Unity Theatre launch international collaboration with theatre in New Zealand

Unity Theatre, Liverpool have launched their most original and important international collaboration in years.

‘Rising | Piki Ake’ will feature a long-distance, intercontinental collaboration between young creators based in Liverpool, UK and Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

Funded by The British Council, this project will build up the creative skills and ability of two groups of young people 11,500 miles apart simultaneously, resulting in a single collaborative piece.

The project, open to artists between the ages of 14 and 18, will feature 8 weekly sessions in which the group will build a collaborative piece with Hawkes Bay Youth Theatre. Led by Unity Theatre’s newly appointed Artistic Directo, Eli Randle and writer Ginni Manning, this will be achieved through an intuitive and original ‘call and response’ system between these two organisations.

United by a close proximity to, and relationship with water, both groups of young people will build a responsive piece, exploring their experience with the climate crisis at a time when this work has never been more valuable. Encouraging future leaders and artists to proactively engage with their relationship with the climate crisis and work to shape future narratives is a key practice that Unity Theatre is continuing to champion.

Unity Theatre is keen to extend a huge thank you to The British Council for making this unique and valuable collaboration possible for so many young people.

Natasha Beckman, Director British Council New Zealand and the Pacific, said:

“It’s exciting to see the vibrant artistic links being forged between the United Kingdom and New Zealand through our Connections Through Culture grant programme.

Cross-cultural exchanges such as Rising – Piki Ake demonstrate how artistic collaboration can transform individual creative practices and spark new possibilities.

The range of projects we’re supporting highlights the extraordinary innovation that emerges when artists from different cultural backgrounds come together, strengthening the fabric of our global creative community.”

The theatre is currently looking for participants to take part in this opportunity. Please use Unity Theatre’s site or follow the link below to sign up to take part.