Past projects
STAGING HUMAN RIGHTS
In Brazil, People's Palace Projects followed its AIDS/HIV programme
with a new project entitled Staging Human Rights, which began
in the State of São Paulo in 2000, and went on to run in four distinct
phases through to 2005 scaling up to a further 11 Brazilian states, reaching
20,000 prisoners and 1,000 prison guards over its six years.
Created in partnership with a range of Brazilian public agencies, including
Augosto Boal's Centre for the Theatre of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro,
and the Latin American UN Agency for the Study of Crime and Delinquency
(ILANUD), this initial stage lead to human right workshops, human rights
dialogues, Public Forums, Regional Forums and a State-wide Legislative
Theatre Forum, which took place in December 2001 at the Parliament of
Latin America in São Paulo.
The success of the project led to funding from the Federal Ministry of
Justice to extend the project in Staging Human Rights II and III
into a further 11 states with a range of local partners, and as the project
progressed, it was able to address the human rights issues faced by the
guards as well as the prisoners, with an increased focus on joint performances
at the public forums. Staging Human Rights IV worked with female
prisoners in the UK and Brazil, led by artists Lois Weaver, Peggy Shaw
and Caoimhe McAvinchey.
The final element of Staging Human Rights was the creation of
a radio play Carandiru with the BBC's Writers Room, broadcast
on Radio Three in both 2002 and 2003, telling the story of a massacre
of prisoners in São Paulo's prison complex Carandiru.
People's Palace Projects continued to promote conferences and seminars
about the issues raised through the Staging Human Rights programme,
with a 2002 high-level seminar in Rio de Janeiro for invited representatives
from the prison services across six states in Brazil, with guest speakers
from the UK and Brazil. In the North East of Brazil we produced a second
conference with the British Council, entitled Changing the Scene II:
Theatre Constructing Citizenship, bringing speakers from Kenya, Burkina
Faso, the UK and Brazil.
Partners:
Centre for the Theatre of the Oppressed, Department of Prisons, Foundation
for Education and Work in São Paulo Prisons System [FUNAP], Writersroom
BBC
Aims:
To explore the boundaries between performance, human rights and the criminal
justice system. To map, monitor and evaluate the interventions of performance
methodologies in the implementation of human rights strategies in the
criminal justice system in Brazil and the UK.
Main Activities:
Staging Human Rights I: 52 Prison education staff were trained
to implement a programme in 37 prisons with 400 female and 2,000 male
participants. Each prison staged a Public Forum, and then came together
to create four Regional Forums across the State of São Paulo. The capital
city of São Paulo was the site of a final Forum that took place in the
Latin American Parliament.
Staging Human Rights II & Staging Human Rights III: Programme
extended to a further 11 states: Rondonia, Pernambuco, Minas Gerais, Rio
De Janeiro Pará, Ceará, Alagoas, Sergipe, Goiás, and Santa Catarina. Addressed
the human rights issues faced by the guards as well as the prisoners,
with an increased focus on joint performances at the public forums.
Staging Human Rights IV: Established a parallel workshop series
focusing on self-identity, fantasy and imagination with female prisoners
in the UK and Brazil. The project was led by Lois Weaver, Peggy Shaw and
Caoimhe McAvinchey, culminating in a public event in Rio de Janeiro entitled
In The House [June 2003]. Politicians, Brazilian soap stars,
students, artists, community workers and the general public attended.
The event was a combination of performance, installation and open dialogue
on the issues of human rights, the criminal justice system and performance.
Staging Human Rights V: Production of a play for BBC Radio Three
entitled Carandiru. Based on the book Estação Carandiru
by Dr Drauzio Varella [translated by Paul Heritage; adapted by Jeff Young],
the play tells the story of a massacre of prisoners in São Paulo's prison
complex known as Carandiru. Recorded on location in the prison with Brazilian
professional actors, the play was presented as a radio recording at the
Soho Theatre, London followed by a public discussion in May 2002. Broadcast
on BBC Radio 3 in May 2002 and again in June 2003 [Director, Kate Rowland;
Associate Producer, Paul Heritage].
Evaluation:
Latin American UN Agency for the Study of Crime and Delinquency [ILANUD]
Awards:
Staging Human Rights I: First Prize in the Prêmio Betinho de Cidanania
e Democracia, an annual award made by the city of São Paolo for work
that promotes human rights, citizenship and democracy Staging Human Rights
V: Radio play Carandiru shortlisted for Sony Award.
Funders:
Staging Human Rights I: Arts and Humanities Research Board, British Council,
National Lottery Charities Board Staging Human
Rights II-IV: Arts and Humanities Research Board, Brazilian Ministry of
Justice (DEPEN), British Council
Staging Human Rights V: BBC
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