Taking The Stage - Responses

Anna Berry – From Rego To Where?

Anna is a local artist, known for creating socially- and politically-conscious work, often large kinetic installation, and working with paper. Very much an art-world outsider, her work is usually shown in non-gallery environments. She is currently the first DASH curator in residence at MAC Birmingham, and the recipient of an Unlimited Commission to tour her piece Breathing Room. She has shown work internationally in places such as Venice, Orlando, and Iceland; was shortlisted for ‘Open Cube’ at White Cube in London; shortlisted twice for the Adam Reynolds memorial bursary, and for the Jon Schueler Scholarship. She once managed to crow-bar a piece into Tate Modern as part of the Tate Exchange programme. She has done four international residencies. A large chunk of her body of work explores space and social climate in Milton Keynes. Anna also speaks and writes commissioned pieces about disability, outsiderness, access, and radical politics.

Film: “Cameraperson”

By exposing her role behind the camera, Kirsten Johnson reaches into the vast trove of footage she has shot over decades around the world. What emerges is a visually bold memoir and a revelatory interrogation of the power of the camera.

Comedy Sketches by Sarah Dyas

Sarah is a Shropshire lass who took her first step onto the stage at the age of six where she mistook singing for shouting and never looked back. She went on to study Performing Arts at Bath Spa School of Music and Performing Arts, before going on to attend the International School of Screen Acting. The last 12 months have been very busy for Sarah. She was recently cast in the BBC comedy sketch show "What iS Music Videos" and appeared in Comedy Central's comic relief "Modern Horror Stories" as well this she was also cast in several other projects, including appearing alongside Alison Steadman in the film ‘Ghosted’, which has recently been backed by BFI. This year also saw Sarah pursue her own projects, and after writing and starring in several short comedy films, she was selected as a finalist in the prestigious Mandy Monologue competition. Sarah lives in London and when she's not acting or performing stand up, she's pursuing a side career as a professional cat whisperer.

Anna Berry

Anna Berry uses MK Gallery’s Paula Rego exhibition as a jumping-off point to share her indulgent musings about our social climate, our divided politics, what kind of feminism is the wrong kind of feminism, how to navigate a course between ideology and reality, and probably a lot of wild conjecture about a bunch of other stuff too. Anna is a local artist, known for creating socially - and politically-conscious work, often large kinetic installation, and working with paper. Very much an art-world outsider, her work is usually shown in non-gallery environments. She is currently the first DASH curator in residence at MAC Birmingham, and the recipient of an Unlimited Commission to tour her piece Breathing Room. She has shown work internationally in places such as Venice, Orlando, and Iceland; was shortlisted for ‘Open Cube’ at White Cube in London; shortlisted twice for the Adam Reynolds memorial bursary, and for the Jon Schueler Scholarship. She once managed to crowbar a piece into Tate Modern as part of the Tate Exchange programme. She has undertaken four international residencies. A large chunk of her body of work explores space and social climate in Milton Keynes. Anna also speaks and writes commissioned pieces about disability, outsiderness, access, and radical politic.

Sarah Dyas

Sarah is a Shropshire lass who took her first step onto the stage at the age of six where she mistook singing for shouting and never looked back. She went on to study Performing Arts at Bath Spa School of Music and Performing Arts, before going on to attend the International School of Screen Acting. The last 12 months have been very busy for Sarah. She was recently cast in the BBC comedy sketch show “What iS Music Videos” and appeared in Comedy Central’s comic relief “Modern Horror Stories” as well this she was also cast in several other projects, including appearing alongside Alison Steadman in the film ‘Ghosted’, which has recently been backed by BFI. This year also saw Sarah pursue her own projects, and after writing and starring in several short comedy films, she was selected as a finalist in the prestigious Mandy Monologue competition. Sarah lives in London and when she’s not acting or performing stand up, she’s pursuing a side career as a professional cat whisperer.