Education & Community

The Occasion regards community outreach projects as having equal worth to professional touring productions and seeks to ensure that all work shares the same values and high production standards.

The main themes for this work are:

Promoting creative collaboration
Innovating by extending the boundaries of highly visual and physical theatre
Encouraging and facilitating social and personal development
Developing new and extant audiences

The Occasion uses drama to contribute to personal and social development and as a way for individuals and groups to explore and enjoy their own creativity.

Our programmes – for promoters, local authorities, education and independent groups – include:

I have never participated in a workshop that felt as inclusive, welcoming and creative as these sessions. I really hope that funders appreciate the impact that this opportunity would have on participants, as well as the example of good practice it would set for audiences and other arts practitioners.

- Lyceum workshop participant

The Occasion is fully committed to providing opportunities across all sections of society and will, whenever possible, respond to all requests for new activity.

All projects seek to demystify the process of creating theatre, to teach new skills and to involve all participants in all stages of the work, working to the fullness of all their abilities.

The Occasion is also currently looking to expand activity into new geographical areas. For any requests, or enquiries, for future projects please contact us at: info@theoccasiontheatre.com

History & Past Projects

Over the past twenty-five years The Occasion’s joint Artistic Directors – Peter Clerke and Catherine Gillard – have been involved in an eclectic range of education and outreach projects. These have included large-scale community performances, residencies, workshop programmes and discussion forums; have involved people of all ages and all abilities; encompassed work in community centres, colleges, schools, day centres, mental health projects, youth theatres & arts centres; and operated on both a national and international scale.

Major achievements have been:

Theatre as it should be – a communal, passionate, imaginative celebration of life in all its facets.

- The Edinburgh Guide on Mayhem

It was fantastic – my confidence has improved and it’s been great to work with so many different people; older people, young, disabled/less-abled (chances like this are very few!) to create drama together.

- Lyceum workshop participant
The Hungry Cat
the occasion – exciting and entertaining; challenging and deliciously different. Dynamic touring and innovative community projects.



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