Arts for Social Change
A two-year project delivered by Intercultural Roots
I was struck by the outpouring of co-created intelligence and experience-sharing that the theatre related games, that became performances, invoked. — Dr. Alex Boyd.
See the power of Forum Theatre in action. These short films document our two-year journey, capturing how participants came together to explore themes of conflict, safety, and belonging. Through movement, dialogue, and trust, we moved from isolation to connection.
Filmed in November 2024 at the Churchill Gardens Adult & Social Club, this documentary captures the evolution of our work in its second year. It highlights how the group deepened their practice to cultivate new ways of being in the world.
Facilitators: Dr Almiro Andrade and Manuela Benini
Coordination: Manuela Benini
Volunteer Training: Dr Andrea Maciel
(Note: To respect privacy, the names of interviewees have been omitted.)
We are basically building amazing things out of thin air, constructing dreams together that build communities. — Workshop Participant
Filmed in November 2023 at the Pimlico Toy Library & Churchill Hall, this film documents the foundational first year of the project. It shows the initial steps of building a safe space where community members could turn personal struggles into shared strength.
Facilitators: Dr Almiro Andrade and Dr Andrea Maciel
Coordination: Dr Andrea Maciel
Volunteers: Carolina Toledo Fattori and Manuela Benini
(Note: To respect privacy, the names of interviewees have been omitted.)
How do we live with violence? How do we find antidotes to conflict? Over the last two years, our Forum Theatre project created spaces where community members; including many Peabody residents; stepped forward not only as actors but as spect-actors, actively participating in reshaping the stories that shape their lives. Through these experiential workshops, participants engaged with conflict both personally and collectively, exploring how it manifests in their bodies, relationships, and communities.
By holding creative, relational spaces where people could speak, listen, move, and reflect together, the project supported a healthy exploration of individual embodied experience. Each person’s vitality was acknowledged within the collective identity of the group. This opened up new and wider perspectives, encouraging an integrated sense of agency that grew stronger than the sum of its parts. Themes of safety, belonging, and co-creation became central to the second year of workshops, deepening understanding of what shapes community life.
The process revealed how conflict can be approached with openness and curiosity rather than fear. Through dialogue and turn-taking, the collective “dance” of the group unfolded into new rhythms; participants learned to recognise their own internal responses to conflict while also witnessing the unique ways others express care, set boundaries, and navigate tension. One participant described an important insight as “protecting your space by inviting” others to connect; capturing the delicate balance between openness and boundary-setting.
These relational encounters led to highly positive outcomes. Participants reported increased self-awareness, greater relational confidence, and an expanded sense of belonging. Many experienced a reframing of social anxiety, a deepening of self-compassion, and in some cases a softening or de-escalation of trauma responses. The project succeeded not only in meeting but meaningfully extending the proposed outcomes of the grant by supporting personal growth and contributing to the co-creation of healthier community dynamics.
The impact of Forum Theatre goes beyond the stage. It changes how we relate to ourselves and our neighbors. Here is what our community had to say about the experience:
I feel I don’t have to hide anymore. I can speak about things I really feel without having to pretend to be someone else.
It makes me feel more connected to the Londoners... the people I encounter on the streets every day.
The Forum Theatre gives the capacity for us to re-enact, create, see situations in life as we see in theatre. Put ourselves in the others' shoes.
- 8 Boal Theatre participant workshops exploring conflict in communities (4 in 2023, 4 in 2024).
- 2 volunteer training workshops.
- 2 documentary short films produced.
- 2 evaluation reports produced.
- 46 people directly benefited from the funding (30 were Peabody residents).
- 120 estimated people indirectly benefited.
- Demographics: The group was diverse, including local residents, Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ groups, carers, and people living in poverty.
- Gender Identity: 70% female, 30% male, 10% non-binary.
- Volunteers: 3 volunteers contributed a total of 36 hours to the project.
The workshops brought people into proactive engagement with how they manage conflict. Participants experienced a de-escalation of trauma symptoms and found the gift of greater acceptance and self-compassion. As one participant noted, the work allowed them to balance "protecting your space" while simultaneously "inviting others to connect".
We are proud to be featured by the National Centre for Creative Health as a leading example of how co-produced creative approaches can address health inequalities.
In their case study of our Addressing Domestic Violence Through Forum Theatre project, the NCCH highlighted our success in:
- Creating Safe Environments: Establishing inclusive spaces where participants could safely explore and address personal and collective issues of violence.
- Driving Personal Growth: Noting the "de-escalation of trauma symptoms" and "greater self-compassion" experienced by our participants.
- Building Sustainable Solutions: Demonstrating how creative interventions can promote mental health and social change while fostering a deep sense of belonging.
The innovative use of Forum Theatre techniques allowed for meaningful exploration and resolution of complex issues, enhancing participants' personal growth and community cohesion. — National Centre for Creative Health
Our final evaluation report highlights how these workshops created secure boundaries for people to enact and consider their concerns. As noted in the findings, the project allowed participants to "reset or reframe their social anxiety barometers" while cultivating a deeper sense of connection and self-compassion.
Explore our findings below to see how creative intervention is building future communities.
I believe that bringing projects such as this to communities... is paramount to allowing participants... to understand that they are not an island themselves. They are part of a larger community. — Dr. Almiro Andrade
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