Hello and welcome
to our first newsletter.
ESC is an educational charity working with a wide range of marginalised people, including prisoners, ex-prisoners, people on probation, homeless individuals and youth at risk.
We use drama and film to challenge perceptions, change lives, tackle social exclusion and encourage civic engagement through providing accredited training.
more
What do we do?
Watch the Extern shorts - short films made with ex-offenders
Get your hands on Mickey B
Meet the ESC team
The history of ESC
You are invited to the first cut: the story of the first 10 years of ESC.
Friday 26th June, 3-5pm, QFT Foyer, 20 University Avenue, Belfast.
We will also be premiering the new ESC website and taking a first look at a series of short films made by ESC for being online. Who knows, you may get a slice of the cake... Please come along and spread the word. It's not every year we turn ten.
ESC is committed to finding creative ways to reduce crime and the number of victims of crime.
We recently hosted an evening of film screening and discussion around these issues in Lisburn. Radio Ulster's Arts Extra picked up on the event which was attended by MLAs, councillors, PBNI, Lisburn residents, police, victims' groups and more. The Ulster Star even ran a Day in the Life piece on organiser and ESC volunteer Nigel Humphries which you can read here. We're hoping to organise another event in Belfast in August. Watch the News & Events section on the website for details.
Mickey B is ESC's award-winning adaptation on Shakespeare's Macbeth, set in the fictional Burnham Prison.
It tells the story of one prisoner's quest for power through violence, betrayal and murder - and the death and insanity that results. The film was shot in NI's maximum-security prison, HMP Maghaberry and features 42 characters played by prisoners and prison staff. The DVD includes a 'making of' documentary that tells the real story behind the film.
Now we're working to make it into an educational resource for schools and universities. If you're interested or would like to provide input into the resource, just get in touch.
Read Mickey B reviews here
(1931-2009)
In May we were most saddened to lose our friend, colleague and patron, Augusto Boal.
Tom Magill, Boal's representative in Northern Ireland and ESC's artistic director says:
"Augusto, you challenged us to have the courage to be happy. You and Paulo made the path by walking. You taught us that power comes from risking ourselves in creation. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience with us. Your light of hope will shine forever. Love to the Boal family in Brazil and worldwide from all in Belfast."
ESC's work is underpinned by Boal's call to action: "To be a citizen is not merely to live in society, but to transform it."
Read more about Boal and the Theater of the Oppressed here.
ESC's vision is to create a global initiative using drama and film to tackle grassroots issues within local communities.
Our first step to going global is the establishment of our ESC US office in Naples, Florida. Jennifer Marquis-Muradaz, who produced Mickey B and ran the ESC ship in Belfast returned to her native Florida to expand the work of ESC in the US. Read more.
Watch Jen talk about her work here.
We pride ourselves on the quality and diversity of our volunteers. In ESC everyone is vital to the work as a whole from the staff and the board to all of the volunteers. If you would like to volunteer with ESC, we would love to hear from you.
We can tailor make a role for you but at the moment we are also specifically looking for: an accountant for our board, an admin assistant, a fundraising assistant and translators for Mickey B. Get in touch.
Congratulations to the ESC team who ran the Belfast Marathon! We raised over £300 for work with our ex-offenders. Well done one and all and many many thanks to our sponsors.
If you are a British tax payer who donated money and would like to make it go further, just click here to register for Giftaid. And if you'd like to donate to ESC, please click here.
ESC is one of only twenty creative organisations selected to exhibit at the International Symposium of Electronic Arts 2009. Northern Ireland has been chosen to stage this year's global event, which will run from 21st August to 3rd September at The Waterfront, Belfast.
ISEA2009 will promote, support and develop creativity in Northern Ireland and across the border building on the convergence of art and design driven innovation. It will showcase Northern Ireland's leading role in cultural, social and economic regenration. And ESC will be there.
Read all about it.
Thank you to all our funders and supporters for the last 10 years
Phone: 02890 243338 Email: info@esc-film.com
Web: www.esc-film.com
Statuatory Information: ESC is a registered charity (XR40787) and a company limited by guarantee registered in N. Ireland (NI036267). The registered office is at 109-113 Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1FF.
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