publications

Over the years, acta has developed many papers, books and articles, alongside yearly reports and business plans.

This page contains:

  • Business plans from 2012
  • Trustee reports from 2012-2020
  • acta’s Annual Report videos
  • External publication “acta’s Cycle of Engagement” by Dr Kerrie Schaefer
  • REACT Festival – free downloadable guide

Plus, the following books available to purchase:

  • Gas Girls (sold out)
  • Coast
  • Magic Day Toolkit
  • At Home on the Slopes
  • The Forgotten Estate
  • Turning Points
  • MEDART

Reports

Business Plans

Trustees’ reports

Video Annual Reports

Each year, we create a fun, visual video full of information about the previous year. To watch our most recent, take a look below. Our previous year’s report 2018/19 is also available here.

acta’s Cycle of Engagement

Read an article, published by acta’s trustee and Associate Professor of Drama at Exeter University, Dr Kerrie Schaefer, on acta’s cycle of engagement, including foundation worker programme. Read and download here.

REACT: Inclusive Refugee Theatre Guide

REACT – Refugee Engagement And integration through Community Theatre – a project funded by EU Creative Europe – was conceived by acta, and developed with partners Rotterdams Wijktheater and Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo Danilo Dolci, as a response to the growing refugee crisis in 2016.

The aim was to show how it is possible to promote and develop refugee integration at a local level through the use of Community Theatre, in order to foster intercultural dialogue, community cohesion & mutual understanding. Download for free here REACT Manual in English.

Books for purchase

All of the following are priced at just £5, plus £1.50 postage & packing. Please contact us if you are ordering from an address that is not the UK mainland.

Gas Girls: The untold story of Avonmouth’s Mustard Gas factories [Sold Out]

From June to November 1918, Avonmouth was the centre of Britain’s chemical warfare industry, with two factories making and filling shells with deadly Mustard Gas, employing hundreds of local women and men.

Based on months of research, ‘Gas Girls’ tells a forgotten story of the First World War, and the impact of the conflict on the Home Front.

COAST: Crossing Borders in Community Theatre – 2013

Coast Book

COAST tells the stories of four community theatre companies from across Europe who came together for a two year cooperation project. This book (and DVD insert) documents the learning from every stage of the partnership, which produced five new plays, in International Festival of Community Theatre, and a series of secondments and exchanges.

Magic Day Toolkit – 2011

Big art ideas. A little book of big tips and simple ideas for activities with under 12s, with accompanying DVD; the result of acta’s BIG Lottery playful ideas work. Draw,; paint; sculpture; dens; projections; music; performance; mix it up!

At Home on the Slopes – 2002

A history of Hartcliffe and Withywood, produced to celebrate & commemorate 50 years since the first people moved into the Hartcliffe & Withywood area of Bristol. By members of the Dundry Pioneers, working in partnership with Neil Beddow, Artistic Director at acta.

The Forgotten Estate – 2004

Oldbury Court’s Surprising History. By The History Detectives from Oldbury Court Primary School, with Neil Beddow, John Bartlett, Karen Clark and Betty Prescott

Turning Points – 2001

Now more than a decade on, Neil Beddow’s story of acta and the impact that community theatre has on the people who take part, is still relevant.

“.. a fascinating read.” Dr Janet Summerton, University of Sussex

MEDART

Medart is a European project, funded by Erasmus+, which is aimed at sharing good practice amongst eight European companies who use theatre as a way of engaging socially disadvantaged adults, with the view of increasing personal and social skills and improving their chances of getting employment.

The project was coordinated by Divadlo bez domova, who were partners on acta’s Grey Matters project, (2013-15), and other partners include long-time acta collaborators Teatr Grodzki from Poland:

  •  Divadlo Bez Domova, Slovakia – working with homeless people in Bratislava
  • Teatr Grodzki – theatre with disabled and disadvantaged people in Bielsko-Biala, Poland
  • Asociacon Acunagua, Canary Islands, Spain – drama and theatre with young people
  • Drustvo ProSoc,  Slovenia – theatre for employability with young people
  • CSC, Sicily, Italy – youth opportunities and education
  • MVKBP, Hungary – theatre with homeless and disadvantaged people            
  • Hogeschool Rotterdam, Netherlands – university – evaluation of project