Icon Theatre

Who we are

Vision

Icon Theatre transforms lives and strengthens communities, by supporting people to make and experience world class theatre and participatory arts.

Mission

Based in Chatham, our work is shaped by the communities of Medway and north Kent, where we use a process called collective theatre to explore local stories, social issues and wider injustices.

Collective theatre places authentic voices at the heart of every story; eye witnesses, individual accounts, people who have been through the system and come out to tell the tale, voices and testimonies from drop-in centres, supermarkets, youth clubs and schools. 

We use collective theatre to make big shows with whole communities in places that are central to their lives.  We use it to make small shows which tour nationally and engage individuals in unexpected settings.  We use it to work with disadvantaged and excluded communities, to highlight voices that are not usually heard.  We use it to tell stories that inspire change.

Rooted firmly in north Kent, our branches spread further afield.  Led by our founder and Artistic Director Nancy Hirst, we use local stories as a reflection of the global experience, touring to audiences across the UK, and developing national and international partnerships to ensure our work remains innovative, invigorated, excellent and inspirational.

Programmes

As well as productions, we also run year round community programmes which focus on developing confidence, personal skills, creativity and social cohesion.  This includes ‘Pulse’, which offers theatre, drama and support activities for adults with mental health issues, and our youth theatre, which runs in one of the most deprived wards in the country and is attended by over 50 young people each week.

Outcomes
Our work supports participants to develop strong, authentic voices, gaining personal, social, professional and creative skills that lead to education and employment opportunities, as well as an increased sense of empowerment which acts as a catalyst for further social change.

Our community projects have won wider recognition, most notably a film made by our youth theatre being awarded Best Film Award (U-Screen Film Competition) and a screening at the Barbican Centre London (Framed Festival), as well as our rural arts and history project 'Time and Tides' winning a 'Recognition Award' from Medway Council - a benchmark of excellence for community and outreach projects.

Our productions have won a Fringe First Award, selection by Lyn Gardner in her in her Guardian column 'What to See: Theatre Tips', and shortlisting for an Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award. 

Underpinning values

We create high quality work that promotes the authentic voice of participants and reflects a genuine sense of place.  We strive to be empowering and collaborative, inclusive, excellent and inspirational.