We make films, live performances and digital experiences with a strong visual aesthetic that explore questions of place, belonging and difference through humour and personal stories to provoke reflection and dialogue.
Our unique approach to democratic co-creation means participants from outside the arts have equal ownership of the creative process and outcomes.
Our work has an international flavour, collaborating with artists and practitioners from varied backgrounds, such as the UK, Iran, Germany, Italy, Poland, India, Japan, Spain, Chile, Greece and Turkey.
use culture clashes to investigate new art forms across the arts, sciences and education
engage with diverse communities nationally and internationally
embrace diversity across every aspect of our work
develop new talents in transcultural performance
participate and contribute to research locally, nationally and internationally
innovation
provocation
new territories
difference
humour
The driving force behind the creation of the company was frustration with the relegation of immigrant culture to terms such as minority ethnic, political, human rights, all categories designed to create an alien other out of the immigrant that made sure they remain firmly separate from the main structure of society.
In its first phase between 1996 and 2000, 30 Bird focused on productions created out of the clash between Western and non-Western contents, experimenting with theatrical form and emphasising visual mis-en-scenes inspired by the intersection of diverse spaces.
Influenced by practitioners such as Lepage, Hitchcock, Merce Cunningham and by thinkers such as Guy Debord and Jacques Lacan, the company created The Parable of the Blind (1996) followed by Death By Heroine (1998) and But You Speak Such Good English (2000), a documentary featuring the rise of Iranian stand up comics in London.
In its second phase 2000-2007 the company’s work became more experimental, abandoning theatrical narrative in favour of architectural mis-en-scene inspired by Bernard Tschumi and the rise of Iranian visual arts. In opposition to representational and ethnic identity based work, 30 Bird created Majnoun (2003) inspired by the introduction of Western modernity into Iran in the 20th century.
Majnoun abandoned plot, character and focused on visual exploration of the incongruous marriage between East and West. The production was more like a construction with a programme of events around it.
The same approach led to the creation of The Persian Revolution (2006) to commemorate the centenary of the constitutional revolution in Iran in 1906. Both productions toured the UK at venues such as Birmingham Rep, The Traverse and Lyric Hammersmith amongst others.
In 2007 in collaboration with Film London and BBC Radio 4 Drama, Mehrdad Seyf’s film script Yalda, was produced and screened at the BFI and Curzon Mayfair. A surrealist reflection on Hymenoplasty, synchronised swimming and the crucifixion, the film was shot across London’s urban landscape and shown at international film festivals such as The Reykjavík International Film Festival, Cinema Jove, Valencia, Kassel film and documentary festival Germany amongst others.
In its third phase 2008 – 2015, 30 Bird expanded its ambitions by creating large scale and site responsive projects both indoors and outdoors. The architectural influences in 30 Bird’s work led to the beginning of a long term collaboration with the Hackney based art and architecture practice “public works”. Plastic (2008), Chodzenie-Siberia (2009 -11),Poland 3 Iran 2 (2010-2012) and MUD (2012 ongoing) were amongst the projects created during this phase.
Plastic was a turning point for the company enabling 30 Bird to work in a new collaborative way based on interdisciplinary dialogue between practitioners from inside and outside the arts. Inspired by sex change operations and the fluidity of gender identity in Iran, Plastic was nominated for a Total Theatre Award in innovation and Experimentation and was chosen amongst the top four shows by The Guardian in Edinburgh 2008. The show kept changing as it landed on new sites (Victoria Baths Manchester, Whitechapel Gift Shop London) engaging with communities associated with those areas.
During this phase, 30 Bird invited artists who would not necessarily work in a transcultural or diverse context to join this interdisciplinary process. 30 Bird worked with choreographers Tom Dale and Pepa Ubera, visual and live artists Chris Dobrowolski, (Poland 3 Iran 2 2010), Mamoru Iriguchi (14 Tables 2012) and Michael Pinchbeck (Domestic Labour 2014).
Poland 3 Iran 2 in collaboration with Chris Dobrowolski toured nationally and Internationally to Poland, Sweden and Amsterdam and was the winner of the Best of Fringe at Brighton Fringe Festival.
30 Bird also launched MUD (2012), in collaboration with St Matthews Primary School in Cambridge, working with teachers and pupils, architects, archeologists and performance artists to create an interdisciplinary zone for the school to explore new ways of learning and teaching. The Factory (2012), The Story of Things (2014) and The Place Where We Stand (2017) are three projects developed under the MUD umbrella. MUD is ongoing and plays an important role in introducing transcultural and interdisciplinary practice to young children.
30 Bird has carried on expanding its activities to develop a platform for interdisciplinary and transcultural practice.
Determined to bring together practitioners and artists from various disciplines and cultural backgrounds inside and outside the arts, the company launched Junctures - a day of debate and provocations exploring innovation and collaboration across the arts and sciences, in partnership with Cambridge Junction, the British Council and the Arts Council (2015).
In 2016, 30 Bird and ‘public works’ jointly won the prestigious arts residency at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology where they created Home in the Service of Science with the participation of 20 scientists, which was attended by 1’500 people over the residency duration.
30 Bird also worked with the Institute of Public health on Dementia: Testing Knowledge, expanding its pool of science based collaborators.
In recognition of its work, the company is currently supported by the Arts Council Elevate fund to produce Junctures again, as a three year (2016-2019) programme investing, supporting and developing transcultural and interdisciplinary practice across the UK.
The company also set up its think tank UN-FRAMED in 2017 to create a platform for interdisciplinary collaborations, commissions and advocacy.
JOIN THE FLOCK
Here are some of our main partners over the years:
Amsterdam Fringe
Arts and Business
Battersea Arts Centre
BBC Drama
BBC East
Bush Theatre
Cambridgeshire County Council
Cambridge Festival of Ideas
Cambridge Festival of Science
Cambridge Literary Festival
Contact Theatre
Coutts De Lysle
East 15
Escalator East to Edinburgh
Escalator Shorts
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Film London
Hungry Arts
Institute of Public Health
Imagine Watford
Lynda Jeannot Design Studio
METAL Southend
Lakeside Theatre University of Essex
Pleasance
Polish Cultural Institute
Riverside Studios
Riksteatern
Summerhall
St Matthew's Primary School
Teatromania Festival
The Basement
The Place
Traverse Theatre
Toynbee Studios
Victoria Baths Manchester
Watford Palace Theatre
Below are our most current partners.
Thank you all for your support!
If you would like to partner with us, please contact us @ philippa@30bird.org
Do feel free to contact us if you have any queries @ chris@30bird.org.
Images of 30 Bird productions are available to download on our Flickr galleries. Please contact us for access @ chris@30bird.org.
If you are covering one of our productions/performances/events for a press/media/online review, we are happy to put aside a ticket for you. Please contact us in advance @ chris@30bird.org. Please note that any filming and photography is not permitted without prior arrangement.
Some of our press releases can be found here:
- Home in the Service of Science: LMB residency
2016
2015
- Domestic Labour at Edinburgh Fringe Festival
2014
- MUD: Launch of A new Cultural Space at St Matthew's Primary School
2013
- Plastic at Edinburg Festival
2008-10
2006-07