HOW WE WORK
The arts: transcending boundaries and shaping our ideal world
By giving marginalized groups the chance to fully express themselves, we not only help them unlock their creative potential, but also empower them to overcome societal barriers. In our approach, practitioners and participants work hand-in-hand to discover individual talents, interests, and needs, ensuring everyone is a valued contributor to the group's creation.
We believe that the expressive power gained through participatory arts shouldn't be confined to a safe space; it should also reach the wider public. Creating spaces where these groups can freely express themselves is essential in a society that often excludes them.
The key is to design spaces that promote both collective and individual empowerment, leading to positive social change. The structure of our organization and the methods our practitioners use shape the environment in which participants thrive. Reach out to us and learn how we can help you create these empowering spaces!
A BIT OF BACKGROUND
The driving force behind our mission: Kristina Werner
Kristina Werner, our founder, is a freelance theatre pedagogue and applied theatre practitioner with over 13 years of experience. She is passionate about creating transformative processes and performances that unlock the potential of communities. Kristina has directed innovative productions like "TAKSAI", which takes place in taxi cars, offering an intimate experience for both the actor-taxi driver and the audience. She also directed "Green Meadow", a powerful documentary theatre production about the closure of Ignalina's Power Plant, in collaboration with the residents of Visaginas.
As a dedicated educator, Kristina has trained theatre professionals in Lithuania, England, and Germany, emphasizing safe rehearsal spaces and personal growth. She is also the co-founder and lecturer of the Baltic Applied Theatre School, a network and training program for socially engaged artists from all three Baltic states.
Throughout her career, Kristina has worked on a diverse range of projects, including a show with the contemporary music ensemble Synesthesis and site-specific historical performances with young people from Germany and the Czech Republic. Her work focuses on using theatre to engage communities and explore issues of identity, personal and social change, and the concept of home. Our organization is inspired by Kristina's vision, working together to make a difference through creative expression.
APPLIED THEATRE
Brief Introduction
Applied Theatre emerged in the 1990s as a term to describe diverse theatrical practices that take place outside conventional institutions and are specifically designed to benefit individuals, communities, and societies. This broad field includes drama education, theatre for development, theatre in prisons, community theatre, intergenerational theatre, and reminiscence theatre. While these practices differ in approach, they all share a common belief in the power of theatre to address issues beyond the art form itself.
Much like 'applied' disciplines in other fields, such as applied mathematics, Applied Theatre is focused on using its tools and techniques to solve practical problems or bring about social change. Our organization is dedicated to this mission, using Applied Theatre as a means to foster active citizenship and create a more inclusive society.
For us, theatre spaces should be everyday utopias, transcending boundaries and reimagining the world as we'd like it to be. Engaging people from diverse backgrounds in the creative process enriches our art and reflects the true variety of our society. Applied Theatre promotes the idea of fostering equality through artistic practice, serving as both an art form and a political methodology.
Our professional team is equipped to deliver high-quality, impactful projects that cater to various needs and settings, making our services suitable for NGOs, funders, and corporate clients alike. By partnering with us, you can be part of the change, creating a more inclusive and just world through the power of theatre.
