Warm greetings!
This is a bit of a long read, and so we've sectioned it out for you. You can read straight all the way through or you can click on a header below if you'd like to skip to a specific section.
Six Years Old
This February marks six years since Terra Alta was officially registered in 2017. At the time, the space was not much more than reclaimed marshland with a single wooden deck and two biofil washrooms.
Terra Alta in 2019, just before the construction process.
Fast forward through a crowdfunding campaign, constructing a theatre from shipping containers, welcoming local and international artists, struggling as many did through a global pandemic, balancing programming and training against economic instability/lack of funding, and more - suffice it to say, we're so thankful to still be here, and with a beautiful ever-expanding community who has supported us through it all.
Terra Alta in 2021, from the same view.
Terra Alta Foundation LBG
We are happy to announce that Terra Alta is now the Terra Alta Foundation LBG. This shift was made to provide a better structure for our aspirations around training, programming, research, and artist support; as well as to allow us to fundraise more easily. We are spending the year planning towards the completion of the space, and subsequent implementation of new programs. Please keep an eye out for ways to support our planned activities (a few detailed below) as well as our major 2023 fundraising campaign dubbed 'Raise the Roof!'
Raise the Roof!
Work has finally started on the final phase of the theatre construction - the roof, which will finally allow us to encase the entire complex in a weatherproof, waterproof skin. The remaining works are made up of four major parts:
The metal support structures (which have been largely provided for) and are currently being welded in place
The roofing material which will protect us against sun, wind, and rain
The trusses/lighting grid and rigging systems which will hold up stage curtains, lighting instruments, speakers etc.
The dance mirrors, barres, subfloor and flooring which can only be installed once the space is water tight.
Our aim is to raise a total of GHS25000/USD 2000 to cover items 1 & 2 (the metal support structures and the roofing material) as soon as possible, and an additional GHS 98900/USD 8000 to finish items 3 & 4 by the close of the year. We are also interested in in-kind donations and partnerships that will allow us to complete the space. Official donation channels will be announced soon. Please get in touch directly at +233245006185 or terraaltagh@gmail.com if you would like to support this process.
Covered space will allow us to host a higher number of better quality workshops and productions.
The Canon Project
Finishing up the space this year allows us to start pursuing some our research projects. The Canon project seeks to establish a publicly accessible record of all major Ghanaian dramatic works from 1900 to 1999. This collection will also include archival material and works by West African and African writers from the same period, and will be housed in our library space. Needed for the project are:
Lockable, glass-front bookshelves/bookcases. We accept in-kind donations of bookshelves (new or used).
Acid-free paper and boxes to store items from our archives and Special Collections (including a copy of the program from the opening of Ghana's parliament).
Relevant material from the period. We accept vintage newspapers, magazines, books of all genres, and publications in decent condition. Damaged items may be repairable - do get in touch. We are happy to arrange pick up of items.
Please check this document for a list of specific titles we are looking for, as well as links to places you can buy them from. The document is dynamic, and we will update it as time goes by. Please feel free to contact us if you are aware of any missing information.
A big thanks to Alice Otchere-Johnson for helping to compile the initial research for this project. Please get in touch directly at +233245006185 or terraaltagh@gmail.com if you would like to support this process.
Return of Regular Classes & Programming
We are happy to restart a more regular offering of classes and trainings with our Training Tuesdays, Writing Workshops, and Workout Wednesdays alongside a popup DJ academy run by residents Oroko Radio with watwomxn and Pioneer DJ Europe in our rehearsal room space.
These classes are free to attend and open to artists in particular, but also to anyone with an interest in exploring the arts. January saw a total of 95 visits for training purposes - from writers, to dancers, to singer-songwriters, and DJs.
Please see our calendar of events on the website home page and hit the RSVP button to sign up. We welcome proposals for new class offerings from those who would like to teach.
Focus on Actor Training and Writing
Our annual Shakespeare workshop and New Folk.lore programs will also be returning later this year.
The Shakespeare workshop is scheduled July to August 2023 and targets young adults aged 16 and up. A six week program, up to thirty participants will be trained in text analysis, performance technique, adaptation, stage combat and more.
The New Folk.lore project will take on a new format this year, and is scheduled for October-November 2023. Rewriting folklore for now is a powerful way to anchor the next generation in our culture and heritage whilst encouraging them to push forward, and not to passively accept the narrative that is handed down to us.
More details will be made available in due course.
We are happy to accept any kind of support (in-kind, barter, cash) that you are interested in giving us for the projects listed above or for general operating expenses. If you are aware of any resources we can/should pursue, please get in touch at +233245006185 or terraaltagh@gmail.com
Please note these channels are the only official channels we use for communication about fundraising.
Thanks for reading! We're looking forward to an incredible 2023.