Research Student (2021-2025)

Supervisor: Prof. Silvija Jestrovic

Email: Farjana.Kabir@warwick.ac.uk 

About Farjana Kabir:

Farjana Kabir has started her PhD at Warwick University in 2021. She is a freelancer, multi-disciplinary Artist. She is particularly interested in how theatre can be used as a tool of transformation. She uses her art practice to challenge dominant narratives and spaces of inclusion and exclusions around migration in the UK.

 

She came to the UK a decade ago from Bangladesh where she studied theatre at the University of Dhaka and went on to work in performance, theatre, TV, and costume design across the country. She has worked with people of all ages in urban and rural communities across Bangladesh through arts-based projects to empower communities and create lasting social change. On coming to the UK, she began working in theatre and film. Now working for refugees and migrants using theatre and film as a tool for creating an equal world.

 

Farjana Kabir created a short film – 5 am – as one of the three films, created by Community Arts North West (CAN) artists, in The Mother Tongue Is Hungry, CAN’s a contribution to the Manchester UNESCO City of Literature’s live-streamed celebration of the UN’s International Mother Tongue Day in February 2021. The film mixed footage from her home in England and film made by friends in Bangladesh. She was part of the CAN project Cohere performed in 2019’s Horizons Festival. The short film was subsequently screened at the Hull Film Festival. Through the Libraries of Sanctuary project in Bolton, Farjana created and performed poetry with people from migrant and refugee heritages. Farjana’s work has included projects with the Octagon Theatre’s Women’s Group, Tower Hamlets Council’s Bangla Drama Season, and the V&A.

 

Thesis topic: Theatre of Transformation: An Autoethnography

 

 

Research Interests

Her autoethnographic research is investigating how theatre practice can transform the community and dominate the cultural development process for the marginals. She is also examining the response to arts created and performed by the welcoming community and the displaced people. She is interested in how applied performance practices in the community arts practice are realised and the lens of auto-ethno-performance can be a dominant tool for social change.

 

Qualifications

• PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies (2021-2025) at the Warwick University.
• MA in Humanitarianism and Conflict Response (2020, University of Manchester).
• BA (Hons) in Theatre (2008, University of Dhaka).

Teaching experience

2021: A guest lecturer on one of the University of Manchester’s University College modules on SDG16. http://130.88.101.50/misc/ucil/CaSW/SDG16.html(Find at 16.6.)

 

2019: Guest Lecturer for Mental Health and Psychosocial in Humanitarian Crises (HCRI60292 -PGT module), Department of Humanitarianism and Conflict Response Institute, The University of Manchester, UK.

 

2018: Guest Lecturer, Performing Arts and Theatre department. University of Bolton, UK

Drama, Dance, and comparative studies.

 

Grants and Awards

The University of Warwick Doctoral College offered a Postgraduate Research Sanctuary Scholarship from October 2021 for 4 years.

Best Director in 2010’s National Children Theatre Festival, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Dean’s Award, 2008. Faculty of Art, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Professional associations

Feb2021-Sep2021 Performer, Community Arts North West, Manchester UNESCO City

of Literature. (https://youtu.be/J7O80Q3qEaY or,

 https://can.uk.com/current-programme/21856-2/ )

Sep2017-Present Volunteer, Octagon Theatre, Woman group, Bolton, UK.

Feb19-present Member- City of Sanctuary, Bolton, UK.

 

Feb21-May21 Facilitated and co-directed 12-week long pilot project ‘Poter Gaan-

Storytelling Pictures’- an indigenous Bengali performance style-

themed as ‘Different pasts/shared Futures’ online-based digital

performance workshops.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPlp7QQWCnA

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DexzXWQ20XA

 

Dec2020-Jun2021 International Mother Language Day, Arts Council England.

(https://www.manchestercityofliterature.com/event/the-mother-tongue-is-hungry/ )

June 2019 Performed at Horizons Festival at HOME, Manchester, UK.

June 2019 Refugee Week- Cohere at V&A, London, UK.

April 2019 Performed and conducted sessions based on mental health issues,

HCRI, University of Manchester, UK.

October 2019 Guest Lecturer, Humanitarianism and Conflict Response

Institute, The University of Manchester, UK.

Dec2010-Feb2011 Drama Director, SRJB, A Season for Bangla Drama, Tower

Hamlet, London. Layout 1 (towerhamletsarts.org.uk)

Feb2010-Jun2010 Drama Instructor, Aaparajeyo Banagla, 3/20 Humyun Road,

Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207.

Jul 2009-Dec 2009 Drama Instructor, Ramp n Roll Institute of Professional Model

Training & Entertainment Ltd. BNS Centre, 9th Floor, Plot 87,

 

Experience(s):

Directed Play(s)/Film:

5 am Performer, Manchester UNESCO City of Literature. https://youtu.be/RVU7Ce5gcPU

'My Community Bolton'- an improvised contemporary performance for Age UK and City of Sanctuary, Bolton.

'Letter to My Daughter' - A film for Refugees, presented online in Reveal Film Festival 2018, Octagon Theatre, Bolton, UK. https://octagonbolton.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/reveal-festival-letter-to-my-daughter/

Pokkhi kothon, Improvised production, awarded Best Director- National Children Festival 2010, Bangladesh.

Qaid-e-Hayat, Surendra Verma, Direction: Farjana Kabir, University of Dhaka, 2007

Raja o Rajdrohira, Rabindranath Tagore, Direction: Farjana Kabir, University of Dhaka, 2002.