Welcome
The Myth and Voice Initiative: Storytelling for Communities is a community arts project led by Dr Efi Spentzou from the Department of Classics at Royal Holloway. It consists of a wide variety of informal participatory workshops which foster collaborative and contemporary re-imaginings of a range of ancient mythical stories from the Greco-Roman world with present-day resonances. Its immersive storytelling programme encourages self-development, inspires active citizenship and supports spontaneous community experience.
With creative activities and role play that act as an invitation to ‘step into the shoes’ of distant and ancient figures, the project aspires to encourage healthy curiosity and empathy for the stories of others. Workshop activities are always opportunities for those involved to experience mutual dependency and trust.
The Myth and Voice project works in, and for, a variety of temporary and/or drop-in settings that offer participants the opportunity for new encounters with the potential for surprise connections: after school clubs, special student mentoring schemes, book clubs, girls’ informal support spaces, refugee welcome centres, public festivals, special celebrations such as book launches, recently qualified teachers’ reflection groups etc. In our Myth and Voice story circles we support one another to (re)tell classical myths in mind maps, pictures, collective poetry, diary entries, movement, debate, round robin art, collage, improvisational theatre – as appropriate.
No prior knowledge of ancient Greek myths is required or expected in order to enjoy the workshops. The program is flexible and adaptable to a diversity of needs, ambitions and agendas, aspiring to be an ally to community organisations as they strive to empower those with whom they work.
