Film Produced Documenting Pioneering Theatre Informed Policy Making Event

Liverpool Access to Advice Network collaborated with Collective Encounters and the University of Liverpool in an exciting new way of changing policy last summer: Theatre Informed Policy Making (TIPM). The film documenting the events is now available - to view the film, click the link below.

 Time for Change - A New Free Legal Advice Policy.

Collective Encounters are an arts charity specialising in theatre for social change. They work predominantly in the Liverpool City Region. The University of Liverpool is a world top 150 university. The University of Liverpool is a founding partner of Liverpool Access to Advice Network.

Theatre Informed Policy Making (TIPM) is a new, innovative approach to participatory law and policy making. Building on the methodologies of participatory democracy, Theatre for Social Change, and Legislative Theatre, it uses creative methods to enhance the participatory and deliberative process, and increase impact on policy decisions. The film documents the whole project that established TIPM as a participatory methodology in its own right, and how it was used to influence Liverpool City Council’s strategic approach to free legal advice. The film explains the aims of our project: 1) to develop the use of theatre and other creative methods within participatory democracy, and 2) to understand and develop the free legal advice ecosystem in Liverpool.

An important strand of activity for Liverpool Access to Advice Network and our network members has been to implement a new strategic approach to free legal advice. The Leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Liam Robinson, formally approved this approach in 2022 and we continue to work towards its implementation. This project was a chance to hear the voices of the people with experience of ‘everyday legal problems’ and trying to get advice. We heard directly from Liverpool residents what changes they want to see to help people get the advice they need. Importantly, people with power to make those changes were in the room to hear what was wanted and to see the performance of people’s experiences. This film showcases the whole TIPM project, and highlights the value that this innovative method of citizen empowerment brings to the democratic participation of Liverpool residents in local authority decision making. A full length film of the performances at the events will be available soon.

To learn more about Theatre Informed Policy Making in Liverpool, contact Dr James Organ. James is Reader in Law at the University of Liverpool, and a trustee of Liverpool Access to Advice Network. James can be contacted at james.organ@liverpool.ac.uk