At the start of a new season with The Folkestone Performing Arts Company, I thought it might be worth [re] introducing FPAC & myself as we launch into starts with the three stands of FPAC: The Professional Ensemble, The Community Theatre Group & The Writing for Performance Group.
FPAC became a charity in July 2023 and is an artist-led international theatre company which creates vibrant, participatory, relevant and compelling theatre through the celebration of local stories. Since forming in 2022, FPAC’s main purpose has been to encourage greater local participation in theatre by all residents. Our vision is to provide the community with opportunities to create and perform new dramatic work. Our ambition is to create positive change in the community, thus giving people a chance to develop a stronger sense of connection and belonging to their local environment and communities. Success, for us, is to be the preeminent ensemble theatre in Kent and a vibrant artistic hub at the heart of our community that inspires local people of all ages and abilities to take creative risks.
FPAC believes that local theatre deserves equitable status amongst all of the wonderful artistic output happening currently in Folkestone. By being based within the community, FPAC focuses on the local area and contributes towards improving audiences’ sense of community cohesion, civic pride and wellbeing in what Folkestone has to offer its residents and visitors. In Shepway, only 38% of the public spends time doing a creative, artistic, theatrical or music activity or a craft verses the average of 52.2% of adults throughout England (Arts Council England’s Active Lives Survey,2017). FPAC wants to increase those numbers of public who create, participate and watch local theatre.
We were so pleaded to be involved with Folkestone’s inaugural theatre festival, Folkestone Live which we believe is another step in the right direction to promoting theatre making in this town.
If you would like information about FPAC or its three strands of theatre making: the professional Ensemble, the Community Theatre acting group or the Writing for Performance sessions, please get in touch.
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