Blue Teapot is a multi-award winning Theatre Company at the forefront of arts & disability in Ireland. We also run a Performing Arts School and two Outreach programmes for people with intellectual disabilities. Blue Teapot is committed to high quality theatre, training and the ANNUAL celebration of creativity.

Our mission is to effect positive change REPORT in public consciousness concerning people with intellectual disabilities through the medium of theatre, allowing our members inherent talent and creativity to speak for itself. 2 Message from our Artistic Director and CEO

I am proud to present the 2017 Annual Report for Blue Teapot Theatre Company, a year packed with activity, partnership and an international reach. Foundations were laid for the future with a European cultural project and the start of a campaign to secure a permanent home for the company.

I also wish to acknowledge the contributions made by everyone involved in the dynamic, living eco system that is Blue Teapot. These contributions give vital energy to the company and ensure it continues to thrive creatively.

EUROPE CALLING

On a cold January morning the entire acting company and staff departed Galway to travel to Roubaix (France) to attend the first mini Crossing The Line (CTL) Festival hosted by our French partner Les Oiseaux Mouche. The experience was culturally important for various reasons including how our actors coped with language difference (not an issue) and as a trial run for Blue Teapot’s own scheduled CTL Festival in 2020 as part of Galway’s European Capital of Culture. Apart from the sub-zero temperatures everyone had a rich and informative time which gave a taste of what possibilities could unfold over this four-year pan European Partnership.

3 On March 31st we hosted a film Gala in the Eye Cinema showing a screening of our award-winning film Sanctuary followed by a night of dinner and entertainment in The G Hotel to kick-start a campaign to buy a permanent home for Blue Teapot. #bluebrick campaign was launched and raised €20,220 on the night. The Cox family supported this fundraiser in a huge way and we are so appreciative of their collective efforts.

Continuing in the vein of European connectivity, Blue Teapot hosted our Welsh Crossing The Line partner Hijinx as part of Galway International Arts Festival with their knock out production Meet Fred which sold out - queues of hopefuls waited at each performance for tickets. We conducted an audience survey which fed back key information regarding audience interest in our proposed Crossing The Line Festival in May 2020 featuring theatre made by leading European companies working with artists with intellectual disabilities. Out of the 206-people surveyed 197 people said YES they would attend our festival in 2020.

July also brought welcome news that the Arts Council of Ireland had granted Blue Teapot a full project award of €52,395 for a production of Dancing At Lughnasa to be staged in 2018. This was the first time since 2006 that Blue Teapot received project funding.

GOING GLOBAL

The second part of the year was dominated by the considerable achievement of the general release of Sanctuary the film adapted by Christian O’Reilly from his stage play commissioned and produced by Blue Teapot in 2012. Sanctuary had already garnered awards from film festivals worldwide including International Film Festival and enjoyed extended weeks in cinemas throughout Ireland before getting its UK release.

The Board continued to progress the adoption of The Governance Code for Community, Voluntary and Charitable Organisations. We achieved this long-standing goal in September 2017 by completing the process. I would also like to express the Board’s appreciation and gratitude to all our funders whose continued support enriches creative output of Blue Teapot and our artists. 4 LOOKING AHEAD IN 2018

Having completed the extensive three-year journey through The Governance Code and had incredible forays into the world of film I feel it is timely that the company come back to its primary purpose in 2018 and have named it: The Year of Theatre.

This is made all the more possible with The Arts Council Project Funding for Dancing at Lughnasa which will open in May. Additionally, there is possibility of a collaboration with The Abbey Theatre on a project, also as part of both Crossing the Line and Galway ECoC 2020 Blue Teapot will have multiple theatre productions to create and deliver – exciting times ahead.

Work will commence in March on our Project Development Plan for Galway European Capital of Culture 2020 for our Festival and we aim to start implementing it by July 2018. These developments all feed in to a new level of connected partnership and collaboration both locally, nationally and into Europe. The creative and business opportunities are tangible and with clear strategic thinking Blue Teapot has much to gain and much to give.

Petal Pilley, July 2018.

5 PROGRAMME DELIVERY

• Blue Teapot Theatre Company – We are the only professional, intellectually disabled acting ensemble that trains and performs at the highest level, on the main stages of Ireland’s leading arts festivals.

• Performing Arts School – an accredited provider in the West of Ireland of performing arts training with programmes leading to QQI awards at Level 3.

• Bright Soul – Our long standing Outreach programme (founded 1996), born as a simple creative outlet for adults with moderate intellectual disabilities. It maintains an ethos rooted in arts participation and social inclusion.

• Sparkle – Now an established Outreach project – a young ensemble - especially for teenagers with intellectual disabilities. 6 Programme Delivery in 2017

Blue Teapot Theatre Company

Three day per week programme consisting of classes and training in Drama and Improvisation, Creative Writing, Singing, Dance, Media Training, Yoga, Puppetry, Circuit training at Train Station Gym, Storytelling, Film Studies, Art, Communications and regular visits to events such as Galway International Arts Festival, Baboro and cultural activities in Galway.

Performing Arts School

Four day per week programme focused primarily of vocational training modules leading to QQI Level 3 minor awards – Art & Design, Music, Drama, Event Participation, and Puppetry & Drawing. Galway Adult Basic Education Services provided 2.5 tutor hours per week in literacy classes.

Other skills taught: Puppetry Performance, Yoga, Creative Writing, Dance and Communications.

7 HIGHLIGHTS & KEY EVENTS 8 CROSSING THE LINE+ A European network of leading arts organisations for artists with intellectual disabilities

The Magnificent 7

Blue Teapot Ireland

Mind The Gap England

Mooms Teatern Sweden

Hijinx Wales

Theater Babel Netherlands

Les Oiseau-Mouche France

Teatr 21 Poland

9 ABOUT CROSSING THE LINE +

In 2012, Artistic Director Petal Pilley was invited to Washington, USA to a convening of thought leaders in disability arts at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. At gathering emerged the seeds for a project that would bring together pan European artists and organisations in a collaborative ambition to further the engagement and scope of work made by artists with disabilities.

This momentum became realised in 2015 with CROSSING THE LINE (CTL), a Creative Europe funded small co-operation programme of the European Union with performance companies Compagnie de l’Oiseau Mouche (France), Moomsteatern (Sweden) and Mind the Gap (England) involved in a two year process of skills exchanges, developing artistic practice and a network of professional arts practitioners for disabled artists.

In 2016, Blue Teapot was invited to become a full partner in an extended network of pan European companies – expanded to Teatr 21 (Poland), Theater Babel (Netherlands), Hijinx (Wales) – all leaders and pioneers of high quality theatre and performance art with intellectual disabled artists in their respected countries.

Key aims of CTL is to develop all our artists professionally through peer to peer skills exchange in workshop settings and creative collaboration through co-production. All seven companies want to expand their touring networks across Europe and make CTL a recognised brand that festival and venue programmers will go to for high quality theatre made by artists with intellectual disabilities.

CTL partnership collectively applied for a Creative Europe large Co-operation grant that would span 4 years (2018 – 2022). In May 2020, Blue Teapot will host a Crossing The Line Festival as the culmination of our European Capital of Culture project. The festival will feature performance works by all European partners which will encompass theatre, dance and film.

10 ACTIVITIES CONNECTED TO CTL+ & Galway ECoC 2020

January 2017: Crossing The Line Festival, Roubaix, France We secured a 50% funded grant from Culture Ireland to bring 13 representatives to Roubaix. Sanctuary was screened in its first presentation in mainland Europe and our actors got to experience first-hand the work of their European peers and partake in workshops.

June: Artistic Director Petal Pilley & General Manager Sonja Brodie travelled to Roubaix to attend an in-depth partner meeting to evaluate, discuss and plan objectives, projects and activities for the Creative Europe Large Co-operation application for the autumn.

July: Blue Teapot hosted Welsh partner Hijinx with their critically acclaimed show Meet Fred (see following item) as part of Galway International Arts Festival.

September: Petal Pilley travelled to Rotterdam, Netherlands for an Artistic Meet-Up with European counterparts for a two-day meeting on overall artistic programming.

November: Dublin meeting with UK partners Hijinx & Mind The Gap to further the overall artistic and operational, logistical aims/objectives as application preparations go deeper. Shortly followed by Sonja Brodie and accountant Bernie Harrigan going to London for financial planning meetings with our partners. We secured a Travel & Training grant from the Arts Council through the Creative Europe strand. Ready for Take Off. Teapots on Tour!

December: All partners worked collectively on programming activities, budgets and a four year plan for a large scale Co-Operation grant application to Creative Europe. 11 THEATRE PLAY DEVELOPMENT

Progressive script development of a special adaption of Waiting for Elvis by Eileen Gibbons for Blue Teapot.

Following a cast change since the 2016 stage production, further exploratory workshops/re-rehearsals took place from February – April 2017 with director Petal Pilley and the playwright.

The aim is to tour this production in 2019 to Wales for Waiting for Elvis by Eileen Gibbons, Valerie Egan & Charlene Kelly Unity Festival, Cardiff and present in Galway International Arts Festival.

12 COLLABORATION & EXHIBITION WITH GALWAY PRINT STUDIO

An exciting new collaboration took place in March between Blue Teapot, Galway Print Studio and visual artists Victoria Smith, Paul Maye and Mike Davoren, which culminated in a public exhibition, sponsored by by Sccul Enterprise Centre, Ballybane and held at Café, National University Ireland Galway as part of the Community Knowledge Initiative.

The aim was to explore the art of printmaking while connecting with new and diverse audiences. Over nine-weeks, our artists learnt to develop a relief Lino print and screen-printing.

The resulting work demonstrated a celebration of printmaking techniques, new knowledge and skills learnt.

13 THE EXAM School Days.

Exam Day.

Something everyone is familiar with the pressures of.

Working with a variety of masks, under the expert tutelage of Rod Goodall, graduates from the past 6 years of the Blue Teapot’s Performing Arts School completed a twenty week alumni programme which culminated in a showpiece performance in May 2017 as janitors/cleaners/school children and faced with an austere teacher.

The project was enabled by financial support from HSE West National Lottery Funds – CHO Galway Roscommon/Mayo

14 DANCING AT LUGHNASA

The latter part of Autumn/Winter began preparations for a major theatre project in 2018, a production of Brian Friel’s Dancing At Lughnasa.

Directed by Petal Pilley, this production will comprise of an integrated cast of Galway’s finest stage & screen talent and with the pivotal role of Rose Mundy played by Jennifer Cox, an actor with Down’s syndrome.

Project funding was awarded by Arts Council of Ireland Arts Participation Desk for this production, which was a milestone achievement for Blue Teapot in recent years.

This proposal clearly demonstrated key objectives in the Arts Council Strategy 2016 – 2025 (objectives).

15 16 SANCTUARY An Irish feature film

Sanctuary is one of only a handful of feature films that exist in the world to date that features intellectually disabled actors as leading principle characters.

Co-funded by the Irish Film Board/BAI/RTE, this full length feature film is based on the original stage play by Christian O’Reilly commissioned by Blue Teapot in 2012.

Throughout 2017, Sanctuary has screened internationally at various mainstream and disability focused film festivals such as a European premiere in Roubaix, France, a sold out screening in the Audi Dublin International Film Festival and red carpet gala opening to ReelAbilities New York Film Festival

A year highlight was the Irish general cinema release in the summer/autumn and in to UK cinemas in late 2017/early 2018.

17 18 SANCTUARY

Media coverage in Ireland alone garnered many public appearances on national TV and radio including live studio appearances on prime time shows such as RTE 1 Ray D’Arcy Show, TV3 Ireland Am, RTE Radio Show, TV3 Xpose and many radio stations.

Print media coverage has also been extensive with film critics awarded the film 4 & 5 star reviews in national media and industry articles.

Blue Teapot was also enabled in our own activities towards Sanctuary's Kieran Coppinger, Charlene Kelly & Petal Pilley on the Ray D’Arcy Show promotion (additional to that of distributors Eclipse Pictures & Access Cinema), with a grant from Galway City Council’s Marketing & Promotion Fund. This funds the promotion of Galway culture outside of it’s own region, and with this film, we were in a great position to certainly do that throughout 2017 as the film reached Australia, USA, Egypt and several countries in Europe.

UK distributor David Wilkinson of Guerilla Films has said it’s the best reviewed film he’s ever handled in over twenty years!

Interview with Donald Clarke, The Ticket, Irish Times Film Critic

19 Red Carpets, Q & A’s, road & air miles for Sanctuary stars

Sanctuary cast and crew stepped out on to many red carpets throughout 2017, making personal appearances at film festivals and event screenings nationwide and even around the globe. In February, Charlene and Kieran went on the road to promote Sanctuary in conjunction with Access Cinema (Dublin) prior to its Irish general release. This was swiftly followed with Kieran packing a Tux suit to join director Len Collin in New York for a glitzy VIP opening to ReelAbilities New York Film Festival. Throughout 2017, we followed the impact Sanctuary made on audiences across Europe, America and Australia, as well as the huge occasion of a national theatrical release. 2017 ended with an imminent UK cinema release to close out a momentous year.

EUROPE INTERNATIONAL Irish Film Festa, Rome, Italy Chicago Irish Film Festival, USA Nordic Film Festival, Luxembourg City Red Carpet Gala - ReelAbilities New York Film Festival, USA Barcelona Inclús Film Festival Boston Irish Film Festival, USA July - November Irish Film Festival, Sydney, AUSTRALIA Irish general release nationwide Melbourne, Irish Film Festival, AUSTRALIA Oska Bright Film Festival, Brighton, UK Newport Beach Film Festival, California, USA Camerimage International Film Festival, Poland. ReelAbilities Toronto, CANADA December – UK cinema release due.

20 What the People Said And The Award goes to… “Bold, fun, honest, filled with beautiful shots of Galway and moments that 2017 Audi Dublin International stop you in your tracks.” Film Festival Dublin Film Critics Circle Michael Dwyer Discovery Award

“I have not stopped thinking about Sanctuary. Blue Teapot Ensemble A profoundly moving and jaw achingly funny film experience. I won't see a better movie this year. THIS is why art matters. 2017 Newport Beach Thanks to all.” International Film Festival (California, USA)

“Sanctuary is an important film on many levels. Firstly it is just a lot of fun. I Jury Prize - Best Director haven't laughed so much in a long time. The adventures of the characters Len Collin “That was one of the provide a fantastic vehicle for the audience to engage with some complex most enjoyable films ethical dilemmas: balancing freedom with responsibility; individual and I’ve seen in a long time. collective action and the human rights of all people. The great thing is that the film doesn't make judgements, each audience member has to work it 2017 Recipient of I think I ran through out for themselves. With delightful and surprising turns from the ensemble access>CINEMA every emotion know to cast, the film is moving, funny and thought provoking, I defy anyone to not enjoy Sanctuary” – Michael Dwyer Award man”. Jonathan Meth, Dramaturg, Goldsmiths University of London Awarded to SANCTUARY 21 What the critics wrote

Irish Examiner The most heart-breaking and heart-warming movie you’ll see all year. “A nuanced, gripping blend of black comedy, farce and hard-hitting social commentary, Sanctuary already has a strong claim on Irish Movie of the Year.

Irish Times A must-see knockabout comedy

Sunday Times Visually delightful, emotionally sure and morally fierce

RTE Entertainment Manages to deliver serious food for thought

The Evening Herald A wonderful film.

Sunday World Funny, moving and Brave

Irish Independent Smart, well-paced and extremely funny – an Irish film to be proud of

Sunday Courageous and insightful – A remarkable film.

Movies.ie A lovely, ambitious project that is full of charm.

RTE Guide A moving and funny love story

22 A NATIONAL CONVERSATION THAT HELPED CHANGE THE LAW

Prior to February 2017, in Ireland it was a criminal offence for a ‘mentally impaired’ individual – i.e. those with an intellectual disability – to have sexual intercourse unless married under the legal predecessor - the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993.

The play, Dublin Fringe Festival On 14th February 2017 (Valentine’s Day), the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 was passed through the final stage in the Seanad, lessening the terms that mean persons with intellectual disabilities can be pre-judged in the eyes of the law.

Along with many academic and political advocates, individuals and organisations such as Centre for Disability Law and Policy, NUI Galway, Inclusion Ireland, Minister Katherine Zappone and everyone connected to getting Sanctuary on stage and screen – we can all be extremely proud of playing our role in influencing national conversation, leading to Statute changes made on behalf of those most marginalised in society.

Small Victories. Change. The film ,Dublin International Film Festival Galway City and its citizens can be rightly proud of all we’ve achieved in 2017. 23 FUNDRAISING

24 #BLUE BRICK The Campaign to purchase a permanent home

A significant fundraising campaign #bluebrick was launched on 31st March 2017 - #Blue Brick (social media Twitter/Instagram hash tag), for the exclusive purpose of securing or buying a permanent home for Blue Teapot Theatre Company in the future.

Two screenings of Sanctuary in Galway’s Eye Cinema and a Gala Event in the G Hotel were held and net surplus raised €20,220 which has been ring-fenced for this purpose.

Galway Tech Companies Ice Tech/IceCube were instrumental in the fundraising process through ticket sales for the Sanctuary Galway Gala in March 2017.

Without all our valued funders and donors’ supports, Blue Teapot’s great achievements and successes in 2017 could not have happened.

25 26 FUNDRAISING ALONG THE FLAGGY SHORE

27 SALTHILL ROTARY CLUB SPONSORED WALK

The Flaggy Shore, Burren, Co. Clare Saturday 17th June 2017

Initiated by Salthill Rotary Club, a sponsored walk along the Burren’s Flaggy Shore took place on a beautiful Saturday mid June as part of their annual fundraising campaigns. In 2017, we were nominated as the beneficiary of this sponsored walk.

Organised along with members of Salthill Rotary Club, members of Blue Teapot, staff, families and friends embarked on relatively easy walks starting at New Quay.

A great day was had by all, and the fundraising between Salthill Rotary members - in which Chairman Michael Duke presented a cheque for €1,500 in November and Blue Teapot connections who raised €861, earning a grand total of €2,361.

28 MEET FRED Galway International Arts Festival

Hijinx (Wales) in association with Blind Summit at Blue Teapot Theatre.

Meet Fred, a two foot tall cloth puppet who suffers an existential crisis when he realises he’s a puppet and who fights prejudice every day. He just wants to be a regular guy, part of the real world, get a job, meet a girl, but when threatened with losing his PLA (Puppetry Living Allowance), Fred’s life begins to spiral out of his control.

We were truly proud to invite to Galway and present the ingeniously conceived Meet Fred, a hilarious and truly unmissable piece of theatre, featuring an integrated cast of learning disabled/non-disabled actors that has been a huge critical success in festivals around the UK, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

This production was our first invitation to a Crossing The Line European partner with an incoming mobility that brought a team of eight from Hijinx, who are based in the Millennium Centre, Cardiff.

29 NATIONAL WINNER OF GSK IMPACT AWARD

In November 2017, Blue Teapot was announced as a national winner in the GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards held at a ceremony in Dublin. The awards are designed to recognize and reward community-based charities doing excellent work to improve people’s health and wellbeing in Ireland.

The name ‘IMPACT’ derives from the criteria that winners must have demonstrated in their application submissions: Innovation, Management, Partnership, Achievement, Community focus and Targeting need.

Entering the GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards was in itself an opportunity for us to evaluate our achievements to date and the services we provide in championing the work of creative people with intellectual disabilities.

We received a prize fund of €10,000. In additional, each national winner received a professional promotional package of a digital video and photo shoot. 30 AND THE QQI AWARD GOES TO…..

31 PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL STUDENTS ACHIEVE QQI MAJOR AWARD at LEVEL 2

Since our latest crop of budding artists joined us in September 2016, 8 students have DRAMA been working on a variety of new skills as an introduction to performing and creative Tutor: Rod Goodall arts, through 6 component modules leading to QQI Awards. MUSIC Vocational, elective modules of Drama, Music, Art & Design and Craft (for theatre) Fiona O Dea plus 2 mandatory modules taught through arts practise, combined to form a General th ART & DESIGN Learning Major Award. The process took just under one year to complete and on 16 Charmian Goodall November 2017, QQI External Authenticator Ann Jennings officially verified the students portfolio of work. CRAFT Aine Lawless All eight learners were successful in all modules and therefore gained the full award, upholding our 100% pass record since Performing Arts School commenced in 2010. NON VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS Congratulations to Cathal, Ciara, David, Maeve, Aoife, Eoin, Natasha Rod Goodall and James for their hard wok and achievements so far. PATTERN & RELATIONSHIP Fiona O Dea, Charmian Goodall & Roll on Level 3! Petal Pilley 32 33 GOVERNANCE & FINANCE

Blue Teapot Theatre Company has undergone a transformative process from being on the adoptive journey in 2014 to being fully compliant with The Governance Code for community, voluntary and charitable organisations in Ireland. As a Type B organisation, the Board of Directors, CEO & employees have worked through the 5 Principles in the Code of which our journey has completed in Autumn 2017.

We understand the need for transparency when it comes to our stakeholders and funders and to reassure public confidence about the way in which their money is managed and where their money will be spent. We confirm that our organisation complies with Our legal compliance is achieved through registration of BTTC CLG with the The Governance Code for the Community, Voluntary Companies Registration Office and the Directors and Company Secretary ensure and Charitable Sector in Ireland all returns are filed as appropriate with the Companies Registration Office (CRO).

Company accounts are audited annually with MK Brazil, Waterford and are published each year along with Annual Reports on our website www.blueteapot.ie since 2014.

As well as compliance with The Governance Code, we are also signed up to The Statement of Guiding Principles with the ICRT – a membership organisation of charities, focused on creating a policy climate in which philanthropy can thrive - through a combination of taxation and regulatory reform. 34 We greatly appreciate the endeavors by funding agents, organisations and each individual who choses to nominate Blue 2017 FUNDERS Teapot as the beneficiary of their efforts. No matter how small or large the donation, we are so grateful.

& DONORS Heartfelt thanks to you all.

35 36 COMPANY INFORMATION Blue Teapot Theatre Company, CRO: 471758 Munster Avenue, Galway, Ireland. CHY 18643 & CRN: 20071912 REVENUE: 9709656J

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Fiona Coffey (Chair), Sean Conneally (Secretary), Carol Browne, Gerardine Lally, Siobhán Ní Ghadhra and Dean Kelly. (Retiring April 2017 - John McHugo)

CEO & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Petal Pilley

EMPLOYEES Sonja Brodie, Hillary Kavanagh and Ana Bella Alvarez

VOLUNTEERS Ronan Loughney, Oonagh Hassett, Soraya Power, Kate Berry, Edel McGrath

KEY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Bernie Harrigan (Accountant), Figures Bookkeeping (Payroll), MK Brazil Chartered Accountants, Heather Mackey PR, Jim Faulkner (electrician), Cathleen Hartnett (QA Services), Pauline O’Dwyer (EmployAbility) and Aoife Kelly (web & graphic design).

TUTORS Charmian Goodall, Rod Goodall, Heather Mackey, Aine Lawless, Dave Donovan, Suppliers for service Eileen Gibbons, Fiona O’Dea, Genevieve Ryan, Paul Hardiman, Train Station Gym and Catherine Collins (GABES).

Community Employment Scheme (Knocknacarra District Community Scheme) Paul Callanan, Jason Scott.

COMPANY MEMBERS Judith Higgins, Dave Donovan, Lali Morris, Claude Madec, Noelle Burke, Ann Loughney Anne Geraghty, Michelle Kenny and Breda Crehan Roche 37 38