VOLUNTEERS at Worcester-based Vamos Theatre are celebrating after the company was selected as one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations from April 2018.
As one of the only full mask theatre companies in the UK, Vamos Theatre will receive an annual investment of £200,000 a year between 2018 and 2022, allowing for increased opportunities for audiences and participants to access and celebrate the unique world of mask theatre.
The money will enable the company to deliver their award winning and critically acclaimed full mask theatre to audiences and participants, both nationally and internationally.
Vamos will continue to lead the way in inspiring audiences by marrying full mask theatre with engaging storytelling, physical dexterity and emotional insight.
This investment from the Arts Council will also enable Vamos to continue working with some of the hardest-to-reach audiences due to complex barriers of engagement and ensure that art is accessible and enriching for all.
Rachael Savage, artistic director and company founder said: “We are thrilled, elated and joyous!
“It’s a truly magnificent achievement and a statement of belief, trust and confidence in the company from Arts Council England; a recognition for all the years (11 years) of hard graft, quality work, national and international touring; work delivered with devotion, integrity, honesty and with a true social spirit; inspired work which has touched the hearts of people of all ages across the spectrum. It could only have been achieved with the most incredible and ambitious team.
“Vamos is a family of immensely loyal, devoted and talented people for which I thank each and every one.
“Our productions are compelling because of their human and highly visual nature, which create immediate connections with the audience, because there is no barrier of words to overcome. This is what makes our work so unique and so accessible.
“We know the investment from Arts Council England will allow us to build on the reputation we have developed and continue to help us engage audiences across borders and boundaries with the powerful and challenges stories we explore”
Vamos Theatre has strong and longstanding relationships with core funders Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Arts Partnership and other key partners.
