Oily Cart

08/10/2026

Inclusion London have made it really easy to write to your MP about the state of Access to Work:
https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/campaigns-and-policy/act-now/protect-access-to-work-act-now/

Solidarity with Rosie at Second Hand Dance 💛

Second Hand Dance founder and artistic director Rosie Heafford has claimed she is facing a 76% reduction in financial support for her disability from the government, leaving her unable to continue working in the role.

Read more 👇

08/10/2026

We’re SO proud of our Artistic Director Ellie Griffiths, and honoured to see her recognised alongside Tahra Zafar Ltd and English Touring Opera at this year’s J.M. Barrie Awards.

As Janet Robertson, Chair of Action for Children's Arts, puts it: at a time when children’s arts are too often squeezed out of children’s lives, these winners remind us what is at stake and what is possible.

Huge congratulations to all three winners 💛

We are thrilled to share the news of our incredible 22nd J.M Barrie Award winners 2026.

J.M Barrie Lifetime Achievement Award - Tahra Zafar Tahra Zafar Ltd

Outstanding Contribution Award - Ellie Griffiths Oily Cart

Education Award - English Touring Opera (Learning + Participation) English Touring Opera

Click here to read more about our winners...
https://www.childrensarts.org.uk/aca-news/2026-j-m-barrie-award/

We look forward to celebrating our winners with friends, peers and ACA members on November 12th at Prince of Wales Theatre in the West End.

08/10/2026

🏊‍♀️ Could you help us make sensory theatre in a swimming pool?

Oily Cart and Dundee-based composer and improviser Shiori Usui are developing a new sensory theatre show set in hydrotherapy/swimming pools, and we’re looking for an experienced Technical Stage Manager to join us for the R&D.

📍 Kingspark School, Dundee
📅 16–18 November 2026
⏰ Applications close 12 noon, 14 October

This is a chance to get stuck into the early stages of developing a new piece of sensory theatre, working across technical, creative and aquatic environments.
Interested?

Find the full job description and details of how to apply here: https://oilycart.org.uk/about/jobs-and-casting-opportunities/

Please share with any brilliant TSMs who might be up for getting their feet wet 👀

Discover the latest jobs and casting opportunities with Oily Cart theatre company.

30/09/2026

🎙️ Happy International Podcast Day! 🌍⁣

Making SideWays came out almost two weeks ago, so we thought it was about time we shared our expertise as veteran podcasters 😂

Here’s a behind-the-scenes peek at the recording of our very first podcast…

Featuring host Flo from Zoo Co. and InSideWays creatives and researchers Ellie, Elspeth and Aaron.

Watch and listen on YouTube, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. (ALWAYS WANTED TO SAY THAT!!! 😁)



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🎥 Recorded at 5A Studios

🎭 InSideWays is an international collaboration between Oily Cart (UK), Scen:se, Folkteatern Gävleborgrn and Estrad Norr (Sweden).

18/09/2026

💭 How many senses do we really have? Is time the final frontier of access practice? And what happens when the home becomes a stage? 💭

Join us behind the scenes of InSideWays to discover what happened when more than 100 collaborators - artists, makers, researchers and families – came together across two countries to reimagine how theatre is made, where it happens, and who it is for.

Host Flo O’Mahony (Artistic Director of Zoo Co and director of the 5 star, award-winning ‘Perfect Show for Rachel’), Oily Cart’s Artistic Director Ellie Griffiths, and researchers Aaron McPeake and Elspeth Clark, discuss what making a sensory show for people’s homes taught them about creativity, access and connection.

🎥 Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/_imrHaM_R9Y

🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6WQRw1OFpUKnwRusken2Ru

📖 Get your copy of our book, Making SideWays: https://oilycart.org.uk/resources/making-sideways-field-notes-from-the-insideways-creative-process/

--

🎶 Music: BK Sannerud

🎥 Recorded at 5a Studios

🎞 Produced and edited by Flossie Waite

📕 Making SideWays was produced by Oily Cart, Folkteatern Gävleborg and Estrad Norr.

🎭 InSideWays is an international collaboration between Oily Cart (UK), Scen:se, Folkteatern Gävleborg and Estrad Norr (Sweden).

16/09/2026

Say hello to our current boss, Jo-anne Cox! 👋

As our Associate Artist in 2022, Jo-anne started developing a new sensory show. Four years and lots of work later, she’s not only back, she’s taken over!

Over the next couple of weeks, her creative residency will take Enter the Dragon’s Cave into its final stage of development.

So, for now, we’ll be following Jo-anne’s lead and sharing what comes next… 🐉

📷: At a sharing as part of Arts Action Festival at Rich Mix. Credit: Beth Kelly

08/09/2026

What do Beyonce, Only Fools and Horses, and Oily Cart have in common? We all turn 45 this year! 🎂🎂🎂

At Oily Cart, we’re as passionate now as we were in 1981 about every child’s right to creativity and culture. And that’s why we need you on board (literally).

We’re looking for a new Chair or Co-Chairs of our Board to help shape what comes next.

With each show, we’re fighting for a world where theatre welcomes everyone. We hope you’ll join us.

Apply by 10am, Monday 21 September: https://oilycart.org.uk/about/jobs-and-casting-opportunities/

30/08/2026

A day in the life of a Sensory Theatre company 🎭

✅ Sensory Party to celebrate our At Home show InSideWays
✅ Performances from our first ever Youth Associate Artist, Lucy
✅ Playing with families to help us dream up what’s next…

No two days are the same at Oily Cart, but this gives you a flavour! Huge thanks to Boing International Family Festival and Gulbenkian Arts Centre for a joyfully jam-packed time 💛

🎶 Music by BK Sannerud

InSideWays is an international collaboration between Oily Cart (UK) and Folkteatern Gävleborg, Estrad Norr and Scen:se (Sweden)

25/08/2026

Last tickets available for SideWays Play at Boing International Family Festival, Canterbury this weekend 🚨

🌈 Play your way, and help shape SideWays Play - a new sensory playspace for families ✨
Join our relaxed play-testing sessions at Boing International Family Festival, Kent.
Side-by-side(ways), children and their grown-ups will explore an immersive sensory landscape, where everything's sort of the same... but a little bit more!
Boing International Family Festival, Kent
📅 Various times, Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August
📍Gulbenkian Arts Centre, Canterbury
👩‍👩‍👦 Sessions for: disabled children, under 5s, and children of all ages
🎟️ Book tickets:

For disabled children: https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/boing-2026-sideways-play-send-session/

For children under 5s: https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/boing-2026-sideways-play-early-years-session/

For children of all ages: https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/boing-2026-insideways/

25/08/2026

Saturday was the final day of our creative residency at Young V&A 🌈

To be in this iconic museum - co-designed with young people and with such a rich design-led history - has been an absolute treat. ��

We couldn’t have asked for a more fitting venue to begin developing our new sensory, design-led project, SideWays Play.

A big thank you to everyone at Young V&A for being so open to hosting different artists and organisations, and recognising how much we can all learn from sharing space and ideas 🫶