists

shows over 2 weeks

performances and a photography exhibition

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We continue to offer support, mentoring and advice and, in order to maintain continuity, both Unity’s chief executive officers are on the board of the now incorporated Homotopia.

Homotopia have always ‘done it for themselves’, but without the safety net offered by Unity, it would not have survived those early, struggling years.

It’s an example of how, given the time and space to develop, Unity can support young companies and see them flourish.

We have continued to be the primary venue for Homotopia performances over the years, co-commissioning and coproducing new work with the festival. In 2012-13 we presented and hosted a twoweek festival programme with Homotopia, including eight shows, 29 performances, 22 artists and a photographic exhibition.

Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Homotopia continues to go from strength to strength as it approaches its tenth birthday, and has now become an independent organisation operating from Unity…

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Devoted and Disgruntled Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

The first north west-based host for the Devoted and Disgruntled roadshow, Unity brought together 70 artists, funders and members of the public to debate cultural issues as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Devoted and Disgruntled began in 2006, giving both theatre professionals and the public a chance to get involved in a national conversation about the direction theatre is taking.

The original idea has since become an annual three-day event, with hundreds of events nationally and internationally.

The conversations convened and ideas generated have led to the birth of new companies, opening of new venues and creation of new festivals, projects and initiatives. Unity contributed a north west venue for the roadshow, bringing Devoted and Disgruntled to the theatre on 2 October 2012, with over 70 theatre practitioners, artists, funders, students, teachers and audience members from across the region together, for an industry-based networking event.

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34

practitioners, artists, funders, students, teachers, and audience members

culture-based reports generated

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Participants on the day talked about a range of subjects, including digital tools to expand reach, evaluating and documenting reach in different ways, the pros and cons of sponsorship, audience development and different ways of using public space, amongst others.

Each Devoted and Disgruntled roadshow is accompanied by a full report of the day’s discussion, and all of the points raised. You can download reports from www.devotedanddisgruntled.com

“

They improved the companies’ reach with the sector through hosting and organising Devoted and Disgruntled roadshow, bring together 70 artists, funders and public to debate cultural issues.

They are to be congratulated on this initiative which was positively received...

”

Arts Council England

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Do you love theatre?

Do you find it frustrating?

Do you fell audiences don’t get a voice?

I’ve been RT from Devoted and Disgruntled @Unitytheatre as I am moved by so many people having an amazing experience #DandDR GO OPEN SPACE! Leroy ACE Philbrook @northern_dwarf

Do you feel like an outside in your own profession?

Have you just started out and need support?

Is your region always left out of the discussions?

Are you looking to change things?

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#DandDR @unitytheatre a day away from the office full of inspiration, enlightenment & enthusiasm in every moment.

Thanks for sharing Porl Cooper @porlcooper

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Trainee technician scheme Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Now in its fourth year, our trainee technician scheme continues to go from strength to strength, with the post attracting over 120 applications this year…

The 2012-13 year has seen us take on our fourth trainee technician, with huge demand for the paid, ten-month long role; the scheme began in September 2009 and has grown in scope and interest every year. unitytheatre advertises the position across our social media channels, through the Job Centre network and via the city’s colleges, including LIPA, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool Community College and John Moores University. This year we received more than 120 applications, from which we selected a shortlist for formal interviews.

Funded by our core staff budget, the scheme runs for ten months, from September to July each year, with one of the principle parts being operating

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light and sound for Unity’s Christmas show. Trainees work across our busy programme, which included more than 90 shows this year, helping with the preparation for shows, get-ins and outs, operating shows, and working with local, national and international artists. Although the experience of every trainee depends on our programme, there is often an opportunity for lighting design work too.

The Christmas Show – Hansel and Gretel this year (see pages 12-13) – gives our trainees the opportunity to take on responsibility for the lighting and sound, and ensuring the smooth running of up to ten shows every week for five weeks.

After the end of each trainee programme, we continue to give many of the technicians casual work as and when

we need them, and encourage them to make contacts and connections with local and national touring companies who visit Unity while they’re with us.

Our trainees have done very well so far in terms of finding work after they leave unitytheatre. Our first, Christina Eddowes went to work with Horse and Bamboo Theatre Company, and has just started work with Liverpool’s Everyman and Playhouse. Becky Hillam is a much in-demand touring technician and puppet maker. Our most recent graduate, Izzy Circou is working on a touring production made in conjunction with (and opening soon at) The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.

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We continue to offer development opportunities throughout the organisation. Over the year we have hosted three work experience placements, and worked with 59 volunteers…

“

A pivotal and life-changing moment... It opened up a whole new world and introduced me to a warm and dedicated community of people, who helped and encouraged me to pursue a career in the arts

”

Christina Eddowes, trainee technician graduate

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Participation and outreach

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We believe that theatre and creativity is fundamental to the life of the community we’re part of, inspiring the passion, confidence and commitment to articulate thoughts and ideas, promote general wellbeing, aid personal and professional development and learn technical skills. That’s why in 2012-13, our calendar included 16 weeks of community programming, with 60 performances from 27 groups.

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Participation and outreach We’re delighted to see Unity’s activities throughout the community thriving, with 29,647 people getting involved in our productions, workshops and projects in 2012-13.

“

I’ve made friends for life and have become increasingly confident throughout the years Chloe

” A stall at Unity’s ‘To do’ markets, which appeared at three festivals in 2012-13

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a technical arm, with a dedicated website containing five films exploring a range of issues, and an app to assist in the reporting of guns and gun crime. 500 DVDs of the films were also distributed across Merseyside.

In contrast, we saw fewer bookings from the community, youth, school and amateur groups in our network – anecdotal evidence tells us that in the current climate, fewer are making work and using a professional venue to show them. A small number of shows were also cancelled because funding bids were unsuccessful.

We continue to take part in the Arts Award scheme as a supporter, providing activities for schools and young people aged 7-25, who want to develop as artists and arts leaders and are taking part in the Arts Award national qualification.

733

3,800

30,000

16

artists involved in the year’s activities

took part in workshops

people pass through our doors every year

weeks of community programming (60 shows by 27 companies)

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Our education projects are delivered to schools, colleges and universities, as well as open workshops for the wider community. They include: • Theatre tours with Q&A sessions with Unity staff • Creative workshops at unitytheatre in schools, colleges and community organisations

Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Participation continues to look strong, with after-show Q&As thriving, busy tours by schools and youth groups and a growing number of professional development workshops, plus the addition of our ‘To do’ markets, which we took out to the Tall Ships event and Mathew Street and Hope Street festivals.

The year also saw a six-month collaboration with partners across the city on a dedicated youth crime project.

The Y Project (see pages 30-31) was funded by Resilient Communities, allowing us to deliver a piece on gun and gang crime across Liverpool: we worked with 450 young people in 15 workshops and with 24 partners, including Merseyside Police, Merseyside Probation Trust, Royal Liverpool Hospital Trust, 14 housing associations, youth groups, schools and support groups. The project also included

• Post-show discussions • Bespoke creative projects • Professional development workshops for creative practitioners • Projects to create further access to the arts

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Unity Youth Theatre/The Y Project Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Unity is home to a thriving youth theatre, encouraging the creative talents of young people, developing communication skills, making new friends and creating innovative performances.

Unity Youth Theatre (UYT) is open to anyone between the ages of 14 and 18, and meets on Monday evenings between 6pm and 8:30pm. 2012-13 saw 36 Unity Youth Theatre sessions and participation in three citywide events, giving young people the opportunity to work alongside professional theatre companies, performers and practitioners.

The youth theatre’s running costs are covered by our core funding, while a successful bid for £28,200 from the Heritage Lottery for Stories from the Sea – based on the Cunard Yanks – runs for two years. Unity Youth Theatre employs seven artists and a part time administrator.

The Y Project October 2012 to March 2013 Funded by the Resilient Communities Grant Aid Programme, we ran a six-month project looking at the consequences of – and alternatives to – gun and knife violence amongst young people. The Y Project brought together of a group of people with personal experience of the cause and effects of violence, to work alongside young people. The resource we created continues to provide information and support for young people, parents, teachers, youth workers, health and housing professionals, probation, youth offending and police officers, long after the main project has been completed.

Working with Bev Ayres and Tim Brunsden (who had both worked on

Homotopia’s Hate Crime projects) we created a series of short films and presentations, including: • Eugene’s Story: the personal experience of Paula Ogunboro, a mother whose son was murdered • Life After Prison: John and Alan, ex-offenders who’ve both done long stretches in prison • Tough Choices: four young ex-offenders, currently on licence, tell their stories • The Truth about Guns and Knives: Nurse Rob Jackson’s hard-hitting take on dealing with people who’ve been shot and stabbed • Sid’s Gym: the power of positive role models

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5

£42,643

450

500

36

partners on The Y Project

Y Project education resources + a dedicated website (www.the-yproject.net) and app

funding from the Resilient Communities Programme

young people involved in 15 workshops

DVDs distributed to help prevent violence, educate, support and inspire young people

Unity Youth Theatre sessions

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The Y Project’s key partners were: • Merseyside Police (35 officers actively engaged) • Merseyside Probation Trust • Royal Liverpool Hospital Trust • Alt Valley Community Programme • Positive Futures • Making Waves • MARGG (Multi Agency Response to Guns and Gangs) • 14 housing associations • City Safe • PAD (Parents Against Drugs, Norris Green)

“

Before UYT I was scared to meet new people – now I’ve joined 2 or 3 clubs because I’ve realised I can actually talk to other people Hattie

”

Hard-hitting reality from Paula Ogunboro, in Eugene’s Story

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Alongside our performance programme, Unity supports the work of local artists and organisations with a series of exhibitions throughout the year. All work is on sale, with Unity taking a small commission for hosting and curating, and a launch is offered to each artist. Many of the artists and groups whose work we exhibit have a long-standing relationship with the theatre, while others approach us to use the space on offer.

Jennie Wishart has exhibited at Unity both in solo shows and as part of the Kaleidoscope group

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Exhibitions Our artists across the year included: Mandy Hills: Mandy creates collages, and this exhibition included 35 pieces, of which six were sold. Mandy has had a long involvement with unitytheatre as one of our children’s activities coordinators.

Rob Calloway: Rob works in acrylic or oil on canvas, and exhibited 35 pieces in his Unity exhibition. Rob first exhibited with us three years ago as part of Kaleidoscope, a group of artists with mental health problems based at the Bluecoat Arts Centre, he asked if he could have a solo show here. This was Rob’s first solo show, and was followed by another later in the year featuring all new works.

Jennie Wishart: Jennie is a fine artist, working in acrylic on canvas. Also a member of Kaleidoscope, Jennie exhibited 35 works in her solo show at the

Unity, which was followed up by a second show of new work.

Joanne Forshaw: Joanne showed 25 collages, of which 11 were sold.

Joanne is a popular local arts practitioner, and her exhibition launch was attended by 50 people.

Kaleidoscope: the second group showing from Kaleidoscope included around 40 works in a range of different media. The exhibition launch was attended by about 50 people, and three pieces were sold.

Homotopia: arts organisation Homotopia is based in unitytheatre (see pages 20-21), and used the exhibition space for the duration of their annual festival. This exhibition consisted of 12 1.5m x .8m photographic panels, called Gay in Ghana.

Hansel and Gretel: this exhibition accompanied our Christmas show, was created by school pupils, and curated by Ali Harwood, a Unity board member and assistant head teacher.

Ten years of 20 Stories High: awardwinning theatre company 20 Stories High celebrated their tenth anniversary with a photography exhibition, which was framed and hung by the Unity team.

Vivien Jones: local fine artist Vivien returned to Unity after a ten-year absence, and completing her degree in fine art.

She showed 40 canvasses in a mixture of acrylic and oil.

Ali Harwood: an exhibition to complement the Chinese Arts Week events held at the theatre. The show consisted of 17 pieces of acrylic on canvas.

Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Unity hosts a year-round programme of art exhibitions in our bar area, with 12 exhibitions of the work of local artists in 2012-13.

Over 250 pieces of work shown in 2012-13

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LARC Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Unity continues to play a leading role in the cultural life of the city, and is a founder member of regeneration consortium LARC, and involved with Visit Hope Street CIC and Touring North.

LARC (Liverpool Arts Regeneration Consortium) was set up in 2007 to ensure that local cultural organisations would have an impact on the city’s Capital of Culture programme, combining the city’s strong tradition of collaborative working with its range of world class cultural organisations.

Alongside unitytheatre, the six other organisations include the Bluecoat, FACT, Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Tate Liverpool. We’re firmly committed to this influential group – our artistic director attends a fortnightly meeting of CEOs, while we also participate in its human resources, development, marketing and education sub-groups.

LARC is an Arts Council model of

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good practice, and we work on a number of regeneration programmes. It gives us an important forum for helping create successful and sustainable regeneration, to inspire, engage and involve people across our community, using the arts to achieve these goals. LARC promotes a culture of creativity, innovation, learning and ideas across the life of the city, aimed at creating a confident, prosperous and healthy city, equipped to meet the future economic and social challenges.

Not only does it give us the muscle to apply for big funds – the Find Your Talent programme and Creative Apprenticeships (which we pioneered) are two examples – but in a time when cultural leadership has shifted to an emphasis on advocacy, it gives us the ability to commission studies like the

Cultural Impact Study, which help us refine and develop our programme and support our funding applications.

During the 2012-13 year we took part in three Curious Minds consultation seminars, contributing to strategy development and the Culture Hub. We also continue to support the development of the Children’s Festival, proposed for 2015.

We have worked collaboratively with the LARC partners (and beyond) on audience develop projects engaging families and students. We led the Audience Development on Merseyside project on behalf of LARC, which included the Open City and Family Friendly initiatives, and an audit to establish standardised audience data.

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We’re also involved in: Visit Hope Street CIC, a group that represents the various cultural institutions in the quarter. Our mutual interest is in promoting the area as a visitor destination, and working with the mayor and Liverpool Vision on the city’s development programmes.

Touring North, a group of northernbased venues, presenters and producers committed to developing and strengthening touring work, and supporting emergent artists and companies.

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Unitytheatre continues to have a strong base of funders, supporters and partnerships, supporting our eclectic and ambitious programme of thought-provoking drama, dance and physical theatre.

The magical ‘To do’ market tent

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Funders, supporters and partnerships

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Our partners throughout the year included Arts Council England, Culture Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores Drama Department, Fuel, Hope Street Ltd., LIPA, Homotopia, Merseyside Dance Initiative, Resilient Communities Programme, Les Deux Mondes (Montreal), Liverpool Comedy Festival, 20 Stories High, LARC, Lodestar Theatre and many more, all of whom contributed to a varied programme of high quality productions.

We are reducing our reliance on high levels of subsidy, but reserves of three months demonstrate our careful management of funds without compromising the integrity of artistic programme. To do so, we are developing and diversifying new income streams, this year by working collaboratively and in partnership with non-arts based organisations (like The Y Project, see pages 30-31), and co-producing and selling our ‘To do’ markets.

Earned income (including Box Office and donations) 31% Total income £671,159* Trust/lottery/ foundations 4%

Core funding 58%

Projects 7% *Includes income for ongoing medium-term projects

Overheads 3%

Staff, training and development 40%

Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

We’re delighted to have Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council funding our core programme, with whom we work in partnership throughout the year.

We also partner a range of funders, charities, companies, and performers, including Culture Liverpool, Heritage Lottery Fund, The Home Office, The Makin Charitable Trust, The Frood Family, Canada Council for the Arts, British Council, Montreal Council for the Arts, Quebec Government, PH Holt Foundation, Granada Foundation, Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts and the Community Foundation for Merseyside.

Support was received from more than 1600 individual donors in 201213, including the Frood Family, Mike McCartney and his family, sponsors of our technical manager’s bike ride, in aid of Unity Youth Theatre, and individual donations through our Angels and Donors scheme.

Building costs 6%

Total expenditure £635,880

Artistic Programme 35%

Participation 16%

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Environmental sustainability Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

Innovative and socially responsible, unitytheatre has had an environmental policy for 12 years, which we have expanded to include a wider sustainability strategy.

Housed in a beautiful building in Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter, dating back to 1857, ours is a modern dilemma: balancing the constraints of a historic building against the need and desire to make ourselves increasingly environmentally sustainable.

For the last three years, unitytheatre has been working with environmental arts organisation Julie’s Bicycle, to measure, manage and reduce our environmental impact. Improvements we have made so far include a range of environmentally aware adjustments, from changing the types of lighting we use around the building (including theatre lighting) and setting our heating and cooling systems on timers to using water economisers.

The use of ‘hippos’ alone in our toilets saves around three litres of water every

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time the toilet is flushed, and also helps reduce our carbon footprint.

We have also begun using Julie’s Bicycle IG (Industry Green) tool to monitor our carbon footprint, which allows us to calculate both a cost per performance (based on current carbon pricing), and benchmark our results against the industry average. Calculating the size of our footprint is a work in progress – we are currently establishing our average use – before working out a strategy for reducing it once our average usage has been established.

We regularly review supplier costs, acting accordingly where needed.

To complement the reduction in costs, we still aim to install solar panels to reduce our energy purchase and allow the building to become more sustainable.

We have permission from Liverpool City Council – which owns the building – to install panels, but grant funding opportunities for their purchase and installation are limited in the current economic climate.

We continually make both our staff and visitors aware of our efforts to improve our impact, encouraging them to support us in recycling, reducing our energy consumption and reducing our carbon footprint.

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Recycling and waste reduction We recycle paper, plastic, glass, cardboard, old print and photocopier toner, and donate office equipment and furniture to small organisations or recycling companies • We’re reducing the environmental impact of our marketing and communications materials – we are using social media more and paper and postage less and have reduced the size and print run of our brochure • We’re more aware of using local suppliers and those that offer less packaging or recycling services • We offer a safe space to park bicycles and encourage staff to walk or use public transport when undertaking work for Unity, if practical

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Audiences Total audience =

29,647

46

+14% increase

performances of our family-friendly Christmas show and two school workshops

141

96

performances by 63 professional companies We set up and managed box office facilities for performances by three local organisations

71

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Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

2012-13 proved a year in which we grew our overall audience numbers, with almost 30,000 people visiting Unity‌

days of community planning, with 60 shows by 27 companies

4,500+

people in Liverpool, London, Sweden and Canada saw our production of Gold Mountain

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Audiences: social media Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

We continue to promote our programme heavily through social media – adding to both our environmental sustainability and audience reach – and have increased our film content as a resource for both our productions and touring companies.

Alongside our Facebook and Twitter accounts, we added a YouTube channel to our social media portfolio this year, becoming more proactive in creating and using digital content to engage audiences. We’ve also invested in in-house training for our staff members to get involved in creating and editing film content, social media and digital marketing, and our e-newsletters regularly feature clips of shows and interviews.

Not only has film content given us an accessible way of promoting trailers, reviews and artist and director interviews through our digital network, but it has become a resource available to many of the touring companies that visit Unity, and provides a service they wouldn’t have access to otherwise.

3612

6925

‘likes’ Facebook (unity theatre):

followers Twitter (@UnityTheatre):

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The year to January 2013 has seen us create a new website using open source technology, which will give us more control in the future in terms of updating and adapting the site. It is also fully responsive, making it accessible via smartphones and tablets.

We’ve also been involved in training in social media and digital marketing, allowing us to make the most of our improved digital facilities. unitytheatre’s Facebook and Twitter accounts have been improved, highlighting shows, promoting special offers and responding to artist and audience comments. We have used social media to circulate over 250 reviews and previews of work collected from press and digital media, increasing the scope of our online footprint.

Our Christmas show Hansel and Gretel (see pages 12-13) saw the development of an interactive show-specific website: www.hanselandgretelliverpool.co.uk, which contributed to excellent audience figures for the production, which played to a record 95% capacity for its fiveweek run.

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Fab show. @chinapearluk’s Lady White Snake production at the @unitytheatre – you must go tomorrow :-D Gary Millar @garymillar

Absolutely loved The Yarn @unitytheatre tonight. Thanks Vicky_Anderson @vicky_anderson

Well done all involved with Whole @unitytheatre. Yet again @20StoriesHigh deliver another beautiful show. gemma bodinetz @gemmabodinetz

If you are in Liverpool tonight go and see ‘Floating” at the @unitytheatre You won’t regret it.

Dominique Shaw @yorkplacestudio

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Pillars of support Unity Theatre Annual Report 2012-2013

There are hundreds of people we need to thank for their involvement in the day-to-day life of Unity.

We rely upon the generosity of so many to enable us to remain a vital and lively organisation. Each are links in a chain that steadies us and makes us strong – we remain grateful to all and to each for your continuing support.

Our staff and board are hard working, knowledgeable and flexible, and continue to be unitytheatre’s biggest asset.

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And those thanks wouldn’t be complete without a special mention for our technical manager Phil, who set off on his bicycle on a coast-to-coast ride in July 2012, raising £762 for Unity Youth Theatre.

Our volunteers come from all walks of life to help out with the work we do in the theatre… In 2012-13, 59 people donated their time, so special thanks to you all.

We also have tremendous support from our patrons (pictured above, L-R), John Bishop, Josette Bushell-Mingo, Bill Kenwright, Andrew Lancel and David Morrissey. Thanks to each of you for your encouragement and dedication to our cause…

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Our funders include Arts Council England, Liverpool City Council, The Makin Charitable Trust, Heritage Lottery Fund, The Granada Foundation, PH Holt, the Community Foundation for Merseyside and the Home Office, without whom we wouldn’t be able to do the work we do.

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Many thanks to the Unity Angels, who continue to support us by donating money every month. Their support is vital in developing new productions and in our youth participation work.

Our corporate supporters include Hope Street Hotel, Inkd Graphic Design, Mitchell

and Wright Printers Ltd, Paul Clay of Feat of Clay and The Quarter. Thank you.

Huge thanks to our trusty photographers Sam Heath and Brian Roberts who document the majority of our work, and who provided many of the stunning images throughout this report.

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Unity 2012/13 at a glance • 16 weeks of community programming, with 60 shows by 27 companies • 46 performances of our family-friendly Christmas show and two school workshops • 4,500+ in Liverpool, London, Sweden and Canada saw our production of Gold Mountain • 21 workshops for young people and professional artists • 36 Unity Youth Theatre sessions and participation in three city-wide events • 9 in-house/co-productions/ co-promotions • 3 new pieces of work commissioned/ cocommissioned • 61 days of other events/ rehearsals/ workshops/ seminars • 10 days of R&D work and rehearsals

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• 12 exhibitions of the work of local artists • 21 after-show discussions • 3 work experience placements, and 59 volunteers • We set up and managed box office facilities for three local organisations, for 71 performances of 33 productions • Our training initiatives included Hope Street Ltd., John Moores University, LIPA and our own trainee technician scheme • We participated in: Homotopia, Liverpool Comedy Festival, Tall Ships event, Mathew Street festival, Liverpool Irish Festival, Olympic Torch relay, Lantern Festival, Hope Street Festival, DaDaFest, Arabic Arts Festival, Physical Fest, LEAP, Fuel and the Hope Street Feast • Community/ independent productions supported by the unity this year earned £56,661 in sales income • 29,647 people were involved in our activities as audience members, participants or visitors

Written and produced by Wordscapes: www.wordscape.org.uk

• 141 performances by 63 professional companies

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