The Big Lottery Fund awards £60,000

Central is proud to have been awarded £60,000 by the Big Lottery Fund for Outbox, a new performance project that focuses on relationships between older and younger lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people.

Following the success of their LGB youth performance, SSA: Same Sex Attraction, Central’s School of Professional and Community Development has now turned its attention to older people and the isolation that they may face in their communities. Outbox will produce one show per year, running both in London and in a northern city. There will also be six national follow-up workshops for young LGB people.

The company is made of LGB performers and will tell the unheard stories of the gay community. Recognising the lack of social mechanisms for LGB people, Outbox tells of those who were activists and pioneers. Now that they are older, many face isolation, ageism and homophobia.

Keegan Peacey, 20, took part in SSA and is now part of the steering group for Outbox. ‘As a young gay actor, SSA was the best thing. It gave our company the opportunity to discuss and debate our experiences, opinions and lives and then put them on stage. Furthermore, to create a piece of theatre about yourself and a celebration of the LGB community was an honour. It was an experience that I won’t forget and a bunch of memories that will always stay with me.’

Ben Buratta, Project Leader and Director of Outbox said, ‘The lives and histories of the older members of the LGB community are both fascinating and inspiring for the younger generations. We are delighted that The Big Lottery Fund has chosen to fund this important and relevant theatre project. The performances and workshops will have a national reach, allowing us to educate and raise awareness for younger and older LGB people who may feel isolated and alone.’

‘This project allows for a model of actor training which gives young performers the right to explore their psycho-physical interpretations of role from a gay centre,’ says Bruce Wooding, Head of the School of Professional and Community Development at Central. ‘Previous work demonstrated that most young LGB actors do not get to explore their “gay self”, nor do they get to be cast in meaningful gay roles. This double-blow of discrimination is something to be attended to.’

The Big Lottery Fund distributes half of the National Lottery Good Cause funding across the UK. The Fund aims to enable others to make real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need.

For more information, please contact Ben Buratta on +44 (0)20 7449 1576 or ben.buratta@cssd.ac.uk