Adults

Solar Bear's offers a range of excellent Drama, Writing, Filmmaking and Music Workshops for adults from a range of groups and organisations. In particular, we have an excellent reputation for the work we do in and for the Deaf Community. We also provide Training Programmes of work (including Deaf Awareness) for adults working within the Arts, Education, Disability and Social Care sectors. Some examples of our work with adults include:

DeafBlind Scotland

In 2008, Solar Bear delivered two blocks of writing and drama sessions for Deafblind Scotland culminating in two short performances. Members wrote poems, monologues and short scenes about their experiences of being deafblind, which culminated in a short performance in the summer and a Christmas show. As well as having a lot of fun, developing theatre skills and exploring deafblind issues, the members have described the sessions as, "Communication therapy". Workshops are ongoing, with more deafblind people registering an interest in joining the group.

Deaf Action

We provided one-off drama workshops for a group of deaf adults, all with different hearing losses and communication abilities ranging from BSL users to lip speakers. They were introduced to drama games and theatre making, giving them the opportunity to explore how sign and body language can work together to create theatre.

In addition, Solar Bear is developing an excellent reputation for the work we are doing in the area of Mental Health. In partnership with the Citizens Theatre we offer weekly Therapeutic Theatre sessions leading to performances.

Therapeutic Theatre - Psychodrama in the Theatre

Solar Bear’s pioneering Therapeutic Theatre is a unique combination of drama, psychodrama and performance that offers both a creative and therapeutic experience for people who access mental health services.

This pioneering approach was created and developed, on request, for the Mental Health Arts and Film Festival following a discussion that took place around the important link between art forms and therapy within mental health.

The project is facilitated by specialised practitioners Emma Hagen; drama artist/psychodrama psychotherapy trainee, and Ian Gidley; psychodrama psychotherapist/mental health nurse. Modelled in our style of facilitation is the belief that creativity, spontaneity, self-expression and playfulness are essential for emotional health.

Group members have described increased confidence, self-esteem and greater sense of self and acknowledge that being part of the group gives them a sense of purpose and connection with others.

There is always a real feeling of celebration and achievement as a result of participating in the project, which culminates in a devised performance. This is based on the exploration of participants’ life experience through drama and psychodrama techniques; focusing on their strengths and hopes as well as addressing the difficulties they face. This accomplishment is accompanied by a sense of pride in participating in a major arts festival, the Scottish Mental Health arts and Film Festival.

Our workshops, rehearsals and performances take place at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow. Working in a professional theatre venue plays an important role in challenging the stigma surrounding mental health.

Every Therapeutic Theatre project has its own unique identity, established by the individuality of participants.

To date, forty-two adults have taken part in four programmes of work, all of which culminated in sell-out performances, reaching audiences of two hundred and fifty service users, staff and friends.

These include: Pieces of Me August - October 08; Out of the Blue March – June 09; Dark before the Dawn August – October 09; and How Long has this been Going On August – October 10.

Therapeutic Theatre has had growing success each year and we hope to develop and expand the project to include two new groups in addition to our existing work: young adults accessing mental health services aged 16-25 and carers, friends and family affected by the mental health difficulties of a loved one.

Therapeutic Theatre provides a great platform for challenging out-dated assumptions about mental health, supporting individuals to express themselves and have their voices heard on a national level.