Milk Crate Theatre: DUST
Homelessness | Devised theatre | Social inclusion
During the lockdowns of 2021, a CACD project was emerging on Zoom. Arts organisation Milk Crate Theatre were presenting a series of virtual character development workshops for people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.
The facilitators noticed a small group of repeat participants deeply engaged in building their characters, and saw the potential for a new production.
The result was DUST, a performance work that created lasting change, not just for its participating artists, but for over 500 audience members.
People experiencing homelessness are some of the most socially and economically disadvantaged groups in Australia.
- Homelessness is surging in Australia, increasing by 5% from 2016 to 2021. Most people experiencing homelessness are hidden from sight, with only 6% visible as ‘rough sleepers’.
- People experiencing homelessness are faced with increased social isolation, are more likely to be experiencing mental health challenges.
- Creating social and creative inclusion for people experiencing homelessness through arts engagement is emerging as a promising wellbeing support service. Leading research from Arts & Homelessness International points to four main ways that arts can produce positive outcomes for people who are or have experienced homelessness: Wellbeing, Agency, Resilience, and Knowledge and Skills.
"With an ageing population and the increased cost of home ownership this problem is expected to get worse. Factors such as domestic violence, relationship breakdown, financial difficulty and limited superannuation can make people more vulnerable to homelessness."
Milk Crate Theatre is a leading CACD performing arts organisation in Sydney, co-creating distinct theatre formed through an empowering process.
- Collaborative Artists are involved throughout the project, including character and story development, from costumes to backstories and blocking the show.
- A social worker is onsite to support the team and Collaborative Artists at all stages of the project from development to realisation.
- The Collaborative Artists are paid throughout the project for their time, as performers.
"It makes me feel like a professional… and it makes me feel like what I’m producing is being taken seriously, and I’m being taken seriously."
DUST evolved through CACD processes and resulted in a season at a major arts institution - the Sydney Theatre Company.
- DUST was presented in the Roslyn Packer Theatre, enabling Milk Crate Theatre to connect with mainstream audiences in a culturally significant venue.
- 8 in 10 audience members rated the show as ‘excellent’ (79%).
- The production of DUST reached 653 audience members over 7 performances, selling out 87% of its venue capacity.
“Each performance was heartfelt, sensitive and rich in its own way.”
653
audience members attended performances of DUST at the Roslyn Packer Theatre, Walsh Bay NSW.
95%
of audience members said they were compelled to think about social issues that people face, and 79% agreed that their eyes were opened to new ideas, issues or a point-of-view they hadn’t fully considered.
5 out of 5
participants agreed that they are more confident, have made friends, have a better sense of self-worth, and have gained skills that help them manage with challenges in their lives.
Milk Crate Theatre’s CACD practices create safe spaces for artistic development, expression and empowerment – but also community connection.
- The power of performance leads to increased confidence, a sense of agency, and improved wellbeing for the Collaborative Artists involved.
- Milk Crate Theatre cultivates artists through its nurturing of community and flexible creative facilitation.
- Audiences of Milk Crate Theatre are drawn to the unique and valuable offering of new artist voices and the social and creative innovation reached through devised theatre.
"Milk Crate is a leader in the practice of using art to help underprivileged people regain confidence and their sense of self, and actively participate in society, and DUST is a lovely example of what can be achieved through the power of performance."
Margot Politis
Artistic Director
Margot Politis is an impassioned artist and leader in the space of Community Arts and Cultural Development (CACD) best practice, whose focus is to advocate and make space for the expression of people who do not have neurotypical access to public performance platforms.
For over 20 years, Margot has worked in the inclusive arts practice as a performer, director, choreographer, film director, and devisor of interdisciplinary and immersive performance works comprising theatre, movement, light, sound and set design.
She proudly identifies as living in recovery from addiction and mental health issues.
Read more about Margot here.
Margot Politis, Artistic Director at Milk Crate Theatre, said:
"We are not a 'build it and they will come' kind of place, because firstly, why would theatre be important to someone trying to find food? Or a home? On any given day I feel a bit ridiculous offering theatre workshops to someone who is sleeping in their car or is feeling so low they don't really have the energy to talk to anybody.
And so our first step in connection work is to flip the narrative and offer this:
'What if for one day, you could be in a space, connect with others, create, express, engage, and then head back out to the world standing a little bit taller? What if after a while of doing this theatre stuff, you could start to see that your creative offerings are valid, that you are valid, and that you can ask for what you need?'"
Project Credits
- Directed By: Margot Politis
- Key Support Artist: Lucy Watson
- Assistant Director: Lily Hayman
- Collaborative Artists and Performers:
- Desmond Edwards
- Lana Filies
- Matthias Nudl
- Darlene Proberts
- Kamini Singh - Producer: Jessica Saras
- Production Manager: Tyler Fitzpatrick, Paperjam Partners
- Lighting Designer: Liam O’Keefe
- Sound Designer: Prema Yin
- Set & Costume Designer: Margot Politis
- Set Assistant: Sam Read
- Photographer: Robert Catto
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Acknowledgements
This resource is dedicated to CACD practitioners everywhere, working to address disadvantage and bring Australians together.
It has been created by research agency Patternmakers, with assistance from the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
Thank you to the practitioners who participated in the creation of this resource and to the many partners involved in each of the projects profiled. For any questions, please contact info@thepatternmakers.com.au.
We respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners of the land: the first artists and storytellers. We recognise the contribution of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia, past, present and future.
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