CONSENT & COMMUNICATION WORKSHOPS

In February 2019, Hera's first event was a day of workshops for performers working in opera on 'Consent and Communication'. In the immediate aftermath of #MeToo we wanted to address the fact that people working in the arts, including opera, hadn't always worked in the safe environment they deserve. We'd heard horror stories, and had bad experiences, and we wanted to do something positive.

The day included:

A practical workshop exploring staging intimacy with 'consensual creativity' facilitated by Yarit Dor, Intimacy Co-ordinator and Movement Director

A workshop on sexual harassment facilitated by Rachel Vogler of Houselights, finding out: what it is, how we can respond to it, and how we can support others.

An industry panel, with representatives of opera companies and unions.

You can read the blog Toria wrote at the time for the Huffington Post here.

WHAT NEXT?

Since 2019, a lot has changed. Intimacy Co-ordinators are much more common, if not yet standard, in the rehearsal room. But too much remains the same. Now we're more established, we'd like to do more to help. If you work in opera and music theatre, let us know what you think needs to change, and what support and training would be useful. Or sign up to our newsletter below to be the first to hear about new workshops.