Touchstones Rochdale announces new three year partnership with Rafia Hussain Productions

Touchstones is partnering with Rafia Hussain Productions, a new Rochdale-based theatre company dedicated to producing Black and Brown theatre nationally and internationally, out of its base in Rochdale. 

The partnership with RHP will not just develop shows, but also develop the infrastructure for Black and Brown artists and their work. This will be done through bringing an independent company into a structured co-producing and presenting partnership with venues nationwide. RHP will work with local partner Touchstones and national partners Birmingham REP, Derby Theatre and Exeter Northcott Theatre. Together they will identify relevant artists across Britain, support the development of artistic projects and platform the work with this touring consortium. The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama will conduct research with artists, partners and audiences to assess impact and evaluate the producing model. 

This work has been made possible thanks to core funding from partners and project grant funding from Arts Council England. RHP is a producer-led production company that develops new plays, performance art and musicals that focus on Black and Brown stories. These are voices and experiences currently under-resourced and under-represented on British stages. 

The company will also prioritise developing and nurturing local artists in Rafia’s hometown of Rochdale, with workshops, training and structured paid placements to develop their craft and provide entry routes into careers in theatre. The company is piloting Future Rochdale Theatre Makers from January to July this year for early career artists. 

Rafia Hussain, Founder and Artistic Director of RHP said: “Black and Brown artists should be invested in properly, our stories deserve to be told and this is about doing just that. I am so pleased to be working with such dedicated and supportive people and partners to do this and I can’t wait to see the work meet audiences in the coming years.” 

Mark Doyle, Director of Arts, Heritage & Wellness at Your Trust said: “Touchstones has long championed the work of underrepresented voice and stories, particularly the work of female artists. We are delighted that by partnering with Rafia on this initiative, we can continue to do both of these things, and present this work in the brand-new live performance space being installed in Touchstones during the current redevelopment work.”