SPID Theatre Marks 20 Years with Artivist’s Handbook

SPID Theatre (Social Progressive Interconnected Diverse), an award-winning leader in artistic activism, celebrates its 20th anniversary with a six-week run of their hit show, Artivist’s Handbook. This innovative performance was developed over the charity’s 7-year refurbishment of their Grade II* listed theatre, whose new lift, sloping corridor and restoration works was nominated for a prestigious MacEwan Award, opening doors for new possibilities in the conversation around accessibility within heritage and listed buildings. The performance shares SPID’s tactics for securing social change and investment in estate communities. With landlord negligence and homelessness on the rise, the production is an urgently needed testimony to the value of access and safety.

Performed by Helena Thompson (founder and artistic director, SPID Theatre), Artivist’s Handbookis a dramatisation of their charity’s history. Uplifting, educational and redemptive, the production highlights how Thompson raised £4 million to restore their council estate theatre, spear headed an estate wide refurbishment and sued RBKC, the landlord they share with the Grenfell Tower. SPID’s Artistic Director and Founder Helena Thompson comments, SPID views the Grenfell Tower fire as a symbol of interconnected climate, race, youth, and housing injustice. Through our art, petition, press and legal action we are calling for global legislation to safeguard our children, bodies, minds and planet.

To amplify the message that justice is the public face of love, Artivists’ Handbook launches SPID’s new campaign Join Justice, which fights for the human right to housing, race, climate and youth justice – see trailer. This builds on SPID’s work with residents to create the Class Action film, enabling them to force the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to bring Kensal House up to standard with works that could cost £6m. This year, SPID Theatre has also secured an additional £250,000 from RBKC towards capital works, compensation and fund youth work. Their patron is actor, comedian and rapper Doc Brown (Law & Order: UK, ITV; Andor; Disney+; Black Mirror, Netflix), with Kensal House residents and those displaced by the Grenfell Tower fire represented on their board.

SPID’s Co Chair Naomi Israel comments, I am proud to have taken legal action against RBKC for their negligence of Kensal. I sadly lost friends who were killed in the Grenfell fire tragedy. I have first-hand witnessed how our landlord’s systemic nature of neglect and its effect on Kensal over the years I have attended SPID. The fact that SPID’s boards now include Kensal House Residents Association members as well as those displaced by Grenfell shows our solidarity in fighting negligence.

SPID’s Co Chair Sophia Ollivierre comments, RBKC have failed in their statutory duties to Kensal tenants, including SPID and residents. Suing them has ensured they finally fix Kensal’s leaks, floods and damp and compensate all affected tenants. RBKC are currently offering compensation to families like mine over Grenfell as well as to SPID.

Main Image: Artist Activist Handbook Poster

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