Animate Effect

Aim: Animate Effect is a day theatre group for disabled adults in Plymouth.

Animate Theatre CIC started over 10 years ago to fill the gap between disability groups and theatre groups to create an accessible theatre company. Run by and for Disabled and Neurodivergent adults, Animate continues to be lead by the community it represents. 

Over the years we since set up a Monday session for those looking to create full theatre productions, we have been on tours, performed at festivals and have made films with this group. 

Animate Effect has none been running since the pandemic due to lack of funds but there is such a big need for a group like this currently in the city. We wanted to be able to start it up again to support the community further especially in a time when funding for disabled groups is so hard to achieve. 

Our members have expressed how Animate 'is like a family' and how much they love coming to us every week.

We are also developing a training program to teach people more about disability and inclusion in theatre, by people with lived experience. We also create workshops for schools talking about disability inclusion and raise awareness on different disabilities. 

We have recently finished a project with the University of Plymouth, starring one of our members, for their health care students about working with adults with learning disabilities.