Milk Crate Theatre

About

Milk Crate Theatre effects social change through the power of performance. We provide opportunities for people whose voices are under-represented to engage in artistic practice to build confidence, skills and connections; and then share their bold and resonant stories to build empathy and breakdown barriers. Our community of Collaborative Artists (participants)are generally living with, have experienced or are at risk of homelessness; living with mental health or disability support needs; have experienced domestic violence or come from First Nations and/or culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Milk Crate Theatre harnesses the power of the arts to drive social impact. Sitting at the unique intersection of the social and art sectors, we see the vital importance of accessibility to creative practice for communities who might not get that access otherwise. Milk Crate Theatre harnesses the power of the arts to drive social impact.

Sitting at the unique intersection of the social and art sectors, we see the vital importance of accessibility to creative practice for communities who might not get that access otherwise. Australians increasingly recognise the positive impact of arts and creativity on our wellbeing. Not only do they help us meet major challenges like mental health, loneliness and chronic conditions, they make our individual lives better and build stronger and more cohesive communities. Unfortunately, there is a lack of opportunities for people living with disadvantage to engage in creative practice and expression. This leads to an under-representation of people with lived experience of disadvantage sharing their stories and perspectives through mainstream arts discourse, further reinforcing social marginalisation.     

Program donations fund:

URBAN FABLES is a series of creative workshops for communities living with disadvantage in Woolloomooloo, Waterloo and Camperdown.

Facilitated by some of Sydney’s most exciting contemporary artists, URBAN FABLES offers a unique opportunity for people with lived experience of homelessness, disability and/or mental health issues to develop the bold and resonant stories of their choosing into digital performance works. 
The finished works will be installed in foyers across the Sydney CBD in late 2023 - harnessing the power of the arts to break down social barriers. 

Funds from the Be Kind Sydney Day will contribute towards the creation – and installation – of digital performance works telling the bold and resonant stories of people living with disadvantage in inner Sydney.

This includes:   

• 10 x creative workshop series run across 12 months in Woolloomooloo, Waterloo and Camperdown.
• Engaging over 60 community members (20 people per location) living with disadvantage in creative programming 
• Improving the confidence, skills, connections and overall wellbeing of program participants.
• The creation of 10+ individual and/or group digital performance works sharing stories by people with lived experience of disadvantage.
• 1-2 foyer spaces in Sydney CBD activated with installations of the works.
• Engaging more than 2,500 ‘incidental audience’ members to view the works through foyer installations.
• Raising awareness of social issues and shifting perceptions and attitudes around what it means to live with disadvantage.