Testimonies

Here are some typical comments about the online archive from the public:

“I loved the variety of the material…”

“Everybody did well individually. Group work was great.”

“[I liked] seeing ordinary people be storytellers – breaking the ‘professional performance’ tag this skill we all have has acquired.”

Participants talked a lot about what the project had done for them as creative individuals, for example:

“Working on and presenting my 5 minute piece, plus the Korean story, has made me think deeper about my own background and place in this world…”

“Being involved with EAST with so many wonderful and unique people from such diverse background has broadened my horizon.”

“Being involved with East has given me confidence in performing in front of an audience, in telling stories, and also in talking about East End history and culture in front of a camera. It has helped my confidence and general ability to articulate my thoughts and address audiences.”

Participants in public workshops said:

“It was fun but yet informal”

“Inspirational not just for the student but to the parents as well”.

“It improves my boy’s confidence to presentation”.

Another praised “the interaction with the children and parents”

And this is typical feedback from the professional artists who have been leading the sessions:

“This was a great opportunity to meet a new audience, and do things that are not normally part of my practice: mixing a creative and an academic process and doing a solo performance in a very new context. Also, as an artist very much from the Western tradition, it was amazing to be welcomed so warmly into a mainly Bangla event and to work alongside and learn from people from a very different background.”