The Sex Workers’ Opera is a multimedia production by Sex Workers to present our complex, positive/negative, local/global experiences across music/theatre genres!
So often the media twists, moralises or presents a one-sided representation of Sex Work, which leads to stigma and misunderstanding. We will take the power back using music, dancing, poetry and theatre to tell our stories ourselves, be they positive, negative, joyful, painful or complex mixes of the above.
It will span across musical genres giving space for Classical, Jazz, Pop, Hip Hop and Spoken Word. It will present stories, experiences and emotions of local sex workers and from the numerous individuals, groups and organizations we are in communication with worldwide.
In the week beginning 26th of May, we will be gathering Sex Workers and Allies from London and beyond to meet for three consecutive days of intensive workshops to co-create, design, perform and produce a public production.
What do we hope to achieve?
(Taken from our initial meeting. More at sexworkersopera.com)
• “To add positivity to societies perception of me, to make people understand that I chose to be a sex worker and I am proud.”
• “A community of voices”
• “Confidence, being useful, regaining skills”
• “Presence, reaffirming my voice in society.”
• “Better understand of sexuality.”
• “To become more confident and learn/do something I was always interested in.”
• “New friends, solidarity.”
We are passionate about these workshops and the performance, and we want to give our participants the respect, resources and recognition they deserve!
Thank you so much for taking the time to check us out!
Sex Workers Opera on twitter, on Facebook, and at the SEO blog.
This is a crowd-funded project. Please visit the Kickstarter campaign to give your support.
Risks and challenges
Experimental Experience is a London-based Theatre Collective that regularly runs experimental theatre workshops with a core group, organises street-theatre actions and facilitates trainings for community groups.
We received subsidised training from the Royal Opera House for this project and funding from the Goldsmiths Annual Fund to start the Crowdfunding campaign. We have been in contact with members of COSWAS Sex Worker Collective in Taiwan since last year to provide a global voice.
The Sex Workers’ Opera has seen 12 hours of workshops since February this year and we have a committed group of performers and crew and will be building upon that in the coming 6 weeks before the performance.
We know well that Sex Work is an area of increased security risks for the group and so have a policy of minimum 50% Sex Workers, all allies being vouched for by a Sex Worker and revising a Safer Spaces Agreement every session for group care.
Filming a documentary about a sensitive group (part of our rewards and stretch goals) is not easy and members’ privacy and safety must be prioritised. However as our Crowdfunding video has shown, there are many ways to be creative about it – to create something engaging without compromising safety – so we will bring this to our documenting process.