Stanley Arts in Croydon is launching their new, immersive show Unscene this autumn in partnership with accessible theatre company Zoo Co.

Go behind the scenes and enjoy five unique pieces across their eccentric and unique building including performances of dance, poetry, visual vernacular and projection which celebrate the secret corners of the historic building.

This production is part of the Stanley Stories heritage engagement programme and has been made possible thanks to a £235,710 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The grant will also make Stanley Arts greener and more accessible to the whole community. All performances are relaxed and each day there will be a minimum of one BSL interpreted performance. In addition to this, there will also be an audio described performance during the run and the show will be digitised later in the month.

Unscene begins on Wednesday 5th October for four performances and runs until Sunday 9th October. National Lottery players can claim a free hot drink from the bar during these shows by presenting a lottery ticket to a member of staff.

Other fun events for children & adults will then continue until Spring 2023 running alongside sculpture workshops with local schools & the development of a 3-D online tour of Stanley Arts & its fascinating hidden stories.

Dr Daniel Winder, Stanley Arts Venue Director, said “ We’re looking forward to helping people get involved with the heritage of our wonderful idiosyncratic building & the people whose lives it’s touched. Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do, so we’ve put together a varied programme with lots of fun ways to participate, where everyone should be able to find something to join in with. “
Stuart McLeod, Director England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are delighted to support Stanley Arts with this fantastic project. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, more people will be able to learn about the heritage of Croydon and have access to nature-based activities, particularly fitting ahead of Croydon becoming the London Borough of

Culture in 2023. Stanley Stories will strengthen the community by helping local people better understand their heritage and history. It is a great way of bringing people together and creating a sense of pride of place, that in turn can deliver wider economic benefits. This project is a fantastic example of achieving these aims.”