This global date focuses on a celebration of GRT culture and is also a call to action against the continuing persecution and discrimination faced by GRT people, families and communities.

The GRT Working Group

A dedicated group of Equity members, the GRT Working Group (GRTWG), was formed three years ago and now seeks to build on its activity by encouraging Equity members and activists to join a network under its umbrella.

The GRTWG was formed to address the lack of awareness and representation of GRT people in the entertainment industry in general and theatre in particular; a further goal was – and remains - to help support and raise the profile of GRT creatives at all stages of their careers, from established artists to students.

January 2020 saw the first Industry focused symposium “GRT - Stepping Beyond The Stereotype” held at the Young Vic, London, which was organised and led by the GRTWG, supported by Equity staff. The restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic saw the next symposium in September 2020 being held online with the Independent Theatre of Hungary (ITH) as guest speakers, showing an example of best practice.

The GRT Network

The GRTWG now seeks the help and support of a wider group of Equity members and activists to amplify GRT voices in all aspects of the entertainment industry (Theatre, T.V., Film, Radio, New Media, Variety etc.) to create positive work by and for the GRT communities and those who wish to work in partnership with them. As an initial step, we are currently seeking partners in theatre and Higher Education establishments to work with us on this, but welcome approaches from all media.

This event will offer an opportunity to hear from members of the GRTWG on their work to-date, plans for the future, and an outline of how members of the Network can support future activity across the UK through branches and workplaces. At this event we will be joined by representatives of the Independent Theatre of Hungary (IHT) to listen to their experience of devising good practice models of GRT representation and portrayal in theatre, and in the context of a highly repressive social and political context.

Meet The GRT Working Group

Richard O'Neill

Multi-award winning, Storyteller, Author and playwright born and raised in a large traditional nomadic Romani family. Richard continues the tradition of ‘Baro Patrimishi’ (master storyteller) as both a writer and performer.

His plays have been performed at leading theatres including the Soho and Pleasance and on BBC radio. His play ‘Hardest Word’ was premiered at the first Roma Heroes Festival in Budapest in 2017. His latest play ‘European Family’ commissioned by the Independent Theater Hungary and created online during lockdown in 2020 was premiered at the 4th Roma Heroes festival

He has a particular interest in using words in all formats to promote inclusion and social mobility.

Richard is one of the founding members of the Gypsy Roma Traveller Working Group.

Emaleigh Conn

Emaleigh is a West Midlands based Actress, Drama Facilitator and Theatre Practitioner, who specialises in creating work for and alongside underserved communities. Over the past 6 years, she has used her teaching and outreach skills, with the use of drama, to tell the stories of those that aren’t often given a voice.

She has been working in tandem with Equity to further GRT awareness and support within the union since 2018. Her Romani heritage and experience led her as a founding member of the Gypsy Roma and Traveller Working Group.

Theresa Pine

As a mature student Theresa studied Drama and Theatre Studies at Goldsmiths College. She then went on to take an MA in Creative Producing at Birkbeck College. She has worked in a variety of theatre and venue management roles. Recently she was s participant on the Liverpool Everyman theatre's emerging playwright programme. She is also a current participant on the London Library emerging writers scheme and is a creative associate at Jermyn Street Theatre.

Theresa is one of the founding members of the Gypsy Roma and Traveller Working Group.

Eltjo de Vries

Moving to Somerset in 2015 allowed Eltjo to get involved with Equity’s Bristol & West General Branch, seeing him being thrust into the roles of Chair and Secretary from 2016-2019. This helped gain invaluable insight into the workings of the union and – having read an article by Christina Newland in 2017 about the poor portrayal and representation of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in the creative industry – set out to question how and what Equity as a trade union could do to bring about a positive and much needed change.

Eltjo’s experiences as a professional actor, performer, storyteller and director is wide ranging over the past 30 years, and is proud to be one of the founding member of the Gypsy Roma and Traveller Working Group.

Launch of Equity's Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) Network