Play to the Crowd, the arts and education charity that runs Theatre Royal Winchester, Hat Fair and Playmakers, has been awarded the title of Theatre of Sanctuary in recognition of its work with people seeking sanctuary by City of Sanctuary UK – a nationally coordinated network of organisations and services that welcome and support refugees and people seeking asylum.
Here at Play to the Crowd, our mission is to delight and unite and as such we welcome people from all walks of life to come together to celebrate culture and the arts and to reap the benefits associated with watching and participating in performing arts and creative activity.
Our charity provides welcoming spaces where people can gather safely and feel included and has worked hard to forge trusted relationships with a number of communities across Winchester and beyond including Winchester Ukrainian Cultural Association, Portsmouth City of Sanctuary groups and those residing in the Winchester district and Southampton.
In order to connect with these communities we ran creative taster sessions to connect and share stories of lived experiences. Further workshops followed where participants explored their culture, to showcase at events including the Hat Fair Carnival.
Play to the Crowd has since programmed a number of local talent opportunities at Theatre Royal Winchester and Hat Fair, giving people a platform to celebrate their culture through performing arts – helping to prompt discussion, alter perceptions and cultivate empathy.
