NEW EARTH ACADEMY 2022
New Earth Academy
The only programme of its kind in the UK, New Earth Academy provides free, specialist training and opportunities for British East and South East Asians* (BESEA) aged 18+ who are interested in developing their skills and engagement in the performing arts.
New Earth Academy North West is delivered by New Earth Theatre in partnership with: The Lowry, Contact, HOME, Horizons Collective, Manchester International Festival (MIF), Royal Exchange Theatre, and Z-arts.
With support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
Together with our partner New Earth Theatre, we would like to warmly invite you to:
New Earth Writers Academy and Performers Academy Showcase - Salford & Greater Manchester 2022
Friday 15 July 2022, 3pm-5pm, The Lowry Aldridge Studio
After two years running New Earth Academy North West online, we are thrilled to run the courses in person for the first time and supporting local East and South East Asian artists and creatives. We are incredibly proud of what our alumni have achieved and extremely excited to see what this year's cohorts will present. Please join us for an afternoon of new writing, devised theatre, networking and celebrations of East and South East Asian talents.
Writers Academy sharing 15:00-16:00 Friday 15th July at The Lowry
This introduction to playwriting course was led by playwright and dramaturg Naomi Sumner Chan. The students will be sharing short pieces of their writing.
Performers Academy sharing 16:15-17:15 Friday 15th July at The Lowry
Led by interdisciplinary theatre maker Jude Christian, the performers course explores making new work from first ideas and collaborative processes with masterclasses in circus, puppetry, dance and devised theatre.
If you would like to attend either or both of the sharings, please RSVP by filling the form below by Wednesday 13th July: https://forms.gle/epiC6dQLmL9cEZc39 or email Grace Ng on grace.ng-ralph@thelowry.com.
New Earth Academy - Salford & Greater Manchester
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Writers Academy
10 week introduction to playwriting course, every Saturday
Course Dates: 7th May - 8th July 2022
Course Leader: Naomi Sumner Chan
Location: The LowryApplications Open: Wed 9 Mar 2022
Applications Close: Fri 8 Apr 2022The New Earth Writers Academy Salford & Greater Manchester is a 10 week introduction to playwriting course run by playwright and dramaturg Naomi Sumner Chan for East and South East Asian writers based in the North West of England.
The course will give participants the opportunity to learn the core principles of playwriting and write their own short play which will be read by actors in an informal end of course sharing with an invited audience including friends, family and partner organisations.
No previous writing experience is needed and we welcome all ages from 18+.
Course begins Saturday 7 May 2022 and runs Saturday fortnightly plus guest workshops on alternate Saturdays 2-4pm. All sessions will take place in-person at the Lowry with the option to attend guest workshops on Zoom.
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Performers Academy
1-week intensive professional training to performing and theatre making.
Course Dates: 11th - 15th July 2022
Course Leader: Jude Christian
Location: The LowryApplications Open: Thu 5 May 2022
Applications Close: Mon 6 Jun 2022
Register your interest with Grace.Ng-Ralph@thelowry.comNew Earth Performers Academy is a 1-week intensive course. No previous performance experience is needed and we welcome all ages from 18+.
Students will train in person with course leaders, during the week there will be sessions in voice and movement as well as additional guest workshops. There will be online lunchtime industry talks and the course will finish with a showcase for an invited audience.
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Off Stage Academy
Online weekly professional training sessions, every Wednesday.
Course Dates: 15th June - 6th July 2022
Tutors: TBC
Location: ZoomApplications Open: Thu 5 May 2022
Applications Close: Mon 6 Jun 2022
Register your interest with Grace.Ng-Ralph@thelowry.comNew Earth Off Stage Academy is a weekly online training session, every Wednesday 7-9pm. No previous performance experience is needed, you can come from any discipline or background. We welcome all ages from 18+.
This online course in technical theatre is open to anyone living in the UK. Students will have an opportunity to meet and discover what different roles are available through interactive workshops with leading BESEA design creatives.
Classes will include workshops with BESEA industry professionals in set, lighting, sound and audio visual design.
What People Are Saying
“Being a part of this Academy has given me a very rare insight into an industry that can sometimes feel inaccessible as an artist of East Asian descent and I have not only learnt valuable skills that will help me on my career journey, but also that there is indeed a space for people like me in the acting community; thanks to the amazing work of New Earth”
— Participant
“The sense of belonging, I’ve never met so many people who I felt like I didn’t have to justify cultural differences or why I felt a certain way when talking about certain spaces, because it was already understood.”
— Participant
“Had the Academy not been free, there was no way I would’ve been able to participate in, what was for me, a life changing experience.”
— Participant
Past North West Academies
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Writers Academy: North West 2021
Led by playwright and dramaturg Naomi Sumner Chan the course provided participants with the opportunity to learn the core principles of playwriting and write their own short play which will be read by actors in an informal end of course sharing.
Course Tutors: Naomi Sumner (Course Leader), Suzanne Bell (Guest Tutor), Sudha Bhuchar (Guest Tutor – Writing for Children).
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Performers Academy: North West 2021
Every Saturday afternoon students met online with director Kash Arshad. During the week, there were evening sessions in voice and movement as well as additional guest workshops.; and lunchtime industry talks. The course finished with a showcase for an invited audience.
Course tutors: Kash Arshad (Course Leader), Vera Chok (Improv), Sachi Kimura (Movement), Kwong Loke (Voice)
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Performers Academy: Manchester 2020
The course was led by performance artist Stacy Makishi alongside sessions in voice, movement and clowning and weekly lunchtime Q and A’s on a range of topics with industry professionals.
Course tutors: Live Art Social (Distancing) Club: Stacy Makishi, Movement: Jennifer Jackson, Voice: Gary Horner, Voice: Sam Malone, Clowning: Georgia Murphy
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Writers Academy: Manchester 2020
Students met online on the last Saturday of every month, developing their writing skills for live performance and creating a short piece of writing.
In addition, there were monthly Watch Parties, where the participants watch a theatre piece online and then have a video chat to discuss what they have seen.
*We use the term British East and Southeast Asian to mean people of the following descent:
Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, North Korea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and their diasporas. These people remain severely underrepresented in the arts in the UK.