VALENTINE GALA EVENINGHOSTED BY ANDREW GREEN & SADIE FROST

GRAEAE THEATRE COMPANY

You are invited to a Valentine’s Gala Evening with a difference in support of Graeae Theatre Company. All you need to do is to stay at home, do exactly as you please and donate to Graeae.

Through its broad training programme, Graeae develops the next generation of Deaf and disabled artists through groundbreaking programmes and courses including Write to Play, a bold new writing initiative committed to developing the skills and experience of new writers in collaboration with some of the most creative minds in the industry. Throughout the year, Graeae runs a Continuing Professional Development programme as well as workshops and training programmes internationally from Brazil to Bangladesh.

Graeae also widens participation and works extensively with young people through its outreach programme. Workshops and residencies run by our pool of Deaf and disabled facilitators in a variety of formal and informal education settings help to build new audiences, engage young creative minds and empower young disabled artists.

About GraeaeChampioning accessibility and providing a platform for new generations of artists, Graeae (a registered charity) leads the way in pioneering, trail-blazing theatre, both in the UK and internationally. Artistically led by Jenny Sealey, Graeae’s signature characteristic is the compelling creative integration of sign language and audio description. Combined with the spectacular use of music, drama, aerial theatre and spoken word, Graeae’s productions brilliantly engage both disabled and non-disabled audiences. But producing world-class theatre is only part of what Graeae does.

There are many actors, writers and directors who would not being doing what they do now without Graeae.Lyn Gardner, The Guardian, July 2014

100% of your donation will go towards these projects

Graeae Theatre Company Ltd, Bradbury Studios,138 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DYReg Charity no 284589 Reg in England no 1619794 VAT no 628 4448 20 www.graeae.org

Blood WeddingNew adaptation by David Ireland reaching six venues across the UK and Scotland: Dundee, Edinburgh, Greenock, Derby, Liverpool and Ipswich

EnsemblePathway to a career in the arts for young disabled peopleTARGET: £80k

£80k £40k £100kSORRYVerbatim theatre exploring the experience of being assessed for disability benefitsTARGET: £40k

GarrinchaIn Brazil and England in 2016 telling the story of the phenomenal football talentTARGET: £100k

Fundraising Targets

A truly breathtaking collaboration between Graeae and Circo Crescer e Viver.The Huffington Post

I was lucky enough to be introduced to Graeae in 2009 when I first moved to London. Since becoming disabled in 2000 I had lost confidence, but 12 years later, I began exploring performance again.

Working with Graeae has changed my life ten-fold. Not only did I gain confidence in myself as a person, they helped me to find the confidence to perform again.

Graeae has a very special way of working with people, which gives every individual such ultimate respect, that you feel like you can achieve anything you aspire to. Not only have they supported me in my career, they have been my family and friends at times of hardship when I needed comfort. You feel like you are capable of everything and you can be the person and the performer you want to be.

While with Graeae, I have developed new skills and been given some amazing opportunities, predominantly as an aerialist in their productions of The Limbless Knight and Belonging. I have found a confidence in myself that allows me to move forward as a more rounded professional.

It is vital that we have companies like Graeae to lead the way in disability theatre. It is not only vital for the artists, community groups, businesses and schools which they affiliate with, but also the wider community, championing disability theatre and its artists.

The doors have been opened for me, but there are so many aspiring disabled artists that have yet to find Graeae. We need to promote and support the company so that they can cultivate the next generation of talented performers.

Graeae is so much to so many people and I am truly blessed to have been a part of the company and witness their achievements.

Tiiu’s Story

‘I first saw a Graeae show at Hackney Empire, when they performed Reasons to be Cheerful to a packed, baying crowd. In honesty, I didn’t know what to expect, but from the first song I was hooked.

What Graeae do is to create opportunities for disabled artists that are not offered elsewhere. They work with drama schools, other arts organisations and emerging artists to share their skills and create great work. The result is an environment where everyone is equal and talent shines through.

I urge you to donate to Graeae and help them inspire young Deaf and disabled people into believing that there could be a career for them.’Sadie Frost

‘This company deserves our support. They are a relatively small charity, but what they do with their funds is incredible.

They offered employment for 80 Deaf and disabled people last year and trained hundreds more. Their shows reached 40,000 people last year alone.

If you see any Deaf or disabled people on TV, film, or on stage, you can take a good guess that at some point in their career, Graeae has given them help and support.

The cuts to public sector funding and disability benefits are hitting this company hard so they need your support now. Thanks for all your help.’Andrew Green

Why support Graeae?

Please put your money where your heart is this Valentine’s Day

Donate to Graeae from the comfort of your own home.

It’s easy you can donate online at: www.justgiving.com/graeaevalentinegala

Or print off the Gift Aid form below and send it with a cheque to Graeae at:Graeae Theatre Company, Bradbury Studios, 138 Kingsland Road, London, E2 8DY

Help us create theatre for the future.

Thank youAndrew and Sadie

As a special ‘Thank You’ for your donation you have a chance to win signed limited edition prints for two Graeae productions Reasons to be Cheerful and Frankenstein by the legendary artist and Graeae Patron Sir Peter Blake. To enter this prize-draw please visit:www.graeae.org/graeaevalentinegala

You have no idea the difference your donation will make to Graeae.

We will be able to expand our training programmes for emerging disabled talent and continue to be a driving force for the rights of Deaf and disabled people locally, nationally and internationally.

We are not content to be sidelined and want to push the boundaries of what is possible. Thank you for your support in making this happen.’Jenny Sealey MBEArtistic Director, Graeae

As a registered charity, Graeae Theatre Company can claim Gift Aid on all donations. For every £1 you give, and if you are a UK tax payer, we can claim an extra 25p from HMRC. If you have not already done so, please help make your support go further by completing the following Gift Aid declaration:

I am a UK tax payer and I would like Graeae Theatre Company to treat all donations I have made in the past four years and all future donations I make from the date of this declaration as Gift Aid donations.

I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the Graeae Theatre Company will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I have given.

If you would like to discuss other ways in which to support Graeae, or make a donation by other means, please contact Kevin Walsh, Operations Director on 020 7613 6904 or email kevin@graeae.org

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Gift Aid it (for cheque donations).