Tales from the Emerald City is a challenging new theatre piece, dramatising real life experiences of Asian professionals who have experienced discrimination and exclusion working within the Arts. It will be touring from February and throughout March 2005. Commissioned by the non-profit organisation Showhow, the production explores and promotes professional development in the Arts as a result of the Fellowship Programme 2004.

The Fellowship Programme which was established by the Arts Council in 1996 and managed by Showhow since 2001 was designed to address the under-representation of non-white senior managers in the Arts sector and provides bursaries and 12 month long supported placements for Black, Asian, Chinese, disabled and aspiring Arts managers. This unique piece explores positive action in the Arts scripted through interviews with people who have worked as Fellows in the Programme. Directed by Mojisola Adebayo with Movement Director Kwesi Johnson, Tales from the Emerald City is a compelling drama with interactive discussion and intervention.

This provocative and entertaining production was devised with a cast whose experience includes working with Candoco, Black Mime Theatre, Graeae, London Bubble, Cardboard Citizens, Badejo Arts, Nottingham Playhouse, Royal Shakespeare Company, Pan Centre for Intercultural Arts, Theatre Resource, Clean Break and many others.

Taking its cue from the Wizard of Oz, via the desk of David Brent's Office, and set in 'the emerald city... where the glass is as green as envy and as thick as the ceiling to success', this production portrays a dynamic awareness of what it is like to work in the Arts for employees of creative and other organisations, and is guaranteed to stimulate discussions and debates within the Arts Industry.

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