Oxford Playhouse is one of the country’s leading regional theatres and the only not-for-profit mid-scale venue in Oxfordshire. The theatre is at the heart of cultural life in the city and region, with a wonderfully rich heritage of live performance, drama, dance, music and comedy. It also produces mid-scale and studio productions, including a hugely popular pantomime which plays to audiences of over 40,000 each year.
Archives: Guide Entries
An entry for the mindguide
Oxford Contemporary Music is a unique producer and charity that works to develop and present the highest quality and most innovative new music and sound-based live events, to engage diverse local and national audiences with their work, and to deepen understanding and appreciation of musical cultures from within the UK and worldwide.
They have four strands of activity: concerts, new commissions/projects, education and outreach, and talent development. They aim to achieve their mission by:
- Supporting artists in their professional and creative development
- Forging inspiring partnerships that cross conventional boundaries within music, the arts and beyond the arts
- Presenting excellent work from the UK and abroad that is highly engaging, relevant and accessible to diverse audiences
- Developing and using innovative approaches to presentation and interaction
- Developing and delivering participative projects with schools and community groups that nurture skills and offer personal fulfilment.
They believe in the ability of the arts to empower people and communities through self-expression, to allow people to question, imagine, challenge and dream.
Sundial Centre for Education on Harmful Practices (formerly Oxford Against Cutting) is a rights-based charity working to end harmful cultural practices suffered by girls and women living in the Thames Valley.
These include:
• Female genital mutilation (FGM)
• Honour-based abuse (HBA) and early and forced marriage (EFM)
• Female cosmetic genital surgery.
Their mission is to end cultural practices that harm girls and women by:
• Providing education
• Supporting survivors
• Raising awareness of support services
• Empowering young people to champion initiatives against harmful practices
People from affected communities and young people are at the forefront of our activities.
Oxfordshire Visual Arts Development Agency (OVADA) aims to present artists based in Oxfordshire within the context of contemporary practice, alongside national and international artists, helping to form productive collaborations. OVADA support emerging visual arts professionals by providing a training ground for Work Experience in areas such a Curation and Project Management, and successful Volunteer Programmer. Also OVADA offers a vibrant community for associates, a website with useful resources, and a mailing campaign that provides members with up-to-date and relevant opportunities.
One-Eighty is a mental health and behaviour support charity, seeking to re-engage young people with their learning. They support vulnerable children and young people (aged 4-25) with their mental health, their thinking, their behaviour and emotions, in order to improve their well-being and overcome barriers to attending school or accessing further education. They use proven techniques to support young people to thrive. They know that, with persistence, involving those around them (families, their school and other professionals) and by meeting young people where they are at, they can engage them in their learning journey, even when they have reached crisis point.
North Oxford Youth Theatre (NOYT) don’t audition and anyone can join. The aim is to provide an opportunity for young people from different walks of life to learn to work together with peers and adults; to learn that the entire cast/backstage depend on each other, show up on time, work hard and enjoy themselves. It doesn’t matter if they don’t aspire to large parts, or if they are not good actors, as long as they learn to work to these principles. However a few have gone into the professional theatre. In having members of all levels of ability their purpose is to encourage them to achieve the best they can. Members join aged 10 and leave at 17.
My Life My Choice is a user-led Oxfordshire based self-advocacy organisation which raises the self-esteem, confidence and quality of life for people with learning disabilities by providing training, employment, volunteering and social opportunities for its members.
The Musical Youth Company of Oxford (MYCO) is a musical theatre group for young people from Oxfordshire aged between 12 and 19. We currently have in excess of 50 members, all of whom have successfully auditioned to secure their place within the company.
Mayday Trust is a forward-thinking organisation working with people going through some of the toughest life transitions, including people experiencing homelessness, leaving care, coming off drugs or alcohol, coming out of prison or psychiatric hospital. Mayday provides direct support through its radical Personal Transitions Service (PTS), which works with people going through tough times, providing strength-based and personalised support. Alongside the PTS, Mayday also provide housing in Northamptonshire, Oxford and Westminster through their Housing Transitions Service.
Master Rhythm studios has two separate booths for instrument practice, control rooms, drum lessons and recording. Available to hire includes a broad range of drum and percussion related instruments and amplifiers; vintage amplifiers with vintage keyboards classic combos, cared for and tuned drum kits. Vintage combos and instruments include classic Fender Rhodes and Fender Twin, Hammond Organ and Lesley Cab and Fender Bass-man. All in all a very unique sounding and creative space with an amazing live sounding room.