Laura and Bethany met and worked together on numerous projects at Clean Break before officially joining forces and forming Blank Cheque in 2015.  They consistently undertake collaborations independent of each other in order to enhance their knowledge, creativity, and teaching skills.  This enables them to remain flexible to the changing landscape of socially-engaged arts, ensuring they implement best practice together as Blank Cheque.

Laura Asare

I graduated from Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance with a BA (Hons) in American Theatre Arts (Acting), where I spent the second year of my studies in the States. On leaving drama school I become involved with Clean Break and worked as Associate Artist on numerous plays and arts education programmes. Credits with Clean Break include Assistant Director on the one woman show Joanne at the Soho Theatre, before taking over as Associate Director for the show when it played at the Royal Shakespeare Company; Co-Facilitator with Clean Break’s new Theatre Making and Performance course, working alongside Charlotte Gwinner; Facilitator for the Central Summer School course; and Facilitator for Clean Break’s devised pieces in response to The Tempest at the Donmar Warehouse.

Following my work with Clean Break I began facilitating work in prisons, my first experience being in Downview Women’s Estate. I am now employed as a Gangs Specialist Case Manager in Aylesbury YOI, looking at reducing gang violence. Since being in post, I have taken part in various courses including ‘Understanding Violence’ run by CEO Whitney Iles, and have successfully completed Level Three Safeguarding Training.

I have led workshops at Cardboard Citizens (in collaboration with Catch22), Advance Minerva (on behalf of Clean Break), and the CCfL Key Stage 3 PRU at St. Mary's in Camden. Most recently, I lectured at Goldsmiths on the Applied Theatre MA, focusing on work in prisons and with ex-offenders.

The arts has given me the opportunity to not only grow on a professional level but also on a personal one – this is why I am so passionate about working with marginalised groups; to give them that voice they feel they do not have.

Bethany McShepherd

I’ve been making theatre, directing plays, and fundraising for the arts since graduating with my BA (Hons) in Theatre in 1997 from the University of Vermont. I moved to the UK in 2005 to undertake the LAMDA Director’s Course and went on to study Arts in Prisons at Goldsmiths College. My interest in working with marginalised people grew strongly after I produced the NOLA Project in 2010; storytelling workshops with ED (emotionally disturbed) and excluded young people in New Orleans, Louisiana. From 2013-2015 I was an associate to Clean Break’s Educational Programme where I worked on the Performance Poetry course, Assistant Directed All The Women (the Fun Palaces project), and assisted on the Central Summer School course, among other workshops.

In addition to Blank Cheque projects, I worked with Synergy Theatre inside Thameside Prison as Assistant Director to Juliet Knight on A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, where male prisoners rehearsed and performed alongside professional female actors.

I am an active member of the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance, who awarded me a place on their mentorship scheme, I have an Award in Education and Training (formerly PTLLS) from South Thames College, I am Head of Innovation at LAMDA, as well as a PhD Candidate with Newcastle University, funded by the Northern Bridge Consortium.

Qualifications: between the two of us, we have undertaken the following training:

  • Understanding Violence (by Whitney Iles) 

  • Safeguarding Level 3 (The Tavistock and Portman)

  • CATS

  • Key Trained for Aylesbury YOI

  • Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (South Thames College)

  • Critical Thinking: Arts in Prisons (Goldsmiths)

  • Engaging with Youth Justice through Cultural Activity (Unitas)

  • First Aid