MORE ABOUT US
During the COVID-19 emergency a small team of theatre professionals got together to create March for the Arts. At first, the project was a physical demonstration to campaign for fair funding, but it soon became clear that a more long-term plan was needed.
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Throughout 2020 arts industries have stepped up to campaign; to raise awareness about those excluded from safe working conditions and emergency resources; and to improve public knowledge about the fundamental value of the arts.
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At March for the Arts we knew this had been a long time coming. We decided to gather up all the information we had been seeing; to provide resources; to collect stories; and to create a space for creatives to rally.
We extended our reach to involve everyone who depends on arts industries of all kinds; and started to think about what we could do to help. Find out what we've been up to so far.
It’s time to organise. It's time to assemble shared knowledge about the worth of our industries and the impact we have on people’s lives. It’s time to recognise the positives and the pitfalls of this work and support each other across disciplines.
At the moment March for the Arts is made up of a small team of freelancers who do most their work on a voluntary basis, want to get involved?
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Who are we?
Gemma, Liz, Caitlin & Becky at Bluecoat where the team are based. Photocredit, Andrew AB Photography.
LIZ BARKER
Liz is a multidisciplinary theatrical practitioner and theatre maker.
They are the co-artistic director of Dragonhide Events, a children’s theatre and enrichment company who tour schools shows and work with libraries to provide events and enrichment activities for children. Formerly the artistic director of Failed To Prepare, an improvised theatre company, Liz also works in technical theatre as a lighting designer and sound technician. They have taught technical theatre for the Young Everyman and Playhouse, and guest lectured in technical theatre at Liverpool John Moores University.
When not touring Liz mainly works in the North West, but, over the past 5 years, has worked for the Pleasance during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in various roles, including Venue Manager and Senior Technician.
BECKY WEBB
Becky is a performer, director, maker and clown.
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As well as producing walkabout and street shows, including for Glastonbury Festival and Winchester Hat Fair, she has also worked with Artemis Productions, Circus Malabaristas and The Bureau of Random Acts. As an improviser she works with various companies including Casino Improv and Boss Birds, who are Liverpool’s only all-female improvisation group. She is currently working with The Why Not Institute, the UK’s only organisation totally dedicated to contemporary clowning, as a project developer.
With the company Jilted Pig, Becky produced and devised the show The Poste De Resistance - an instillation piece inside of a Transit Van commissioned by Desperate Men - as well as A Cosy Murder, which was performed at various venues across the UK. Becky has had successful commissions with various projects, one of which is sadly on hold due to Covid-19.
GEMMA DUNNE
Gemma is a stage manager.
Gemma has worked for The Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and extensively with The Everyman and Playhouse theatres.
With a background in activism, Gemma started the Freelancers Community Group on Facebook, which created the springboard for the formation of March For The Arts.
She is a Liverpool native and an avid Liverpool FC fan, which has given some highlight to 2020!
CAITLIN CLOUGH
Caitlin is a performer, facilitator, writer and theatre maker.
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Alongside acting, Caitlin is associate theatre practitioner at Ariel Trust, where forum theatre is used to connect with young people in Liverpool, educating and empowering them to deal with grooming, gang violence and knife crime. She is a co-director at Theatre on Foot and a freelance writer and director. Caitlin is also founder of Original Man Productions, under which name she writes and directs theatre and performance projects.
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Caitlin has an MA in English Language and Literature and worked historically as a commercial copywriter; she has turned back to this, as well as to art and design, in order to serve the March for the Arts campaign and survive the 2020 crisis.
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