Article by Katherine Moss, PR Campaigns Manager 

Adipat Virdi, who is studying a PhD at the University’s School of English, is bringing his exhibition “I Am, Other” to the Canterbury campus. What began as a immersive theatre production at the Edinburgh Fringe is now evolving into a bold cultural movement on campus; a journey of voices long unheard, stories long overlooked and empathy long overdue.

The exhibition uses performance artefacts, video installations, interactive audience reflections and 360° headset experiences to invite visitors into the uncomfortable, often invisible realities of systemic bias and racial injustice in everyday places and situations. It is currently open in the Templeman Library Archive Space between 9:30 – 21:00 daily and is free to attend.

There will also be a live BAME performance with an ensemble comprised of students, alumni and community voices on 22 May between 18:00 – 21:00 which is also free to attend. This. walk-through exhibition and an immersive theatre experience will start at the Colyer-Fergusson Hall and finish in the Templeman exhibition space itself. Structured as a guided experience, audience members are drawn into intimate moments of migration, microaggressions and intergenerational struggle.

Following next week’s event, Adipat will premier “I Am, Other: Sharaf’s Journey” – a companion immersive experience focused on the Syrian refugee experience and Britain’s asylum process. Rooted in real testimonies and framed through a participatory lens, Sharaf’s Journey continues Virdi’s groundbreaking approach: blending immersive theatre, academic research and community dialogue to tackle the complex nuances of identity, exclusion and resilience. These shows will take place on 4 and 5 July at 13:00 and 19:30. For prices and other details, visit The Gulbenkian website.

For younger audiences (and the young at heart), this summer also brings a touch of mystery and magic with The P.I. Chronicles: Kaia and the London Stone: The LARP, an immersive storytelling adventure designed for BOING! Festival. Set in and around the University’s historic buildings, this experience invites families to step into an alternate version of Kent’s past, where secrets are buried beneath stone and spectral clues hold the key to saving the future.

Blending local lore, interactive gameplay and a deep focus on curiosity and collaboration, the experience is a playful counterpoint to Virdi’s more hard-hitting work but no less powerful in how it engages empathy, critical thinking and a sense of shared discovery. The key focus being how to get children in touch with their inner superpowers.

Talking about his work, Adipat Virdi explains: ‘We didn’t want to create something that simply performs oppression. We wanted to create something that transforms it. These experiences aren’t just about watching, they’re about witnessing and about recognising that the lived experiences of bi-racial children, BAME students in academia, Syrian Refugees and children getting in touch with their emotions are not exceptions; they are the rule. This isn’t theatre that ends with applause. It ends with questions. With reflection and, for many, with action.’

Kent has been shortlisted for ‘Higher Education Institution of the Year’ at the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) Awards 2025.

The NEON awards provide a platform to celebrate the successes and accomplishments in supporting learners from underrepresented groups to access and succeed within higher education.

Kent has been recognised for its commitment to widening access for underrepresented groups throughout the student lifecycle, and for successfully embedding this work across the institution from the outreach work delivered in the region to  senior management actions. The award shortlisting also acknowledges the diversity of Kent’s student body, demonstrated through its innovative teaching and learning approaches as well as student support.

Kent’s regionally focussed and collaborative outreach work was acknowledged as sector best practice, particularly the evidence-based and impact-assessed attainment raising work, co-created and delivered in collaboration with local schools.

Kent’s approach to careers advice and support for students from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as evidence of progress made in widening access also impressed the judges.  The dedicated employability scheme for widening participation students, with bursary support, ensures financial barriers do not hinder professional growth. Kent’s Empower Scheme also enhances employability for underrepresented students, improving continuation and completion rates.

Clare Allison, Head of Widening Participation and Outreach at Kent, said: ‘We are delighted to be shortlisted for this prestigious award. Kent is deeply committed to widening access and ensuring that all students can succeed, regardless of background, and we are proud to be recognised for this. By embedding accessibility, student-centred policies, and robust career support into our core operations, we go beyond widening access – actively removing barriers to success. We look forward to the awards ceremony in June and wish our fellow nominees the best of luck.’

Award winners will be announced at the NEON awards ceremony on Thursday 5 June at the Palace of Westminster.

Last week student volunteers from across the University were presented with certificates on completion of their training as East Kent Mind Ambassadors. East Kent Mind, who run the Community Oasis Garden (COG) in partnership with the University, have developed the Ambassador scheme as part of a newly launched East Kent Mind Society, which will run with a strong affiliation between the society and its parent charity to give support. To become an ambassador an individual completes a training package and takes on an element of social action volunteering for the charity.

Simon Dolby, Development Lead at East Kent Mind told us: ‘So far 30 students from the University of Kent have completed their ambassador training and are now planning social action to support the work of East Kent Mind, but we are keen for more potential ambassadors to come forward.’ 

Students who were a mixture of COG Ambassadors, student volunteers and Res Life Ambassadors received their completion certificates from Professor Iain Wilkinson and were inducted to take part in EK Mind Social Action Projects. These include creating supporting East Kent Mind’s Wear It Blue campaign during Mental Health Awareness Week in May, encouraging positive conversations around mental health wider community, a fundraising fun run, as well as volunteering in the wider community for example, at Mind’s Revival Cafe in Whitstable. 

Earning their East Kent Mind Wellbeing Ambassador status with the charity, were third year students Katie Whitewood and Rosie Hawkins, Co-Presidents of the new society who helped create the initiative along with Simon Dolby.

Katie explained her motivation for getting involved: ‘Mind is all about connections and helping others feel seen and supported. I want to help strengthen our links with East Kent mind and really make sure that students are aware of our support off-campus.’ She added: ‘We are looking to expand our outreach, particularly to students at Canterbury Christ Church University, where bridging connections between universities is an important step in supporting mental health universally.’

Rosie told us why she feels this initiative is so important saying: ‘Mental health should always be top of our priority list. It is a given that Uni adds to mental health stresses, with deadlines, presentations and exams – it’s not easy. But one of our driving motivations is to create a safe space so you fell you have a shoulder to lean on, whether you need advice, guidance or a chat.’ 

There is also invaluable experience to be gained too. Wellbeing Officer, Reiss is thinking about this path for his ongoing career: ‘I hope to be able to take my training forward, as I go through a masters’ and hopefully a PHD.’

The full list of East Kent Mind Wellbeing Ambassadors are as follows:  

Katie Whitewood 

Gellian May Legaspi 

Reiss Cordrey 

Alisa Chin 

Neive Wright (external to Uni)  

Daisy Gower 

Tabi Oyewumi 

Mashaal Chughtai 

Eren Newham 

Balpreet Kaur 

Ikeoluma Modebelu  

Franco Brichetti 

Neemisha Das 

Dacian Stan 

Nehi Eigbefoh 

Preston-Paris Ingold  

Zarine Zafar 

Emily Catlin 

Hayley Blackburn  

Ria Groz 

Rosie Hawkins

Parvathy Rajeev

Kerriva Kent-Ramotar

Chloe Birkett

 

If you are interested in the East Kent Mind Society email ( society@eastkentmind.org.uk ) Rosie’s. If you would like to apply to become an East Kent Mind Ambassador contact the East Kent Mind Society ( ambassador@eastkentmind.org.uk ).  

PROJEKT ENCOUNTER, a free community engagement programme for refugees, asylum seekers, and first-generation migrants in Kent, is returning to the University for a second year.

In partnership with theatre company PROJEKT EUROPA, PROJEKT ENCOUNTER is a weekly workshop series hosted by the University’s School of Arts and Architecture, led by professional migrant artists from the local community including Kent alumni. The programme is specifically designed for underserved migrant communities with limited access to theatre, offering free transport from Napier Barracks and providing interpreters at each session.

The first year of the programme saw strong participation, culminating in a powerful final performance. The devised piece, titled ¡Tranforma!, explored the theme of change — a subject close to the participants’ experiences — and involved navigating multiple languages.

This year’s drama workshops will be led by Kent drama alumni, theatre-maker Francisca Stangel, supported by another Kent alumni Surya Chandra and current MA drama student Adane Shikur.

This year, Dr Angeliki Varakis (Drama) and Dr Kaveh Abbasian (Film) from the School of Arts and Architecture have secured funding from the AHRC (Impact Stimulator Fund) to expand and diversify PROJEKT ENCOUNTER. New additions to the programme include three weekly workshops on mask-making and three on filmmaking, running from 11 March to 22 April 2025. The mask-making workshops will be led by Kent drama alumni, theatre practitioner and professional mask-maker, Peter Morton (Artistic Director of the Half a String theatre company). The completed masks and short films will be showcased as part of the final performance during Refugee Week, taking place on 17 June 2025.

As well as hosting the PROJEKT ENCOUNTER programme, the University of Kent will also offer a few placement opportunities for Kent drama and film students to assist in delivering the workshops and performances.

Dr Angeliki Varakis, Lecturer in Drama and Theatre at Kent’s School of Arts and Architecture, said: ‘We are thrilled to be hosting PROJEKT ENCOUNTER for a second year at Kent. The programme provides refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants with the chance to engage in a meaningful, community-driven initiative. Through the workshops, we aim to support participants in developing new skills while improving their mental well-being and sense of achievement and belonging.’

PROJEKT ENCOUNTER drama workshops for first-generation migrants are already underway. No prior theatre experience is necessary. To register, email hello@projekteuropa.org or simply attend on the night (every Tuesday, 6-8pm, at the Aphra Theatre, University of Kent).

For more information about the new mask-making or filmmaking workshops contact Dr Angeliki Varakis at a.varakis@kent.ac.uk or Dr Kaveh Abbasian at k.abbasian@kent.ac.uk.

Stills from ¡Tranforma! – the final performance from Projekt Encounter 2024