The Gilbert Spottiswood Churchill Fellowship to research theatre in post conflict communities and how it can inform my work in Indigenous communities

Major lessons learned:

While it is almost impossible to gain quantitative evidence that the arts work in assisting people through trauma, there is strong anecdotal evidence that the arts has a place in therapy and helping people come to terms with transgenerational trauma.

Arts in the community has a place beside the “High end arts” in delivering high quality events. My findings will be disseminated through my ongoing practice as an artist working with people in post-conflict communities in Australia. It will allow me to improve the community development model that I have developed over many years of practice.

Highlights:

Paper Moon and Flying Balloon puppetry Theatres. Over three weeks we developed a theatre work in puppetry titled "Sori and Lembuna" with young Muslim puppeteers of Flying Balloon Puppet Theatre in preparation for the Pesta Boneka International puppet festival. //Kabosh Theatre introduced me to the lively Belfast arts community working towards a more peaceful Belfast.

Meeting Sue Gill and John Fox who helped found a theatre, art and performance company called “Welfare State”. The organisation’s book ‘Engineers of the Imagination’ set me on the road that I was to wander for the next 30 years.

Keywords: Arts and reconciliation, Belfast peace process, Circus, conflict tourism, devised theatre, ensemble theatre, Indigenous mental health, post conflict community, puppetry, Remote Indigenous communities, Transgenerational trauma, Site specific theatre, Participatory theatre, Community Arts,Community Cultural Development.