Northern Ireland has a rich history of community theatre that interprets and reimagines local experiences, culture, and political and social issues. Women have often been the backbone of these community organisations, forming approximately 90% of participants in community drama, and in many cases, leading these projects.
The Community Theatre collection contain materials relating to a wide range of groups and organisations working in the arts in Northern Ireland since the 1970s. It comprises letters, newsletters, programmes, script excerpts, poems, photographs, and newspaper clippings. Significant materials include magazines and newsletters from the Community Arts Forum, which document the various roles that women have played in the arts sector; the newsletter of the Community Theatre Association; Ballynafeigh Community Development Association; reviews and evaluations of large-scale community productions, such as The Mourning Ring by the Ballybeen Theatre Company; and flyers for various events that sought to engage women in the arts.
