In April our 2 Associates taking part in Women Leaders South West attended the residency for the programme. Unfortunately, the planned in-person residency couldn’t go ahead due to restrictions at the time. However, Ruth and Natasha joined the Associates and team members from the other partner organisations online for 3 days of talks and reflection.
Here, Ruth and Natasha tell us their thoughts and learning from the residency in a short film. They have also shared some of the things about themselves that were part of a ‘getting to know you’ session during the residency.
More about Ruth
‘I-Witness:’ was a production I directed in 2007 that toured a range of venues in Bristol. It was based on the life of Jamaican politician Richard Hart. Many of the cast had never acted before
including the actor in the lead role who is now, in real life, the elected Mayor of Bristol.
This is the logo of one of the theatre companies I co-founded. Being creative with such fabulous companies of women has allowed me the privilege to work with communities that have enriched my life. I trust our work has brought long-lasting value to many people we have interacted and collaborated with locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
More about Natasha
This was a musical I directed called The Scottsboro Boys which was a true story about 9 young boys falsely accused of raping 2 white women on a train in the 1930s in Alabama. The company of young adults had not been in a professional production before and were so dedicated, brave and inspiring. A lot of them have gone on to have really successful careers – you might catch a few on the telly!
This is a picture of me and my dog, Lars, walking the Jurassic coast where I live now. Having always lived in cities, this is a big change for me. I’m still getting used to how quiet it can be! I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to be outside more in landscapes such as these. Now I just need to work out how to make some art here.
You’ll find more updates on the projects Ruth and Natasha are embarking on as part of the Women Leaders South West programme right here on the Activate website. Keep an eye out for the inspiring work they will be doing as part of this leadership programme.
Women Leaders South West is run by a group of eight arts organisations and one business school. The project also involves the WOW Foundation, which is a global movement to celebrate women and girls and takes a frank look at the obstacles they face. An Arts Council England Transforming Leadership grant is funding the project.