Extant

17/06/2026

Join us for our next No Dramas session at Omnibus Theatre, London on Tuesday 30th June, 6–8pm!

No Dramas are our free, fun and welcoming drama workshops for visually impaired adults, offering a chance to explore creativity, build confidence and connect with others in a relaxed and supportive environment.

Meet and greet is available from 5:30pm at Clapham Common Underground station or a nearby local bus stop. Access support is available across the entire evening.

This month’s session will be led by Extant’s Trainee Artistic Director, Tam Gilbert, who has recently returned from directing her Artistic Project, Marking Time.

Address: Omnibus Theatre, 1 Clapham Common Northside, London, SW4 0QW.

To join us, please RSVP to [email protected] by Monday 29th June, 12pm.

Free drama workshops for visually impaired adults, delivered by Extant and led by visually impaired facilitators, full of fun games.

15/06/2026

Our Artistic Director & CEO, Dr had a fantastic time last week networking and learning from others at Fight for Sight annual Vis-Ability conference. 150 delegates attended including visually impaired leaders and senior figures from businesses, charity, government and the academic sectors! The conference explored critical themes ranging from Technology, Employment and Health. Maria also met with Extant’s new Co-Chair, Fola Tayo.

Image descriptions:
Image one: Fola Tayo (left) stands with Dr Maria Oshodi (right) holding white canes, smiling for a photo in a grand chamber among the networking crowd.
Image two: MP Florence Eshalomi stands at a lectern giving an introduction speech as chair of Access to the Digital World: Designing Everyday Life for Inclusion session.
Image three: Pat McFadden, Secretary of State and Department of DWP (left) is talking to Keith Valentine CEO of Fight for Sight (right) sitting down on a stage. Lying next to Keith is a black Labrador guide dog.

09/06/2026

Join us for the next Extant Connect!

Extant Connect is our monthly online space for blind and visually impaired artists to meet, share ideas, ask questions, and connect with others across the creative industries. Whether you’re an actor, writer, performer, theatre-maker, creative practitioner, or just starting to explore your artistic path, Extant Connect is a relaxed and welcoming space to learn, chat, and build community.

Our next session will take place on Monday 29 June, from 7pm to 8.30pm, on Zoom.

In June, we’ll be joined by guest speaker Nick Coupe from Hat Trick Productions, who will be sharing his experiences of creating new work with a visually impaired actor. Nick will talk about how the project came about, the creative process behind it, and what he’s learned along the way about developing work with blind and visually impaired talent at its heart.

There will also be time for questions and discussions, so come along, meet other creatives, and be part of the conversation.

Sign up here:

Extant CONNECT   Extant CONNECT is our monthly online session for blind and VI people to network, talk, learn and share ideas, taking place on the last Monday evening of every month. For more information and joining information please contact [email protected] Upcoming dates (all times are from ...

05/06/2026

A questionnaire invitation from Bread and Roses: The Politics of Rest and Free Time in, against, and beyond Disabling Capitalism.

A project that explores how rest and free time are experienced, regulated, and denied in the UK. It is aimed at anyone over the age of 18, based in the UK, and who self-identifies as being a disabled person and/or neurodivergent, chronically ill, learning disabled, d/Deaf, with impairments, with experience of mental distress, or any other similar terms of self-identification.

To participate in the project/questionnaire, click the link below.

To explore alternative ways of engaging with the questions, please contact [email protected].

https://breadrosesdisability.uk/questionnaire.

27/05/2026

Free tickets available for visually impaired adults and companions!

Come and join Extant, the UK’s leading professional performing arts company of visually impaired artists at on Tuesday 2nd June, 7.45pm for the Enhance performance of Scenes from a Friendship.

Join us for Meet Extant 5-6pm, the Enhance Touch Tour with pre-show programme notes at 6:45pm and Performance at 7:45pm.

To request free tickets please email [email protected] and [email protected] and include a phone number, as well as any access requirements. These tickets will be on a first come and first served basis.

Show information: https://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/scenes-from-a-friendship/

Image description:
Nottingham Playhouse’s Djanogly terrace, which features a large concave stainless steel mirror. The terrace is a wide courtyard area with pink chairs and black benches. To the left is the entrance to the playhouse, with a sign with white and pink text, which reads ‘Nottingham Playhouse’.

26/05/2026

Upcoming audio described performance at with a discount code🎭

Information below:
NINE SIXTEENTHS by Paula Varjack
Audio Described Performance with Koko Brown
Saturday 30 May, 2:30pm
Touch Tour with Koko Brown: 1:30pm (before the show)
Brixton House, London
70 mins | Ages 12+
https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/shows/nine-sixteenths/

Nine Sixteenths explores the media backlash surrounding Janet Jackson following the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, examining race, feminism, media power and the treatment of Black women in the public eye through devised theatre, movement, dance and lip-sync performance.

The show features integrated BSL interpretation by Vinessa Brant & Cherie Gordon

🎟️ 15% off tickets with discount code: NINEFF

To attend the Audio Described Performance and/or Touch Tour, please book an Access Ticket via the website and list your access needs on your account. The Brixton House team will contact you directly to discuss any access requirements not listed.
Alternatively, contact the Box Office on 020 7582 7680.

Image description:
Promotional poster for Nine Sixteenths at Brixton House featuring four performers posed against a red background. The show explores Janet Jackson, the 2004 Super Bowl controversy and media treatment of Black women. The title appears in large yellow text, with dates 19-30 May and integrated BSL advertised.

21/05/2026

Free theatre tickets for visually impaired audiences!

Visually impaired audiences are invited to attend the Enhance performance of Scenes from a Friendship on Tuesday 2nd June, 7:45pm at Nottingham Playhouse.

8 free tickets are available from Extant for visually impaired and blind adults to attend Meet Extant 5-6pm, the Touch Tour at 6:45pm and Performance at 7:45pm.

Venue address: Nottingham Playhouse, Wellington Circus, NG1 5AF.

To request a free ticket please email [email protected] and [email protected] and include a phone number, as well as any access requirements. These tickets will be on a first come and first served basis.

Join us for Meet Extant from 5-6pm in the cafe bar. Hosted by Extant, the UK’s leading visually impaired performing arts company. Come along and meet Craig Mucznik, Enhance advocate, and Caroline Jeyaratnam-Joyner, our Enhance Training Manager. Free refreshments will be provided alongside networking and discussions.

Touch Tour – 6:45pm - We invite visually impaired audiences to come along and experience the programme notes and touch tour before the show begins. The notes encapsulate the visual aspects of the show and are written with access for visually impaired audiences at the core. The Touch Tour offers exploration of set, props, and costume: offering an immersive space in which to imagine the work before the show begins. Please note this is not an audio described performance.

Scenes from a Friendship– 7:45pm (95 minutes-no interval)
First Year Juniors, Long Eaton, 1987. Kylie’s about to hit number one, and Jess meets Billy for the first time. There’s conflict, competition and mutual intrigue, but they quickly become inseparable: Proper soulmates – the kind who finish each other’s sentences and overshare about first kisses.

Show Information:

This world premiere by Jane Upton is a funny but deeply felt look at the bond you share with your best friend, who’s shaped your life, knows all your mistakes but loves you regardless.

15/05/2026

Yesterday, our Trainee Artistic Director, Tam Gilbert - Theatre-maker & Access Consultant delivered a work in development sharing of ‘Marking Time’ and Q/A at Kiln Theatre as part of her TAD Artistic Project🎭

The creative team behind the project:
Writer: Mandy Redvers-Rowe
Director: Tam Gilbert
Actor – Jeff: Benjamin Wilson
Actor – Sally / Prison Guard: Heather Seymour
Actor – Cal / Sam: Shashank Sharma
Other roles to be played by the Company
Sound Designer: Ian Rattray
Stage Manager Leigh Arthur
Producer: Louisa Sanfey

You can access the programme via our website: https://extant.org.uk/marking-time

Photo credits:
Benjamin Wilson: Nicholas Dawkes.
Heather Seymour: Gemma Day.
Shashank Sharma: Yellowbelly.

Image descriptions
Image one: Marking time poster, which displays the background of a dark empty prison cell, with a large bright barred window at the top of the cell wall. The window lighting reflects towards the grey floor. Tally markings of various sizes cover the dark bricked wall. Large white bold text, which reads: ‘Marking Time’ and smaller green text ‘Written by Mandy Redvers-Rowe’ and ‘Directed by Tam Gilbert’. At the bottom of the poster are the Extant and ACE logos.

Image two: A black and white headshot photo of Mandy Redvers-Rowe. Mandy is a white woman, with long dark hair and wears a black top.

Image three: A headshot of Tam Gilbert. A white woman, with shoulder length blonde hair who is wearing a blue and grey top.

Image four: A headshot of Benjamin Wilson, a white man, with short blonde hair, a bushy beard. Ben is wearing a blue, orange, and grey striped top.

Image five: A headshot of Heather Seymour, a white woman, with shoulder length blonde hair. Heather wears an orange jacket.

Image six: A headshot of Shashank Sharma, an Indian man with medium length dark hair and a full beard neatly trimmed. Shashank is wearing a green t-shirt.

Image seven: A black and white headshot photo of Ian Rattray. Ian is a white man, with short dark hair and is wearing a light patterned top.

06/05/2026

Our Trainee Artistic Director, Tam Gilbert - Theatre-maker & Access Consultant, starts rehearsals today for ‘Marking Time’ We’ll be introducing the creative team very soon across our socials!

Directed by Tam Gilbert, written by Mandy Redvers-Rowe and created by a visually impaired team, Marking Time is a gritty, politically driven new play exploring the realities of prison life through the story of visually impaired Paralympian and activist, Jeff.

Rehearsals will lead to a work-in-development sharing as part of Tam’s Artistic Project.

With thanks to: Arts Council England, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Battersea Arts Centre, Kiln Theatre, Paul Grainge, Recoop.

Image description: Poster for Marking time, which displays the background of a dark empty prison cell, with a large bright barred window at the top of the cell wall. The window lighting reflects towards the grey floor. Tally markings of various sizes cover the dark bricked wall. Below the window is large white bold text, which reads: ‘Marking Time’. In smaller green text by and below the title, ‘Written by Mandy Redvers-Rowe’ and ‘Directed by Tam Gilbert’. At the bottom of the poster are the Extant and ACE logos on a white backdrop.

30/04/2026

On Saturday 9th May our Artistic Director/ CEO Dr will be presenting at Sonic Spheres at Woolwich Works. Leading artists, technologists and researchers who are exploring the forefront of immersive audio will be presenting talks, discussions and workshops. Maria will present on ‘Cripping Circus Through Spatialised Access.’

Event and Ticket information below:
Presented by Sound/Image Research Centre, University of Greenwich. Sonic Spheres is a one-day conference and concert dedicated to creative, critical, and experimental approaches to Spatial Audio.

Venue: Woolwich Works
Date: Saturday 9 May 2026
Time: 10am-5pm: Conference, 7-9.30pm: Concert

Tickets:
https://www.woolwich.works/events/sonic-spheres

Image description:
An event poster for “Sonic Spheres: Spherical Loudspeaker Convergence”, featuring blue, pink, purple 3D geometric shapes and event details. The background has a pale yellow, pink, and purple gradient. In the centre of the poster, large black text, which reads “Sonic Spheres “ and below this in smaller black text, which reads “Spherical Loudspeaker Convergence”. Behind the text, is a wireframe square grid. The poster features smaller black text of event details, which read ‘Saturday 9 May 2026’, ‘Woolwich Works’, ‘Conference 10am-5pm’ and ‘Loudspeaker Orchestra Concert 7-9:30pm’. At the bottom of the poster, there are funding and partnership logos.