Becoming British is led by Lora Krasteva – a Bulgarian artist based in Sheffield. Her lived experience of migration in 6 different countries and her recent insights from applying for British citizenship, is what led her to this project.
Lora leads Global Voices Theatre, a theatre company dedicated to introducing international theatre by historically excluded creatives in the UK. She creates devised, socially engaged theatre with professionals and community members alike and worked previously with Arts & Homelessness International to advocate for a place for creativity in homelessness provision. Lora is a steering group member of What Next? and a founding member of Migrants in Theatre, the movement advocating for a better representation of 1st generation immigrants both on and off stage.
Asking questions of nationality, nation building and identity, Becoming British seeks to celebrate the diverseness in Britishness and question assumptions we make about race, migration and nationality.
Working between the forms usually found in museums, galleries and theatre, the project will be a multi disciplinary, interactive performative experience that will be as educational as it is entertaining.
Democratising creative processes is at the heart of Lora’s work and Becoming British is no exception. The physical exhibition will be co-created with participants of workshops, commissioned migrant artists and arts venues.
It’s also fundamental to Lora as an artist that the programme has a sustained life. Part of this will be achieved through the digital aspects of the project, but she will also be designing a package of activity which means the exhibition format can be replicated in other locations in the future.
a fund has been created to support fellow migrants in their own citizenship/visa applications – if you would like to donate to support the scheme or apply as a migrant artist: https://www.lorakrasteva.com/migrant-artist-fund
Becoming British will open up dialogue between artists and audience, migrants and natives, British or not – all through the creative arts.
If you’re a migrant artist (first, second, third generation, we don’t mind) interested in collaborating / contributing to the project email BecomingBritishProject@gmail.com as we’re interested in extending the reach of the project – especially if you’re based in Sheffield / the surrounding areas.
Becoming British is also taking place in Brno, Czech Republic, Bucharest, Romania & Berlin (Germany) with the support of Perform Europe.