ABOUT US
Community Driven Creativity
We are dedicated to fostering community engagement through participatory creative activities. With a small yet versatile management and artistic team, Parrabbola collaborates with independent freelance arts and cultural practitioners to co-create workshops, community plays, outdoor arts projects, and development programmes.
Our
Approach
Bespoke, Community-Devised Projects
Parrabbola's unique methodology ensures that projects are tailor-made, emerging organically from the local environment and shaped by the specific needs and aspirations of the community. Grounded in extensive background research, observations, conversations, and detailed information gathering within the community, we place meaningful participation and engagement at the forefront.
This approach ensures that the communities we collaborate with truly own their projects and the lasting legacy that follows.
Community Plays: Unveiling Local Stories and Heritage
For over two decades, Parrabbola has been at the forefront of producing original, large-scale, outdoor community plays across the UK and Europe. With community performers and local heritage at the heart of each production, our community play structure empowers individuals to uncover and share their own stories, fostering strong community bonds. Every community play is a unique reflection of the community it represents.
Beyond Traditional Spaces: Intergenerational and Inclusive
Our work often occurs outside traditional theatre spaces, in spaces relevant to the community in focus. Embracing an intergenerational approach, our productions are designed for family audiences, often introducing theatre to those with little prior experience. We value this democratisation of space as it ensures that all the people in a community, no matter their circumstances, are able to exercise their right to participate in cultural and creative activities.
Recent Focus: Community-Cultural Cohesion
In recent years, Parrabbola led a programme of cultural development for Solihull Metropolitan Borough, aimed at reconnecting the council with local artists and community groups. This work, initiated in 2021 and extended through the Commonwealth Games, established enduring relationships across the borough. We are also lead producers of the York International Shakespeare Festival (yorkshakes.co.uk) and produce various other collaborative projects, including the acclaimed FEAST: a play in one cooking, showcased in August 2023 at the Verona Shakespeare Festival.
Community Consultation and Outreach
Parrabbola's expertise extends to community consultation and outreach. In Hertfordshire, the organization initiated the World Arts Platform, a networking and mentoring program for multicultural artists funded by Arts Council England. In Hastings, eight foot square brought arts outreach to disengaged communities. In the London Borough of Newham, Parrabbola revitalised neglected public spaces with the Newham Alleyways Festival, transforming them into vibrant arts and cultural locations.
Partnerships and Collaborations
Parrabbola collaborates with a diverse range of partners, from local councils to cultural organisations, including Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Solihull CEP, Everything to Everybody, Creative BasildON, Newham Unlocked, Applecart Arts, Discover Children’s Story Centre, York St. John University, Creative Europe, and many more.
In every endeavour, Parrabbola remains committed to empowering communities through creative expression, building bridges that connect people and their stories.