Clean Break Announces 2 METRES APART: Socially Distanced Collaborations

Clean Break is commissioning twelve writers from its artist community and twelve of its Member artists for 2 Metres Apart, a new project celebrating connections and collaboration in an isolated world.

2 Metres Apart will see artists from Clean Break's history working with emerging artists from the company's Members Programme (artists with experience of the criminal justice, or at risk of entering it). Over 8 weeks, the twelve pairs will meet digitally to work creatively, share ideas, and see what arises from the process. They could choose to co-write together, toa??eacha??respond to a selected stimulus, for one artist to write for their partner to perform. Working on the understanding that both Artists' skills and lived experience are equally valued, the pairs will work as collaborators on equal footing to explore what creative partnership could look like.

2 Metres Apart is focused on practice rather than product, providing collaborators the space to explore and experiment. Rather than focusing on outcomes, the project brings together and maintains Clean Break's commitment to nurture, employ and extend artists and its Members.

The twelve artistic collaborators are:

• Ayesha Antoine and Yvonne Wickham
• Deborah Bruce and Sarah Cowan
• Katherine Chandler and Nicole Hall
• Vivienne Franzmann and Kathryn O'Reilly
• Sonya Hale and Lucy Edkins
• Yasmin Joseph and River
• Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and TerriAnn Oudjar
• Sabrina Mahfouz and Posy Sterling
• Chloë Moss and Sarah Jane Dent
• Ambreen Razia and Natasha Jean Sparkes
• Danusia Samal and Funke Adeleke
• Somalia Seaton and Eddy Emenike

Anna Herrmann, Clean Break's Joint Artistic Director: 'We are excited to launch 2 Metres Apart and look forward to see what emerges from these partnerships: no defined output, no expectations, just an invitation to connect, find inspiration and see where it leads artistically. All the women involved are brilliant and compassionate artists who bring a deep connection with Clean Break's mission. This project feels so special because it both responds to what we believe to be a very current need to connect in a world turned upside down, whilst also advancing our strategic commitment to exploring new forms and centring our Members at the heart of our artistic work. We hope that whatever emerges provides our artists with an important moment of growth, connection and hope.'

Morgan Lloyd Malcolm: 'Working together remotely is always tricky but the nature of this exchange is to work round that and it's creating some brilliant conversations and ideas. I'm genuinely loving exploring what a 'new project' could mean when we have no idea what is next for theatre. For me it's connection and being creative together. It's been wonderful so far.'

TerriAnn Oudjar: 'I am excited about working with Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and look forward to naturally finding the flow of how we work, and seeing if and how we can overcome the loss of connection, togetherness and warmth that is shared in a usual working space.'

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