Historia

Maya Productions makes diverse theatre that creates change, bringing together organisations and individuals who passionately want their work to enable social change and racial justice in the arts.

We make theatre led by South Asian Diaspora, African Diaspora, Latin American and ethnically diverse artists, presenting authentic stories of contemporary relevance and reaching out to new audiences. We invite young people and communities across the UK to participate in creative activities. We look to inspire a diverse pool of artists and industry professionals for the future.

In 2022, we engaged with 25 young people and 45 adults in our ROUTES to ROOTS and TALKING ABOUT MY GENERATION PROJECTS. Participants creatively explored themes of migration, cultural heritage and identity and shared the work developed in four performances and exhibitions.

“You can be who you are here, you can express yourself. You don’t need to be afraid” (Sheffield Student - R2R)

“Theatre is about sharing stories and the stories of Anglo-Indian are some that have been massively underrepresented” (Participant - TAMG, Croydon)

Involved 90 Year 9 students in playwriting workshops, and supported 20 through an in-depth playwriting programme to write their own plays, that were professionally produced.

“I was most proud of having my family watch my play” (Young playwright)

Introduced 306 children aged 5 - 10 to our SUPER CHEFS show through our SUPER CHEFS and SUPER HEROS workshops in Southwark Holiday Clubs. “My favourite part was creating characters and acting” (Participant)

Maya Productions receives no core funding - and we are reliant on support of individual donors to enable our work to happen. In 2023 we look forward to:-

SUPER CHEFS By Betsy Picart with music by Ariel Cumbria

6-year-old Manny is preparing a special dinner. He dreams of becoming a pro-chef like his mum, or a superhero like Mighty Mujer – or both! But Abuela, who’s in charge of the dessert, has other ideas about boys being in the kitchen. Join the family as they cook, sing, and dance in this interactive musical exploring family, food, and gender roles.

We are seeking support to produce and tour Super Chefs in Spring/Summer 2022. Aimed at children aged 4 - 8 and their families, we have successfully raised the majority of the funds needed for our project but without essential funds to cover a shortfall of £5,000 we will not be able to realise the shows full potential including delivering workshops for schools alongside the show.

DIVERSE VOICES: Writing the Future

Following our successful pilot in 2022 we are looking to develop our playwriting project to reach more students at Central Foundation Girls school in Tower Hamlets. Following a successful fundraising bid we are looking to raise £10,000 to be able to deliver that once again.

ARTS AND MENTAL HEALTH is a new project Maya will be launching in Spring 2023, working in two residential schemes in Sheffield for people with long-term mental health conditions. We have successfully raised the majority of funds to deliver this, and are looking to cover a shortfall of £5,000. To support our work you can make a donation here.

By joining our campaign, you are investing in positive change within our industry and an opportunity to champion a project which has the potential to resonate with audiences globally, inspiring new generations of theatregoers who can finally recognise themselves and their stories on stage and ultimately feel empowered to tell their own stories.

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