Bringing Nubian CoheARTS on board as Associate Company is part of Clean Break’s drive to support and platform women artists with lived experience of the criminal justice system or those on its periphery, at a time when they face ongoing barriers to entering the arts.
The relationship will include access to free rehearsal space, training, support from Clean Break’s artistic team, and opportunities to research and development work with audiences.
Nubian CoheARTS is a Black women-led theatre company formed by Clean Break Members Jennifer Joseph (Shakespeare Trilogy, Donmar Warehouse), Eddy Queens (Typical Girls, Sheffield Theatres) and Nicole Hall (More Than We Can Bear, Almeida). The company creates authentic work which instils hope for women who’ve had challenging life experiences, sending the message that you can always carry on.
Continuing to place Members at the heart of our programme, Clean Break also announces new seed commissions to two Member artists, Ro Florence and Shona Babayemi, who will be developing full length plays with support from the company. These writers join our existing writers on commission, including the brilliant babirye bukilwa, Emma Dennis-Edwards, Yasmin Joseph, Gupreet Kaur Bhatti, and the newly joined Somebody Jones and Iman Qureshi.
Lakesha Arie-Angelo, Clean Break’s Associate Artistic Director: “The founders of Clean Break were artists, women, with entrepreneurial spirit and a hunger to have their stories heard. Bursting with this same passion as our founders, we are delighted to welcome Nubian CoheARTs as our first ever Associate Company. We look forward to working more closely together and seeing the possibilities that will flourish from this new relationship.
We are also thrilled to have offered seed commissions to two Clean Break Member artists, Ro Florence and Shona Babayemi. Both Ro and Shona have unique and vibrant voices, and will be working on new plays which platform narratives about women and non-binary people navigating oppressive systems.
Providing opportunities, tools and resources for success for artists such as Nubian CoheARTs, Ro and Shona highlights the next steps in Clean Break's journey: championing new talent and offering opportunities for women from our Membership who have gone on to become artists in their own right.”
Nubian CoheARTs: “All three members of Nubian CoheARTs have had a life changing experience with Clean Break. We’re twice the women we were before we came here, and we've never looked back. We started as Students, then ex-Students, before that title changed to 'Member'. Becoming Members gave us a real sense of responsibility and importance. It meant we would always have a reason to stay connected with Clean Break, whether that's coming back to perform, or getting involved in fundraising campaigns and festivals. Whatever we encounter in the world, we always have the security of Clean Break to come back to. So building on that relationship and becoming an Associate Company as Nubian CoheARTs was mind-blowing.
To become the first Associate Company attached to Clean Break has re-confirmed our importance to the company. It feels like all the learning and growing we did as students and Members was put in place for this moment. We're living proof that Clean Break changes lives, and will always be fierce ambassadors and contributors to the work.
Going forward, we're excited to discover the potential for this relationship, and the mutual benefits for both Nubian CoheARTs and Clean Break. At a time when funding for the arts is in crisis, having the backing of a company like Clean Break will be a great support to us in securing funding for our work."
Lucy Kirkwood, playwright (Clean Break commission it felt empty when the heart went at first…): "It's so wonderful to see Clean Break Members gaining in artistic confidence and ambition, not just taking opportunities but making them for themselves, and I'm so proud of the company for supporting them so enthusiastically. As a Clean Break writer myself, I know how much a commission from this company can inspire, support and challenge you, and I can't wait to see the work that comes out of this."
