Epic’s Aims and Objectives   

Our work aims to change lives in a real and immediate way. Through our creative projects and workshops we see people start to believe in themselves and their abilities.  We believe that the arts are a powerful means of deepening our understanding of ourselves and others, whilst also being a force for change.

Epic Arts Arts employs diverse teams to run workshops, training programmes and create performances, in order to:

• Encourage acceptance and inclusion

• Foster understanding and raise awareness

• Increase access to the arts and arts education

• Enable people to develop new skills

• Encourage self-expression and build self-confidence

Epic Arts is founded on the Christian Faith: love and acceptance are integral to our work, with people of all backgrounds and all faiths.

History 

Epic Arts was founded in 2001 by three friends, who shared a dream to bring people of all abilities together through the creative arts.  They first travelled to China, where together they worked in an orphanage and choreographed an integrated dance piece with the children.  And so it was that 150 citizens of Nanning witnessed the first-ever Epic Arts performance.

While Epic’s founders always knew they would one day work abroad, they heeded the advice of the Trustees and first established a base in the UK. Initially, Epic was all about the drama and dance, but with more artists coming on board and as new partnerships grew, we began to see the benefit of including arts mediums across the spectrum. 

In 2003, one of the founders was whisked away to married life in Cambodia, and took Epic Arts with her. The work began small with dance workshops and performances in Phnom Penh; however when the team moved to the rural town of Kampot, things really took off.  A need for tea and delicious cakes soon led to the setting up of Epic Arts café, and a need for a fully-accessible building brought about the Arts Centre in 2009 - the first of its kind in South East Asia.

Epic has now been working in the field of disability and arts for almost ten years. We have gained invaluable experience both through our hands-on project work and through our growing relationships with participants and partners.   

Where do we go from here?  With a history of setting up projects where there is a need Epic is now looking to establish an office in China sometime at the end of 2011.  Think art galleries and noodles – and watch this space for updates and news.

Annual Reports and Newsletters

Download our 2011 Winter Newsletter here.

Download our 2011 Summer Newsletter here.

Download our 2010 Winter Newsletter here.

Download our 2010 Summer Newsletter here.

Download our 2010 Annual Report here.

Download our 2009 Annual Report here.