We actively oppose @The_Lowry + their decision to invite the CJS / CPS into its building - seemingly to happily align with its long standing mistreatment, vilification and incarceration of working class people since its inception.

They claim this decision was made for continual survival. This action has created mistrust + greater barriers between themselves + WC audiences + artists - no longer be a safe space for the working class people and practitioners of Salford, Manchester + North West.

POC makeup 14% of population in England+Wales but 25% of prison population. This move disproportionally affects WC POC, to announce it just before BlackHistoryMonth is not only irresponsible but exactly what they shouldn't be doing following a £1.3M @ace_national emergency grant

There is distaste + contempt in referring to this deal as a “starring new role” - this is not an immersive production nor artistic output but people's lives manipulated by a faulty system. We recognise those who have their life on hold awaiting for the backlog of cases to...

...clear but when Chief Exec Julia Fawcett OBE justifies this action as “absolutely key to us being able to begin the engagement with our audiences” we can only ask will defendants be handed a brochure along with their sentence?

We demand the Board of Trustees, including the 8 decorated members of the British Empire inc. a Baroness who was under-secretary for Prisons + Probation to justify these actions immediately >> @AldridgeFdn @MikeBlackburn_ @jbonham_carter @DeputyMayorofGM

To our working class peers working within or alongside the organisation our DMs are open. In confidence we can listen and support you. This isn't your mess.