There have been some exciting changes at StoneCrabs in the past month! It’s great to see the organisation continuing to grow and thrive. Read on for all the news…
StoneCrabs’ Out On An Island: Pride In Self, Pride In Place Project.
The Heritage Fund has awarded us a new grant for the purpose of continuing of our Out On An Island activities. These include: researching the Heritage and History of the Isle of Wight LGBTQ+ community, recording fifteen new oral histories, and delivering islandwide events. We will also look at the important role of the NHS in Isle of Wight LGBTQ+ culture in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Join us at Caffe Isola 7pm on 7 July for a complimentary drink and find out about our plans for eighteen months of LGBTQ+ History events, opportunities for volunteering, social connection and for you to learn new skills.
The evening will be hosted by the talented Krysia Mansfield, with performances from the fabulous Ventnor Darlings, and others.We will end the evening with cake and a chance to socialise in this lovely venue. We are limited in terms of numbers for this event, so reserve your ticket now.
A Re-Energised Board
Goodbyes
Last month we said goodbye to two brilliant Trustees Penny Neu and Susannah Finzi, who stepped down after four incredible years. Penny and Susannah were markedly instrumental in StoneCrabs’ development as a well-run and resilient company, and we are very grateful for all their contribution.
Welcomes
But it’s not all sad news! We’re excited to welcome four fantastic new Trustees to our board: Alex Sabine, Ben Murray-Homes, Laide Sonola, and Penelope Diaz. We can’t wait to see the fresh ideas and diverse perspectives they’ll bring to the table.”
Four fantastic new Trustees
Alex has worked in education since 2006, across a variety of age ranges. In his core professional duties he is the Employability and Enterprise Coordinator for the University of Portsmouth’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Click here to learn more about Alex.
“I am honoured to be a Trustee of StoneCrabs. I firmly believe that the creative and cultural industries are at the interface between the public realm and meaningful transformation in societies. The work that StoneCrabs do to raise awareness of marginalised communities, while simultaneously providing opportunities for aspiring young directors is second-to-none. I hope to be able to explore new opportunities for StoneCrabs as it goes from strength-to-strength as a real tour de force of emotional impact and meaningful change.” Alex Sabine
Ben is a young filmmaker, spoken word performer and writer from The Isle of Wight. Ben took part in StoneCrabs Isle of Wight Young Creatives programme, where he produced the short film ‘Skin’. Click here to learn more about Ben.
“I’m beyond thrilled to be joining StoneCrabs as one of their Trustees because I believe in the remarkable work they’re doing and I’m excited to see where the company goes next. I can’t wait to get started.” – Ben Murray-Homes
Laide is an actor and emerging theatre director and producer, with experience in facilitation and community engagement. She became the emerging director for Bread & Roses Theatre and was one of the two first ever producers to take part in Stonecrabs Directors In Practice Programme. Click here to learn more about Laide.
“I have been a part of Stonecrabs first as an actor, then as a producer. One thing I have learnt from my experience is that they are intentional about creating diversity. This will be an interesting new chapter in how I will utilise what I have in order to see a future in theatre that is representative of the world around me.” – Laide Sonola
Penelope is a working-class writer and emerging producer. Her work responds to social and political issues surrounding exclusion and the stereotyping of class and being Latinx. Penelope has trained as a producer as part of the Directors in Practice Programme. Click here to learn more about Penelope.
“I look forward to a host of unique and varied experiences plus embracing further opportunities. Working closely with the StoneCrabs Board will help me develop new skills and allow me exposure to the particulars of StoneCrabs. I am a passionate supporter of StoneCrabs ethos and programme and it is a great privilege, personally and professionally, to become a Trustee for this organisation.” – Penelope Diaz
Vice Chairs
We are also thrilled that Paul Armfield and Paloma Jacob-Duvernet have been appointed the Vice-Chairs of StoneCrabs Board. They will work closely with our Chair and deputise as necessary.
Fabio Santos (StoneCrabs Theatre Executive Director – Joint CEO) commented on the appointment of our new Trustees:
“StoneCrabs is committed to diversifying the industry, further developing the arts scene on The Isle of Wight and strengthening the creative dialogue between The Island and Mainland. Therefore, we are very excited to have these four brilliant people joining our Board. They bring an array of life, professional and geographic experiences that will be invaluable. I look forward to working closely with them.”
Dr. Almiro Andrade (Chair of the StoneCrabs Theatre Board) added:
“It is with immense pleasure that the StoneCrabs Theatre Board of Trustees welcomes Alex, Ben, Laide and Penelope as our newest members. Their passion, creativity and incredible talents are paramount for our development and in the next steps StoneCrabs Theatre is taking towards a more solid and robust future; shining light on even more untold stories that will reach stages across the UK and beyond, through the several projects we support.”