Erinn is a writer and performer based in the West Midlands, her work often revolves around themes such as social media, British Asian life and LGBTQ+ experiences.

She recently won an Offie Award for her audio drama QUEENS which was a part of THE WAVES, produced by Tamasha Theatre and Holy Mountain Productions. In 2021 she was selected to be part of BBC Writersroom – Coventry Voices. Her award-winning one-woman show WIGS SNATCHED, PERCEPTIONS DESTROYED at Vault Festival earned 4 star reviews. Currently she is an Associate Artist at Chronic Insanity Theatre.

Her short plays, monologues and rehearsed readings have been staged at The Young Vic, Tara Theatre, The Curve, The Belgrade Theatre, Oxford Playhouse, Derby Theatre, The Rep.

She has previously been part of the Soho Theatre Writers Lab (2014), the Tamasha Theatre Playwrights group (2018-19), the Kali Theatre Discovery Programme (2018), and the Belgrade Theatre’s Critical Mass writers group (2017).

Please tell us in a few words what excites you most about Foundry:

As a proud Midlands based artist, I’m so excited to learn about co-creation, facilitation, and community theatre work at the Rep. Have started my theatre career because of work like this, I’m so keen to understand how I can apply these skills to reach more people like me and encourage them to use theatre as a form of self-expression.”

Jana is a working-class theatre artist based in West Midlands, primarily working through devising, movement, and film. She is a trained street dancer, therefore values non-verbal connections through shared movements in space. She is also very passionate about applied theatre, putting emphasis on the process of co-creation.

Jana has a deep interest in the current systems of labour. Her devised work 1001 based on the themes of burnout has been awarded Warwick University Research prize 2021, performed at Omnibus Theatre in London (2022) and Camden People’s Theatre SPRINT Festival 2022. The short film adaptation has been selected for Take A Bite Festival with China Plate, 2021.

Please tell us in a few words what excites you most about Foundry:

I am very excited to dive into co-creation process, learning how to do it in the most ethical and accessible way. I am excited to be supported by the Foundry team, raising self-confidence as an artist and a facilitator. However, most importantly, I am excited to connect with people in the room, be led by the process, get inspired and share my passion and care with others.”

Millie is a Birmingham based performer who has autism and a mild learning difficulty, Millie is interested in clowning and physical theatre while exploring non verbal theatre with the charity open theatre.

Millie is also an assistant practitioner in SEN schools with open theatre and can build meaningful connections with anyone she works with.

Please tell us in a few words what excites you most about Foundry:

• Learning about people’s different experiences
• Creating an idea in a co creation setting
• Being able to access wider community’s who don’t have experience of the arts”

As a youngster, I felt empowered by being a member of the Old Vic, Young Vic, Cockpit and Secondwave youth theatres. I also attended a performing arts school (a miserable experience) which nevertheless enabled me to study dance, drama, and music. Prior to teacher training, I was an arts administrator.

Throughout thirty years of teaching, I have incorporated the arts wherever possible. Increasingly, I have become disillusioned with the neoliberal policies which impact education and the rigid delivery of the curriculum. This has given me the impetus to seek creative and holistic ways of working. I hope to use the skills I develop(ed) in bringing spoken word/text/illustrations ‘alive’, particularly through using books for children & YA. I have a passion for social justice issues and literacy; themes which interest me include mental health, trauma, well-being, and black history. I hope that the EdD I am doing will provide a useful theoretical framework for my work.

Please tell us in a few words what excites you most about Foundry:

I am thrilled that I am getting the chance to reboot how I work and with whom! I think it’s going to be a very exciting journey which will hopefully improve who I am as a practitioner, broaden my mind, hone my skills, and enhance how I work with others.”

Coventry born Paven, whilst attending youth theatre produced 2 plays exploring themes of being British South Asian. She then devised a musical with young people and radio play with vulnerable women tackling issues from sexuality to arranged marriages. Paven’s been part of Royal Court Young Writers and Theatre Royal Stratford East Musical Theatre Residency. Her National Theatre Studio attachment led to a NT Connections play.

Her dark girl gang play England’s Lane gained industry recognition leading to being named one of Screen International ‘Stars of Tomorrow’, selected for Working Title’s film residency at Hay Festival and Guiding Lights screen mentorship with Simon Beaufoy. In 2012 she took a 6-year break to be a mother and care for her mother with vascular dementia. On return she’s part of BBC Voices, Channel 4 screenwriting programme 2022 and remains passionate about working with hard-to-reach communities allowing them to have a voice to tell their stories.

Please tell us in a few words what excites you most about Foundry:

Having led storytelling workshops with my mother, a story teller in her native Punjabi language, I have always felt drama and storytelling enriches lives, but since my mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia I am now starting a new chapter. The Foundry is a chance for me to experiment with new ways/art forms of delivering workshops, creating, and sharing bold and exciting community led work alongside brilliant practitioners and mentors who I look forward to learning from.”

Romy is a multi-disciplinary artist and facilitator with a focus on using theatre and movement in a range of community settings. Combining her skills in movement, music and theatre to create lively, punchy and captivating work, Romy is interested in giving people a platform to tell their own stories.

Since graduating with a Drama Degree from the University of Exeter, Romy has been working as a freelance practitioner collaborating with other artists in a range of art forms. Her work has included; comedy singer/songwriter performing at HappyFest 2021, award winning screendance filmmaker, and choreographer / movement director for the successful Edinburgh Fringe run of ‘Unknown’ 2019.

Romy is passionate about making the arts more accessible and taking theatre creation into community settings. Focussing not only on the fantastic work created in these settings, but also the amazing impact the arts can have on health and wellbeing in the process.

Please tell us in a few words what excites you most about Foundry:

I am excited to be working with a group of local theatre practitioners and developing my practice as a facilitator to create unique and vibrant theatre with community groups.”