Earlier this year, Stephen Dobson, Director of the Centre for Cultural Value, invited The Performance Ensemble to take part in an in-depth exploration of our purpose, values, impact and future ambitions.

The resulting Values Canvas Report provides a powerful reflection on how far TPE has come and the distinctive place we occupy within the cultural landscape.

At the heart of the findings is a clear recognition of our purpose: to create distinctive contemporary performance with and by older people, challenging ageism and celebrating the creativity, experience and contribution of older generations. Our ensemble model places lived experience and authentic voices at the centre of the creative process, bringing together artistic excellence, participation and social change.

The reports highlight the breadth of value created through this work, from connection, belonging, confidence and wellbeing to giving audiences the opportunity to encounter perspectives that are too often absent from cultural life. They also recognise TPE’s strong artistic identity, distinctive ensemble methodology and the strength of the partnerships we have developed locally, nationally and internationally.

Importantly, the process also gives us a strong foundation for the future: building the evidence of our impact, sharing our learning more widely, strengthening our voice between performances and ensuring that TPE’s distinctive practice continues to develop and inspire future generations.

One idea from the reports captures our ethos particularly well:

Older people are not a problem to be solved, but a cultural asset to be celebrated.

We are enormously grateful to Stephen Dobson and James Brown for the opportunity and to the Centre for Cultural Value for taking the time to explore our work with such depth and care.

This report affirms what has driven The Performance Ensemble from the beginning: creativity does not diminish with age. It continues to evolve, surprise, connect and make an important contribution to our cultural life.

Read the report here https://drive.google.com/file/d/17p1gNd1el6tztMGURUIUVeSlNwO6Juqk/view

Photo by Ben Pugh: Namron Dance in ‘The Promise of a Garden’