East Archive – Daedalus Theatre Company

Call for Bengali Storytellers from Camden: East to Elsewhere on the theme of KINDNESS

By DaedalusAdmin on Saturday, June 6, 2026

Do you have a story to tell about kindness? We’re looking for Bengali storytellers from Camden. If you have a story about acts of kindness, migration or how Camden has shaped your life, we want to hear from you! This callout is for people with little or no professional experience in storytelling.

About the Project:

We’re thrilled to bring East to Elsewhere to Camden People’s Theatre this Summer. This project will explore the rich history and diverse cultures of Camden and beyond through stories of migration, community and kindness.

The kind of thing that we are looking for:

Stories about acts of kindness within migrant communities in Camden.
Experiences of newcomers, especially refugees and asylum seekers.
Historical migration stories linked to Camden.
Contemporary stories about migration today.
Personal stories – if you feel like sharing!
Stories that reflect the awesome diversity of Camden.

Eligibility:

Are you Bengali?
Do you have a connection to the London Borough of Camden?
Are you interested in telling stories?
Are you new to storytelling?

If you answered yes to these questions and are NOT a professional storyteller, we invite you to pitch your story!

Key Details:

Major Projects Participation Partners and Collaborators

East Storytelling Project Announcement in partnership with Camden Peoples Theatre

By DaedalusAdmin on Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Our East Storytelling Project is back this summer, and we are thrilled to announce that we are growing our project thanks to a new partnership with Camden Peoples Theatre and funding from Arts Council England.

After marking ten years at Rich Mix in 2023 as part of A Season of Bangla Drama festival, we imagined what our storytelling project might look like outside of Tower Hamlets. Whilst the project began in the East End we have always had storytellers and audiences who have connected with us from across London and especially following the launch of our East Archive, this is a project that connects people across the globe. Stories of migration are at the heart of the project, so it makes sense that we, too, would migrate!

Last year we were successful for the Mayor’s Tower Hamlets Small Grants Programme, where we piloted East to Elsewhere by responding to the A Season of Bangla Drama 2025 festival theme of kindness.

Artist Spotlight

Artist Spotlight: Kauthar Abdi

By DaedalusAdmin on Friday, May 8, 2026

Photo of Kauthar at East to Elsewhere by Salam Jones (2025)

Our third East spotlight is on secondary school teacher, mum and storyteller Kauthar Abdi. Tasnim Siddiqa Amin had a chat with Kauthar about her rich Somali cultural heritage and what she’s learned from her engagement with the East Storytelling Project, from her first workshop with us in 2021 through to her first paid performance last November at A Season of Bangla Drama festival 2025.

Listen to the interview here.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Kauthar, a secondary school teacher. I’m a mum. I was about 20 years old when I experienced Islamophobia, and that made me go into a world I never imagined, which is becoming [a] really strict Muslim, wearing the veil and that took a while for me to come out of and, in a way, I needed to get out of the relationship I was in in order to get out of that. That’s been quite a journey, and coming out of that made me feel like I had stories to tell, and I’ve always felt like there’s stories I want to share. I grew up with oral storytelling, Somali folk tales, and that was my most wonderful memories as a child.

Have you got any specific memories of the kind of oral stories or the folk stories that you can share with us?

Artist Spotlight Associate Artists

Associate Artist Spotlight: Sef Townsend

By DaedalusAdmin on Monday, February 23, 2026

Photo of Sef Townsend at A Season of Bangla Drama by Rehan Jamil (2017)

Our second East spotlight is on global storyteller, interfaith peace advocate and Londoner Sef Townsend, who is of mixed Jewish and traveller heritage. Sef co-founded the East Storytelling Project alongside Paul Burgess and Shamim Azad back in 2014. Tasnim Siddiqa Amin had a chat with Sef one Saturday afternoon about his 30-year career in storytelling, his love for the East End and his latest creative projects.

Listen to the interview here:

Tell us about yourself

I’m a storyteller. I’ve been telling stories for a long time. But what are the contexts that I tell? So, I go regularly to schools, and I work with children from really young until they’re really quite old, actually. I’m also involved in peace and reconciliation work. And I’ve worked in Israel and Palestine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, South Africa, areas of conflict or post-conflict. I have been brought in to try and create some conversations between people who, according to their background, are supposed to dislike each other.

Events Major Projects Participation

Announcing the lineup for Ten Years East!

By DaedalusAdmin on Saturday, November 18, 2023

Paul Burgess, Andy Bannister and Michele Chowrimootoo. Image credit: Tasnim Siddiqa Amin

As part of A Season of Bangla Drama, Sunday 19th November 2023, 5:30PM we return to the iconic East London venue Rich Mix, where the East storytelling started in December 2013.

We have an exciting evening of stories and live music for you, and are thrilled to announce the incredible talent that will be taking the stage this Sunday. Farah Naz makes a return to EAST with the story of ‘The Queen of Sheba and Solomon’, we will hear the tale of ‘Rochael the Gossip’ from John Heyderman, Andy Bannister of The Black Smock Band singing ‘The Water is Wide’ and a reimagining of ‘The Sultana’s Dream’ from EAST newcomer Tasnim Siddiqa Amin. We’re also joined by musician and singer Hasan Ahmed and percussionist Michele Chowrimootoo.

Associate Artists The Company

Hear from our artists

By DaedalusAdmin on Friday, November 17, 2023

We’ve been Instagram sharing reels from some of our artists, including East lead artists Sef Townsend, Shamim Azad and Paul Burgess, along with intros to artists such as Tasnim Siddiqa Amin, Hasan Ahmed and Farah Naz. Catch them on our Instagram feed, and maybe give us a follow!

Events Participation The Company

Daedalus October Newsletter

By DaedalusAdmin on Saturday, October 28, 2023

Dear friends,

Welcome to our October newsletter.

Ten Years East – tickets now on sale!

Join us for a relaxed evening of compelling stories and unforgettable songs from across the diverse cultures of East London.

Ten Years East is a celebration of love as a language that crosses borders and breaks boundaries, that remembers lost homelands and dreams of new frontiers. After a decade of performances, workshops and gatherings, the East storytelling project now presents an exciting lineup of musicians and storytellers in this family-friendly event.

With material spanning the globe to reflect the rich cultures of our East End, from English folklore to Bengali tales and Jewish songs, you are warmly welcomed to celebrate Ten Years East.

Events Major Projects Professional Development

Protest Song Exchange

By DaedalusAdmin on Saturday, January 29, 2022

When?

11:30am-1pm, Sunday 6th February 2022

What?

This is an exciting opportunity for musicians and others with an interest in current and historical protest to get together and share songs, music and knowledge. Hosted by Daedalus Theatre Company and The Black Smock Band as part of the Mobile Incitement project, and also connected with the storytelling project East, the session offers an open, creative space for cultural exchange and collaboration, and to develop new skills and ways of working.

This is paid professional development opportunity, not a public event. Places are limited. That said, do get in touch if you’re interested in taking part.

Participation

East Voices – now live!

By DaedalusAdmin on Thursday, December 16, 2021

The title says it. The East Voices digital series is now live, and you can watch here:

View the East Archive

With stories both true and traditional from countries as diverse as Vietnam, Poland and Mauritius, and from voices that include first-time storytellers alongside experience professionals, the East Voices digital series truly reflects and celebrates the diversity and cultural richness of East London and beyond.

Do also keep coming back – there are more stories to be added. And please feel free to talk to us if you have a story to tell.

Associate Artists Participation Partners and Collaborators

East on BBC London

By DaedalusAdmin on Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Sef just did a fantastic interview on Jeanette Kwakye’s BBC London Radio show. You need to listen! It includes a clip from Michele Chowrimooto’s story, and some really brilliant observations from Sef about the role of storytelling, the importance of sharing stories across cultures, how the East Voices project works, and how to approach sharing your personal story for the first time.

Jeanette’s shows are great, but if you want to jump straight to Sef’s interview you can start at 01:36:38.

Go to East Archive for Michele’s story and many others.

Tag Archives: East Archive

Ten Years East – tickets now on sale!