about speels collectief

Speels Collectief is a diverse, mixed-ability theatre company. We aim for a composition of performers, makers and staff with as much variation in age, gender and ethnicity, among others, and our company consists of people with and without (physical/mental/social) disability. People who face social exclusion in any form can be full members of our society.

Speels Collectief also embodies diversity and inclusiveness in the methods and themes of our performances. We work from everyone's individual potential, and the experiences of our performers and makers are central to our performances. Thus, we pull ideal images and social norms off their pedestal, and seek new perspectives. Speels Collectief questions the norm, seeks wonder and embraces the unusual.

Vision

In our society, people are divided into categories and labelled as ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’. This division determines the extent to which a person has a chance to be part of society and the art world. By making theatre with the most diverse company possible, Speels Collectief breaks through this division and opens up notions and shows new perspectives. Because in our view, it is not a certain body or mind that is limiting, but our society and its definition of ‘normal’.

Community & Company

Speels Collectief consists of the Community and the Company. Our Community is open to everyone. We offer classes and create performances that play at regional level, in a social context (care/education) and at theatre festivals. Both in Arnhem and Tilburg, we have two permanent groups that are part of our Community. Performers from our Community can progress to the Company.

Our Company consists of a changing line-up of performers that we select for each performance. We choose the performers based on their talent and skills, but also on their specific perspective on the theme of the performance in question. The Company performances play on a national level, in a professional context.

founders sanne & Merel

MEREL VAN LIESHOUT

In 2014, Sanne and Merel founded Speels Collectief. Together they form the artistic direction of the company. Merel graduated in 2016 from ArtEZ University of the Arts in Arnhem. As a teacher and maker, she then worked at various theatres and museums. In 2021, Merel completed the master's Gender Studies at Utrecht University Finish with her research into the practice of inclusive theatre companies. Since then, Merel has focused entirely on the development and growth of Speels Collectief as an inclusive theatre company.

Sanne Arbouw

Sanne also graduated from ArtEZ Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in 2016. Since then, she has been a socially engaged theatre maker. To show a rich palette of perspectives in her performances, Sanne always works with as diverse a composition of performers as possible. At Speels Collectief, Sanne creates performances in which she questions normative ideal images and offers unheard or little-heard perspectives a stage.

Files

At Speels Collectief, we are committed to developing including theatre in the Netherlands. We offer as theatre company The opportunity to participate in both Tilburg and Arnhem.

Near Tilburg every Tuesday evening at Landpark Assisië in Biezenmortel, we give a dance-theatre lesson to a very diverse group of people. This involves inclusive forms of work so that everyone can participate. At the end of the lesson series, we hold a presentation at the Landpark.

In Arnhem, at ArtEZ University of the Arts, we rehearse every Friday with two groups of diverse players. This is how we make an interdisciplinary theatre performance every six months. These performances often touch on themes about human diversity, and how society deals with people who deviate from the norm.

With us theatre collective you can in many ways participate to theatre: as a player, dancer, performer, mover or musician, always looking at everything a person does have to offer.We