Good Chance Ensemble's Short Films Commissioned By The Space Launch Today

Good Chance has announced the launch of a brand new series of short films that spotlight and celebrate the work of refugee artists in the Good Chance Ensemble.

Commissioned by The Space and available to watch from today on Good Chance's website and social channels, they offer an introduction to a raft of outstanding artists - Iranian graphic novelist, artist and animator, Majid Adin; Ethiopian circus artist, Girum Bekele; Sudanese musician, Mohamed Sarrar; and Change the Word poets Diyo Mulopo Bopengo, Yordanos Gebrehiwot, Nazia Khan and Sarah Orola - through a series of portraits exploring hope and creativity. To watch all four films, visit: https://www.goodchance.org.uk/ensemble-what-we-do

The Good Chance Ensemble supports and collaborates with artists from refugee backgrounds working all around the world. First launched in 2018 its offer is unique with a focus on bespoke professional and artistic development. Today the Ensemble is 95 members strong, including artists from Afghanistan, Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Sudan and Syria, many of whom first met and connected with Good Chance through its 'Theatres of Hope' in Calais, Paris, Sheffield, Coventry, New York and London. The central anchor of the programme is the creation of new art that is distinctive, dynamic and blazingly contemporary whilst remaining responsive and flexible to the aims and aspirations of each individual artist. Collaborative creation and the initiation of unexpected partnerships also feature heavily in the programme which boasts a broad range of artistic disciplines, from graphic animation to circus arts, interactive installations to audio portraiture, live music to poetry.

In 2020 The Space commissioned Good Chance to create a series of digital shorts spotlighting artists in the Good Chance Ensemble. Filmed and directed by Dave Hewitt of Satellite Pictures, they offer a powerful reminder of how hope and creativity are so often intertwined.

Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, Artistic Directors of Good Chance, said: "These beautiful videos celebrate the work, talent and voices of the Good Chance Ensemble, a unique collective of incredible artists from many different artistic and cultural backgrounds. Working alongside these artists, some since our inception in Calais, learning from and being inspired by them, has been one of the great privileges of the last five years. Together, they are the unifying heart of Good Chance, and we want these videos to celebrate that."

Fiona Morris, Chief Executive and Creative Director of The Space, said: "The Space is delighted to have supported Good Chance to produce this series of short films that illustrate the lived experience of the artists involved within its Ensemble. Each film tells a powerful story, shining a light upon the talent and creativity of those involved, and we are sure that the series will provide an opportunity for even more people to engage with the amazing work that Good Chance does."