Coronavirus COVID-19 advisory information
Skip to content

Our performance companies

We create original performances with stroke and brain injury survivors, using music, movement, and dance, in community and hospital settings across the UK. These regional projects go on to become established performance companies with local ambassadors who continue to produce, create and advocate locally, supporting other stroke survivors on their journey to recovery.

A focal point for the region

Odysseys provides a powerful focal point to bring together the clinical, social and cultural community assets of an area to establish a long term and sustainable model for supporting people living with brain injury using the performance arts.

We have established regional performance companies and offer the opportunity for other regions to adopt our model.

Performers learn new skills, regain confidence and find the opportunity to perform themselves; exploring themes of recovery, hope, loss, identity and can move forward through the rehearsal and devising process, as part of a closely bonded company.

The performances led by stroke ambassadors reduce the stigma of disability and create compassionate communities where people living with long term disabilities are supported and valued throughout their lives.

There was a tangible point where we could see here’s the voluntary sector input, here’s the cultural input, here’s the health input both from primary and secondary care, here’s the community input…..it’s about those joined up pathways to people’s wellbeing that I think is really strong

Collaboration

The initiative happens best when it is supported by key organisations, networks and agencies that pool material resources and capabilities and embed research and evaluation into the process with the ambition of learning together and openly sharing insights.

Bristol

The story of Stroke Odysseys in Bristol began, as is often the case, with a conversation between our team and interested people from the healthcare and research sectors in Bristol.

Reading

Reading Borough Council’s Culture team supported the project 2019-2020 and the project continues to grow in 2020 with support from New Directions College.

South London

In 2014, Rosetta Life was awarded a four-year practice based research project funding by Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Charity.