Graeae is a force for change in world-class theatre, boldly placing D/deaf and disabled actors centre stage and challenging preconceptions. As part of the Change Creation programme, Graeae’s focus as an organisation was on upcoming financial challenges. These unexpectedly moved closer not long after joining the programme.  Kevin Walsh, reflects on how Change Creation helped Graeae to rethink its model, meet a financial challenge and create a stronger future.

“There is huge reassurance in knowing that you are not the only company experiencing challenge – this made a massive difference. The openness of the cohort in sharing their own experiences, advice and contacts, along with the tools we used all helped us to rethink our approach. The space, time and generosity of the programme makes you up your game in response and having the ‘time away from the desk’ to think about strategy and how to make it a success was vital.

We were faced with an unexpected financial challenge. What we had was essentially ‘bad news’ and yet, with the support of Change Creation a disempowering message about finances turned into a creative conversation which enabled the team to get behind it. We did some collective re-thinking. How did Graeae need to change to meet our financial challenges? What were we aiming to achieve? How do we ensure that all the changes we’re planning fit with the organisational ethos? Speaking with stakeholders we quickly built up an understanding the needs of the industry and ensured that our creative team was central to the developments and thinking.

It was a step-by-step process. Lots of communication, research, testing and thinking, which all came together to inform our new strategic plan. The biggest moment was receiving permission to go ahead with the strategy. All of the research had been completed, the whole team were behind it and it was genuinely representing wider stakeholders. We could see as an organisation what we needed to change, how to change it, what to do and just wanted to do it.”

Graeae have successfully raised £365,000 towards implementing the strategic plan for the next two years and we wish them huge success for their future. You can find out more about Graeae and the amazing work they do here.