Bush Theatre Announces New Community Initiatives for THIS PLACE WE KNOW

The Bush Theatre has today announced two innovative initiatives that will support and accompany This Place We Know, a landmark project in the theatre's 'breaking out' season. This Place We Know will see six world premieres of specially commissioned plays produced in six borrowed, non-theatre spaces across Shepherd's Bush. Through the Westfield Community Tickets scheme, 20% of the tickets for this season will be available free of charge to residents of the local area. Alongside the programme of plays, Eileen Perrier has been commissioned to complete a photography project which will profile the faces of the local and artistic communities integral to the Bush's breaking out season.

Madani Younis, Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre said, "This Place We Know embraces the neighbourhood that surrounds the Bush Theatre; taking original plays to new and unexpected environments, meeting new people and encouraging local residents to become audience members for the first time. This aim will be realised through a partnership with shopping centre Westfield London, offering substantial financial support to fund an innovative ticketing initiative."

The Westfield Community Tickets scheme enables the theatre to provide 20% of all tickets to members of the local community, many of whom may not have visited the theatre before, free of charge. Tickets will be available through the Local People's Lottery, available to all residents of W12. Local people will receive flyers which can be filled out and entered in to a Local People's Lottery Box at the venues for This Place We Know. The lottery can also be entered online at bushtheatre.co.uk/lottery. Further tickets will be issued through partnerships with London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Council and the Bush's partner venues.

Led by Eileen Perrier, large scale photography will be exhibited on the exterior of the Bush Theatre's building, currently closed whilst the building undergoes redevelopment, throughout September and October. Whilst Perrier captures images of the community and people of the Uxbridge Road, local residents will be encouraged to get involved and submit their own photography. The project furthers the Bush Theatre's aspiration of reflecting the community in which it sits and providing a platform for local people to be heard. Alongside this, the project will ensure a legacy for This Place We Know; providing an enduring and collaborative memento of the season.

"Hammersmith and Fulham is home to a vibrant arts and culture scene, and we are committed to making it even stronger. We want to ensure that residents get more opportunity to enjoy and participate in art which challenges and inspires them. This Place We Know epitomises this ethos: internationally renowned playwrights producing world premiere productions in venues throughout Shepherd's Bush. And through this innovative partnership with Westfield, we are delighted that a new generation of audience will be able to experience this work free of charge." Councillor Andrew Jones, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.

Duncan Bower, Director of Development at Westfield, said: "We have been a long-term partner with the Bush Theatre since we opened in 2008 and the theatre moved to their then new premises on Uxbridge Road shortly thereafter - our relationship remains very strong. We hope that many local people can benefit from the Westfield Community Tickets scheme and have the chance to see these exciting new plays that celebrate the cultural landscape of W12."

This Place We Know has a meeting and information point located at Shepherd's Bush Boutique Hotel, 11/12 Poplar Mews, London W12 7JS. A venue map is downloadable here.

The Uxbridge Road is one of the longest and most diverse roads in Europe and has been the Bush's home for the last 4 years. In an extraordinary love-letter to its home, This Place We Know brings together a series of specially-commissioned short plays to be performed in borrowed spaces along this West London artery.

Discover stories of heartbreak, joy, loss and retribution in pubs, churches and karaoke bars. At times funny, mysterious and foreboding, each is an intimate tale woven into the fabric of the city by the hottest new writers.

In 2016, as part of Madani Younis' stated aim of creating a theatre that truly reflects the community in which it sits, the Bush Theatre is undergoing a major redevelopment of its building, creating a new second space, improved backstage facilities and a new front-of-house area, and making the whole building fully accessible and more sustainable. During the building works, the Bush Theatre's programme is moving out into the local community, embracing the buildings and people of West London.

Photo credit: Helen Murray