Alison Farina
Neurodivergent theatre practitioner, performer and playwright specialising in Heritage theatre.
Worked on
MyWorld - Strength in Places
Watershed is excited to be a partner in MyWorld, a project led by the University of Bristol that will celebrate the West of England's reputation as an international trailblazer in creative technology and screen-based media.As a writer for theatre, I have had work commissioned and produced by Museums and Theatre Companies across the British Isles. My work has been shortlisted for the for the 2022 & 2020 DYSPLA Residency Prize, the 2017 Salisbury Playhouse Theatre Fest West Prize, the 2014 Old Vic, New Voices: TS Elliot Commission, and The Salisbury Playhouse 2014 Original Drama Call Out.
My most recent work has been a year-long personalised training programme in Song writing and Music/Music in Theatre through the highly competitive Developing Your Creative Practice Grant from Arts Council England. This programme consisted of a number of Masterclasses with industry singer/songwriters, singing professionals, Music and Music in Theatre artists, Heritage Music Engagement and Interpretations professionals and culminated in production of an EP in January of 2023.
As a Neurodivergent artist, I’m passionate about accessibility and embedding it into the work I do. I’ve trained in Arts Accessibility with Kirsty Hoyle at Include Arts, Running Inclusive Rehearsal Rooms with Diverse-city, and completed basic training in Makaton. I’ve also been part of the consultation group helping Miriam Higgins to create her Neurodiversity Theatre Handbook.
When not exploring my own creative work, I work with theatres and theatre companies to provide Accessibility Consultancy to improve approaches to accessibility and accessible performances and their marketing.
In 2023 Alison was one of the Watershed micro-residents as part of the MyWorld Ideas programme. Alison spent three months in residence at the Pervasive Media Studio part of a project called STREAM, which is a partnership between UWE, Marshmallow Laser Feast and All Seeing Eye. The projects aims were to investigate and navigate what accessible location-based VR could look like.