Second Wave's Legacy

Our Values

Second Wave's Youth Led Practice

Our Work

Second Wave is committed to the creative energy and experience of young people living in the inner city. From our bespoke studio and rehearsal space in Deptford, Second Wave is well-situated to serve the communities of South East London.
Second Wave is a focus for high quality work, innovation and training in youth arts. We promote learning and interaction in a setting where young people's abilities are challenged and developed. The centre is able to respond flexibly to changing needs in youth arts provision.
Second Wave supports young people in training and educational contexts, in the development of new writing, and in extending their areas of experience towards new employment opportunities.

The arts can help to keep cities alive...

Our Base

For young people, the streets may be their only meeting place.
Second Wave seeks to offer a safe meeting place for the interests of young people. Starting from our base at The Albany Empire to our be-spoke youth arts centre in the heart of Deptford as well as our outreach activities, Second Wave has extended the geographical reach of its work across South East London. In addition, we will continue to organise specific events on a national and international basis.

Performance is the physical evidence of our history, and music is the spiritual expression of our struggle...

Strategies for Action

Second Wave's policies will continue to reflect our specific priorities. These policies are underpinned by the following strategies:

• Promoting Equality of Opportunity
  Second Wave has ten years' experience in working to prioritise opportunities for young black people and young women who seek a foothold in the arts and media industries.
  Our work recognises positive action as a necessary strategy.
• Promoting New Writers
  Since 1982 Second Wave has offered a new generation of writers direct access to a platform for the public presentation of their work. This has been supported by specialised workshops, commissions and advice to new writers.
• Providing Opportunities for Training
  Second Wave is committed to the provision of high quality training in drama and theatre crafts, both directly - within its own programme - and through collaborations with other training providers.
• Answering the Specific Needs of Young Women
  Second Wave continues to break new ground in promoting opportunities in the arts for young women. This involves creating access for talented young women artists, technicians, directors, and writers.
• Employing Resident Artists
  Second Wave provides a framework for skills-sharing, maximising the educational potential of dialogue between professional and non-professional artists.
• Training New Tutors
  We recognise that artistic ability and technical expertise may be complemented by specific teaching skills within the arts professions. We therefore offer an opportunity for the acquisition of group leadership and teaching skills to young artists and technicians.
• Valuing Cultural Diversity
  Second Wave continues its tradition of drawing upon the cultural range of interests manifest within its own urban community. Our previous work has reflected the distinctive influences of Afro-Caribbean, African, Asian and Irish artists. Second Wave seeks to develop the rich potential of this material with sensitivity and respect to the cultural diversity of the people who share it.
• Creating a Learning Environment
  Second Wave provides a secure educational setting, where people can gain and share skills and achieve clear outcomes for their own work, including opportunities for accredited qualifications.
• Using Space and Technical Resources
  Second Wave is committed to providing space and facilities, including access to studio and rehearsal space, sound and lighting equipment and video facilities. Full access to these resources is instrumental to the project's wider artistic and educational objectives.
• Establishing Partnerships
  Second Wave values the dissemination and cross-fertilisation of ideas and methods, between arts projects, colleges, schools, youth centres, voluntary organisations, other agencies and members of the community at large.

Our History

When Second Wave was established in 1982, it was the first theatre-based arts project for young women in Britain. For nine years Second Wave worked within the wider context of The Albany Empire's programme of community based arts projects.
During this time, Second Wave played a key role in establishing the professional careers of over 100 women playwrights, actors, performers, filmmakers and technicians. These young women, now employed in the media industry, came to Second Wave with little or no experience in theatre or film.
In 1991, Second Wave became an independent organisation and extended its aims to include the participation of young men.

Running Dream... deeply moving... vibrant and immediate"

Evening Standard

Running Dream is evidence of how valuable the inter-relationship is between companies who support young writers in the development of new work"

Artistic Director, Theatre Royal, Stratford East

• LISSELLE KAYLA
  1986 Entered Second Wave Playwrights Festival. Nominated special recommendation by Glenda Jackson
  1987 Scenes from When Last I Did See You, a West Indian Farce, produced by Second Wave, published in DEAD PROUD and featured in video of the same name
  1989 Commissioned by Second Wave to write 13-Lucky For Some
  1990 13-Lucky For Some produced by Second Wave at Albany Empire Studio
  1991 Founding Trustee for Second Wave Independent
  1992/3 First black woman writer to be commissioned to write a situation comedy by BBCTV
• CATHI KILCOYNE
  1982-84 Founded and ran Second Wave
  1982-84 Wrote Taking Five, Spirit Level, co-scripted Netful of Holes with Robyn Slovo
  1984-86 Writer & freelance director/performer with Clean Break Theatre Co, Sadista Sisters, Parker & Klein, Lewisham Academy of Music
  1985 Julie staged at Drill Hall and Oval House by Gay Sweatshop
  1986-89 Graduated with 1st Degree (Hons) in English & Drama, Exeter University
  1987 Excerpt from Netful of Holes published in DEAD PROUD
  1988 Julie published in LESBIAN PLAYS II by Jill Davis (Methuen)
  1990-93 Performer and writer with Foursight Theatre Co. Performed in Mobs & Martyrs. Wrote Helen which toured Canada (Best of Festival Award) & UK. Scripted Pink Smoke In The Vatican.

Performers, Singers & Comediennes

• WOZZY BREWSTER
  1982 Member of Second Wave
  1983 Performed in Second Wave's Spirit Level & Taking Five
  1984 Devised & directed Me & My Mum produced by Second Wave
  1985 Co-ordinated first production of Slice of Life by Second Wave
  1986 Directed Shopping Spree by Marie Wilson
  1987 Devised & directed award-winning video Love On The Run, produced by Albany Video/Second Wave
  1991 Appointed Co-ordinator for Community Music (South East)
  1992 Community Represent­ative on Board of Directors for Deptford City Challenge
• SHERLINA CHAMBERLAINE
  1989 Cast in Second Wave's production of Running Dream
  1990 Performed in Second Wave's production of Singing, Shouting & Stamping Home by Lisa Evans, about Black Women in History
  1991 Scripted, performed and produced her own play about Mary Seacole
  1993 First professional acting role in Trish Cooke's Running Dream playing original role cast in the first Second Wave production

• LLEWELLA GIDEON
  1989 Joined Second Wave and performed in Trish Cooke's Running Dream. Formed a comedy double-act with Collette Johnson. Short, Sharp and Shocking performed at Albany Empire, Hackney Empire, as part of Black Comedy Club. Freelance writer & journalist
  1991/3 Invited to perform and develop new comedy series BBCTV's The Real McCoy
• JB ROSE
  1984 Member of Second Wave. Performed in Netful of Holes
  1985 Devised, performed & toured Slice of Life produced by Second Wave
  1986 Formed Bermarro Sisters and co-wrote & produced Gloria at Albany Empire
  1988 Invited to run Music/Drama workshops for Second Wave
  1989 First single GQ No.6 in German Dance Charts 1990-2 Musical Director for Second Wave's production Shouting, Stamping and Singing Home
  1991 Second single produced. Musical Director for Second Wave's 13-Lucky For Some. Third single Wild & Free distributed by BMG Records
  1992/3 Musical Director Second Wave Choir Ensemble. Wrote, co-produced, performed debut album Look Inside
• KIM WALKER
  1984 Member of Second Wave. Performed in Red Devils by Debbie Horsfield
  1986 Apprentice to designer for Second Wave Playwrights Festival productions
  1987 Script reader for Playwrights Festival
  1988 Invited to perform with Jiving Lindy Hoppers at Albany Empire
  1988 Recommended by Second Wave for role in new play produced by Red Ladder Theatre Company
  1989 First TV role in Channel 4 series Desmond's

13 - Lucky for Some... a teasing, punchy show"

Time Out

Drama and Performance Programme

Weekend and evening performance workshops for different ages and abilities offered on a regular basis for young people.
Led by Second Wave core team of tutors, the programme includes visits from performers, artists and writers.

Production of New Plays

Second Wave develops the work of new and young writers through commissions, residencies and workshops. New work is continually developed throughout the workshop process of exploring group ideas and creating stories and character. This work is celebrated and affirmed in a variety of ways: through rehearsed readings, showcases and productions.

Masterclasses & Forum Events

Throughout the year Second Wave programmes special events which have a specific purpose: to bring young people closer in contact with people working in the industry. The events create an accessible forum for information sharing, careers counselling and social interaction.

Second Wave's focus on empowerment necessitates a continual process of evaluation. This process assists Second Wave in creating a positive and critical climate of ideas -::- a debate essential to such work. To this end we are engaged in publishing information reports: producing films, videos and educational materials.

Blind Faith is a fine three hander, reflecting an experience that is politically black but emotionally universal."

The Independent

SECOND WAVE create new ways to engage young people in the process of creating new material for public presentation: plays, scenes, poems, short stories, raps and songs. We look at practical ways of making writing more accessible to young people.

lshtar Descends is an inspired marriage of tales and a moving and elegant play"

The Independent

• Productions of New Work
  Productions and showcase events are created by Second Wave to give a platform to the work of young performers.
  Young people are encouraged to explore the whole creative process.
  Improvisation within drama, the writing of poetry and diaries, the choreographing of dance, and the composing of lyrics, is often a young person's first experience of autonomous expression. We aim to affirm and develop young people's sense of themselves as the initiators of ideas.
• Play Readings, Script Development & Workshops
  As well as this early groundwork, Second Wave has a role in fostering the careers of young writers, providing confidence and profile through public and private readings of new work. New scripts may be developed on a one-to-one basis with the director over a sustained period of time.

End is De Place for Me explores the wilderness between two cultures... and captures the essence of the immigrant experience"

The Independent

We Offer

• Introductory Courses
  For performers, drama students and people with experience of the performing arts who are interested in leading workshops with young people.
• Practical Placements
  Following the course, students join us on placement during Second Wave's Summer School, choosing to work within a particular discipline: drama, vocals and music. Placements are also offered with the administrator, director and technical tutors for the duration of the summer programme.
• Apprenticeship Scheme
  Following the shadow placement, students are invited to join Second Wave's apprenticeship scheme from October to April, culminating in a showcase of new work.
• Other
  Residencies, further work placements, in-house specialist courses, job counselling and learning support.

I feel very pleased with everything we have done so far and feel the show is going to be a great success."

Young Participant

• Access to theatre
  SECOND WAVE is committed to increasing the accessibility of the arts to young people and to improving the knowledge, understanding, participation and practice of the expressive arts within the community.
  Second Wave supports teachers and community workers concerned with education and the performing arts and complements existing provision by fostering a positive collaboration between professional artists and young people.
• YOUTH CLUBS & COMMUNITY PROJECTS
  Second Wave research the changing patterns of use and demand, in order to identify emerging needs of young people who wish to use the project.
  Ou r outreach work in youth clubs in the area has shown that there is a demand for specialised youth arts leadership training courses with an emphasis on cultural diversity. The programme on offer to young people in youth clubs is still based around the traditional provision of male-orientated sports, but this is gradually changing. Our research indicates that young women (on average 25% of regular members) are more likely to attend where there is a wider provision on offer, including structured arts activities.
• SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
  Second Wave target outreach work and offer strategic career support to empower young people to develop their potential early so that they can have an equal opportunity within the job market.
  We offer Open Days, Introductory Workshops and work experience placements which are designed to bring young people into contact with professionals in the industry. These initiatives complement our existing youth the theatre programme.
  We act as a resource to local schools and liaise with teachers and careers officers in the promotion of specialist training and projects which feed directly into the school curriculum.
  Through our Playwrights in Schools Programme (see DEVELOPING NEW WRITERS section) Second Wave continues to prioritise and explore new approaches to create writing across a wide range of media, e.g. screenwriting, radio journalism and song writing.
• PROGRESSION ROUTES
  Second Wave actively recruit in schools, careers services and community groups serving young unemployed people. Our courses are designed to meet the needs of our target groups and to provide facilities which enable access, e.g. childcare for trainees.
  Our training courses, accredited through the London Open College Federation, provide equivalence with NVQs and will give students access to BTEC and other further and higher education courses. We make links with relevant unions in the theatre, video and entertainment industry and engage their support and advice.
  Second Wave actively promote partnership links with the arts and entertainments industry in the form of super vised work placements. In 1994 our training links will extend across Europe, through work placements and exchanges.

Using pupils' own experience was effective... they appreciated subtle changes and saw the difference these improvements made. They were proud of the work they achieved."

Head of Drama, Walworth School

Technical Theatre Training for young people

SECOND WAVE recognises the importance of encouraging young people early in their careers to explore and gain experience in a variety of technologies in a changing and competitive job market.
Our programme of accredited and non-accredited specialised technical theatre training is designed to equip and empower young unemployed women and young black people who continue to be under-represented in the technical areas of theatre, film and the television industry.

Institutions such as the National Theatre urgently need the staging posts your project offers. We support Second Wave in both theory and practice."

Head of Education, Royal National Theatre

King's Award For Voluntary Service

For our contributions to youth arts, education, community engagement and social justice benefits in Lewisham, we were awarded the King's Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour a charity can receive in UK.
In this video, our volunteers tell you more about the award and what volunteering means to them.

Contact the Second Wave team

If you’d like to speak to someone, please call 020 8694 2444. Alternatively, please use the contact form below.

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