What is the role of the artist when faced with social and political unrest? This month as protests take place across the world, we’ve been thinking of the long history between art and protest. Every day this month Georgians, Turks, Americans and Serbians are on the streets speaking out against the country’s ruling governments. At Dash Arts we make art that challenges the world we all live in and this month we open our new theatre production, The Reckoning; based on witness testimonies from the Russian war in Ukraine. Join Dash’s Artistic Director, Josephine Burton, as she revisits our 2024 interview with critically acclaimed journalist Peter Pomerantsev and catch up with Georgian Artist and Activist Ana Riaboshenko on what it’s been like since the Georgian Dream party, widely seen as pro-Russian, maintained its majority in last year’s elections. Professor Alan Finlayson also shares his insights from his new book - Our Subversive Voice: The History and Politics of English Protest Songs, 1600–2020.Book your tickets for The Reckoning on the Arcola Theatre’s website.In the podcast, we hear from:Josephine Burton - Artistic Director, Dash Arts Peter Pomerantsev - Journalist and AuthorAna Riaboshenko - Artist & one of the Initiators of Culture for DemocracyProfessor Alan Finlayson - Professor of Political and Social Theory at the University of East AngliaOur intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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43:21
The Reckoning: Dill and Sour Cream
Join us round the kitchen table with acclaimed Ukrainian chef Olia Hercules and Dash’s Artistic Director Josephine Burton as they weave together cooking and storytelling in our latest production.Dash’s new production, The Reckoning, is a vivid and powerful new play about war, survival and the fragile trust between those who uncover the truth and those who must live with it.Co-writers Anastasiia Kosodii and Josephine Burton created the play from The Reckoning Project’s verified archive of witness testimonies of the Russian war in Ukraine. Find out why Olia’s insights and beautiful cooking is so vital to our staging of these experiences.To book tickets or to read more about The Reckoning see the Dash Arts website.If you haven’t already, you can hear the other episodes of this podcast mini-series on The Reckoning where we explore our process towards production, speaking to author and journalist Peter Pomerantsev on why he shared the testimonies with Dash as well as Rory Finnin, Professor of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Cambridge.In the podcast, we hear from:Josephine Burton - Artistic Director, Dash Arts Olia Hercules - Chef & The Reckoning Food ConsultantZoë Hurwitz - The Reckoning Set Designer Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi and throughout you can hear Tykho feat Syoda by composer of The Reckoning, Anton Baibakov. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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25:53
At Loggerheads with Reality
What does it mean to be at loggerheads with reality?"If a person who is at loggerheads with reality possesses an artistic gift... he can transform his phantasies into artistic creations instead of symptoms."— Sigmund Freud, Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis (1910)In this episode of the Dash Arts Podcast, Artistic Director Josephine Burton dives into two powerful exhibitions that challenge how we understand women, art, and mental health:🖼 Women & Freud: Patients, Pioneers, Artists – curated by Lisa Appignanesi and Bryony Davies🎨 Charlotte Johnson Wahl: What It Felt Like – at Bethlem Museum of the MindBoth exhibitions showcase art that reframes women’s stories and reclaims narratives of mental wellbeing.Josephine is joined by writer and long-term Dash Arts collaborator Hattie Naylor to discuss these themes in the context of their latest project, The Degenerates—a new production that will explore the overlooked female artists of Dr. Hans Prinzhorn’s groundbreaking collection.From 1919 to 1922, Prinzhorn gathered extraordinary artworks from psychiatric patients across Europe, publishing The Artistry of the Mentally Ill—a book that profoundly influenced 20th-century art. But while his collection celebrated creativity beyond the bounds of convention, many female artists were left out of the story. The Degenerates seeks to set the record straight.Listen as we uncover hidden histories, challenge perceptions, and explore the intersection of art, mental health, and power.See pictures from the two exhibitions on the Dash Arts podcast page. And you can follow our research towards The Degenerates on the Dash Arts blog: https://www.dasharts.org.uk/blog/our-artistic-director-on-research-for-a-new-dash-production In this episode we hear from:Josephine Burton - Artistic Director of Dash ArtsHattie Naylor - Writer & Visual ArtistLisa Appignanesi - Writer and Curator Colin Gale - Director of Bethlam Museum of the MindRebecca Raybone - Collections and Exhibitions Officer Bethlam Museum of the MindMarie Horner - Podcast Producer of Dash Arts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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47:19
Songs of Solidarity: An Epic Begins
Join us in the rehearsal room as we craft a new epic - an origin story that celebrates and redefines the migration experience. Songs of Solidarity (the current working title for Dash Arts and Projekt Europa’s new project) brings together artists, researchers, and refugees to co-create a powerful music-theatre performance.In this episode we look at what makes epics, epic. We explore ancient epics like Kalevala, Gilgamesh, and the Odyssey with academics and then, with migrant artists, asylum seekers and refugees, investigate how we can create new ones rooted in solidarity, displacement, and friendship across time.You can see more in our short film and there’s more to come throughout 2025. In this episode we hear from:Josephine Burton - Artistic Director of Dash ArtsProfessor Fiona Macintosh - Emeritus Professor of Classical Reception, University of OxfordMaria Aberg - Artistic Director of PROJEKT EUROPAMarouf Majidi - composer and musicianSabrina Mahfouz - writer and poet Luca Macchi - actor and musician Namvula Rennie - actor and musicianChen Xu - actor and musician Natalia Kakarkina - actor and musicianSurya Chandra - actor and musicianSongs of Solidarity is a PROJEKT EUROPA and Dash Arts co-production. This first phase of R&D was co-produced with the Cultural Programme at Oxford University, in partnership with the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama at Oxford University, Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland, and Asylum Welcome. We're particularly grateful to Fiona Macintosh for her support and encouragement. Our gratitude goes to all the wonderful international artists, academics and participants who enriched our project.Find out more at:www.projekteuropa.orgwww.dasharts.org.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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29:35
Our Public House: Unlocking Voices
How can the arts help us to encounter others? In December 2024, we were part of a fantastic live discussion at the RSA (Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) discussing how the arts can unlock unheard voices. This podcast brings you some highlights from the event with some extra insights and updates from our Dash Arts Artistic Director Josephine Burton. Hosted by Tom Stratton (Chief of Staff at RSA), our Artistic Director and Chief Executive Josephine Burton was joined on stage by Alan Finlayson (Professor of Political & Social Theory, University of East Anglia), Alecky Blythe (Playwright), and Dawid Konotey-Ahulu (co-founder of Redington, Mallowstreet, and 10,000 Interns). Sue Agyakwa whom we met in a speech-making workshop in Newham earlier in 2024, also, kindly, shared her speech live. Josephine and Alan shared what they've learnt from their 18 month long speech making workshop programme across the country that will culminate in Dash Arts’ 'state of the nation' theatre production, Our Public House, in 2026. Our Public House is funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Arts Council England, The Thistle Trust, Three Monkies Trust, and individual giving.You can watch the full event by visiting the RSA’s website or their YouTube Channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Dash Arts podcast takes on big issues through an artistic lens. Hear artists, filmmakers, musicians, theatre makers and more explore the challenges facing society today. In each episode Dash Arts' Artistic Director Josephine Burton hosts conversations delving into movements, legacies and ideas that continue to shape the cultural landscape worldwide.For more information, videos and podcasts, please head to www.dasharts.org.uk. Dash Arts is a National Portfolio Organisation funded by the Arts Council of England. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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