Agent for Change

Birds of Paradise is an Agent for Change in the field of disability equality and recognises the need to develop an inclusive theatre practice by:

• spreading its knowledge and experience across the arts
• visibly campaigning on the importance of diversity on stage
• demonstrating creative practice to develop current thinking
• being torchbearers of inclusion in the arts

Annually, it organises an event, Changing:, bringing together the theatre community to provoke dialogue and offer discussion on inclusive arts practice.

Changing: Access (2006) focused on access to Performing Arts courses for young disabled people.

Changing: Roles (2008) brought together playwrights and directors involved in new writing to discuss and explore issues around writing and inclusion. It was done in partnership with Playwrights’ Studio Scotland.

Changing: Voices (2009)
This year's event introduced Danny Start, Birds of Paradise's newly appointed Playwright in Residence, to the theatre community.  Other voices discussing inclusive arts practice were screenwriter Andrea Gibb, the Scottish Arts Council's Arts and Disability Officer Robert Softley Gale and Mikey Hughes of Insight Radio, North East Glasgow by-election and Big Brother 2008!

Future Agent for Change events are:

Changing: International (2010)
This event will put Scottish inclusive theatre practice in an international context and will coincide with the company’s European project led by DifferenzArt of Lumezzane Municipality, Italy, with partners from Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary.

Changing: Ideas (2011)
This event will explore how ideas in inclusive and mainstream theatre have changed in the last five years and assess what progress has been made on the issues highlighted by previous Agent for Change Events.