Actors for Refugees
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Actors for Refugees is an Australian community organisation. It was founded in Melbourne in September 2001 by actresses Alice Garner and Kate Atkinson. It aims to use the collective power of Australian actors to influence community attitudes toward refugees and asylum seekers and to encourage a humanitarian response to their plight.
The network's main activity is performing 'Something to Declare' compiled by Michael Gurr, and Club Refuge; rehearsed readings of true stories and first-hand testimonies of asylum seekers and refugees in Australia.
In 2006, one of the core members of the Australian network, Christine Bacon, joined with theatre company iceandfire to develop a similar network and production in the UK. The UK production, called Asylum Monologues, was launched along with Actors for Refugees UK, on June 25 2006 at Amnesty International, London. It has been touring the UK ever since.
Actors for Refugees does not charge for their production. All actors and musicians volunteer their time and skills.