2011 ADELAIDE FRINGE PEACE FOUNDATION AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCED
AND THE WINNER IS… ‘TRAPPED’ BY NO STRINGS ATTACHED THEATER OF DISABLED
The Graham Smith Peace Foundation has over the 22 years of its existence been committed to financially support and promote artistic works that align with the mission of the organisation. The Peace Foundation is pleased to announce Trapped by No Strings Attached Theatre of the Disabled as the inaugural winner of the Peace Foundation Fringe Prize in 2011.
The Peace Foundation Award is open to all Fringe artists who promote human rights, social justice and environmental sustainability through their art. The Peace Foundation has been a long time supporter of the arts by providing seed funding and grants for projects. Now with a commitment to be part of the Adelaide Fringe Awards, the Peace Foundation is able to support art that aligns with the objectives of the Peace Foundation and at the same time furthers the Foundation’s commitment to experimentation, excellence and innovation in the arts.
No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability (NSA) is a community based organisation that creates original theatre through the unique perspectives of disabled artists and performers. They produce locally, tour nationally and discover new talent in weekly workshops tailored to the individual needs of participants. NSA develop members’ skills in all areas of theatre production, and produce work which raises awareness for and about people with disabilities.
The play Trapped had previously been nominated for the 2006 Fringe Critics’ Innovation and Excellence Award. Developed by No Strings Attached over a number of years, the story concerns two men held in detention, one because he is an asylum seeker, a situation sadly all too familiar. The other isolated in society as a result of a disability, is detained as he has few options for accommodation, a situation not uncommon but one that is less visible to the wider community.
Trapped was signed throughout for the deaf members of the audience, sadly the only performance to do so in the Fringe. The quality of the production was testimony to the considerable development work that had gone into this production. The play is well written and acted but what made it a special experience was the incredible energy of the people involved in the project and the number of people with disabilities that were an active part of the audience. This was community theatre at its best.
No Strings Attached has already taken Trapped to Vanuatu and utilized the play in workshops with the disabled community there. The Peace Foundation hopes that the award of $2,000 will enable No Strings Attached to continue using Trapped for the very good work they do with disabled community in Australia and overseas.
The Peace Foundation is pleased to be able to award the inaugural Peace Foundation Fringe Award to such a worthy winner. Trapped is an outstanding piece of work by an outstanding organisation
More information on the No Strings Attached Theater of Disabled can be found at their website -Â http://www.nostringsattached.org.au/