Share
OffScript
Estonia’s Singing Lands
•
“I’ve long nurtured a dream to get out and finally explore what it was about the forests and seas of Laulasmaa, ‘the land of song’, in Estonia that inspired Arvo Pärt and so many musicians.”
Join Dash’s Artistic Director, Josephine Burton as she travels to the Arvo Pärt Centre in Laulasmaa, Estonia to investigate the mystical musical relationship between nature and the people of Estonia
From the Arvo Pärt Centre Josephine wanders the forest, swims in the sea and explores Helikula, ‘the village of sound’, where musicians from the Union of Composers were given summer houses during Soviet Times.
We started collaborating in October 2020 during the pandemic with a widely celebrated online event with the Arvo Pärt Centre combining a pre-recorded concert and a conversation with musicians Andres Kaljuste, Sophia Rahman and Arvo’s son Michael Pärt. You can hear this previous episode here.
For more on the trip you can read Josephine’s blog and see more photographs of the incredible Estonian landscape on the Dash Arts website.
In the podcast, we hear from:
Josephine Burton - Artistic Director, Dash Arts
Michael Pärt - Music Editor and Chairman of the Arvo Pärt Centre
Sophia Rahman - Pianist
Andres Kaljuste - Violinist
Rein Lang - Former Minister of Culture of Estonia
Liisa Hirsch - Composer
Kristina Norman - Artist
Title music by Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi
Compositions by Arvo Pärt played by Sophia Rahman and Andres Kaljuste:
Fratres
Für Alina
Spiegel im Spiegel
With thanks to the Estonian Ministry of Culture and Estonian Cultural Counsellor in London for enabling Josephine’s trip.
Artwork: A PHOTO JOSEPHINE’S TRIP
Reference to the previous episode (Jan 2021) - https://open.spotify.com/episode/7pN6oLyNmgxVEqjNjZW8Dg?si=34666bcd1c984ba6
Blog link - https://www.dasharts.org.uk/blog/arvo-prts-inspiration-discovering-the-magic-of-estonias-forests-and-sounds
More episodes
View all episodes
Albion: Caroline Lucas
43:30|Welcome to Albion - our exploration of what it means to be English, and what we mean by England.In this episode of OffScript, Dash Arts’ Artistic Director Josephine Burton is joined by Caroline Lucas for a thoughtful and urgent conversation about Englishness - beyond flags and nostalgia.Drawing on her book Another England, Caroline shares her thoughts on how land, belonging and identity shape our politics and our culture; how England’s stories have been constructed and contested; and why reclaiming a generous, complex vision of England matters now.Since 2022, Dash Arts has been digging into landscape and language - from reimagining Middlemarch by George Eliot in 1980s Coventry, to running speech-making workshops with more than 600 people across the country. We’ve been listening to who we are — and who we could be.Join us as we ask: what does Englishness mean to you?Albion will culminate in 2026 with our new touring theatre production, Our Public House. Get your tickets and to find out more on the Dash Arts website : https://www.dasharts.org.uk/our-public-house Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi
We Are Free To Change The World: Steady
26:41|What does it mean to stay balanced and grounded in a shifting world?This episode of OffScript was recorded live at STEADY, the second event in Dash Arts’ We Are Free To Change The World series. Through live performance and conversation, the evening focused on staying; on staying open without burning out, staying yourself in dialogue without collapsing into agreement or disagreement and staying human amid pressure, speed and polarisation.Hosted by Dash Arts’ Artistic Director Josephine Burton, with Natasha Walter, Liz Slade, Tasneim Zyada, and Mohammed Ali, the contributors shared perspectives rooted in activism, faith, art and lived experience. Together, they reflect on what it means to remain grounded while responding to a world in flux — and how steadiness itself can be a radical, collective practice.Find out more about their work here:Natasha Walter - www.natashawalter.co.ukLiz Slade - www.elizabethslade.ukTasneim Zyada - www.instagram.com/tasneimzyadaMohammed Ali - www.artofmohammedali.comThe live event was co-presented by Dash Arts, Arts Admin and Fete of Britain.Get your tickets for the live events for We Are Free To Change The World by going to the Dash Arts website : https://www.dasharts.org.uk/we-are-free Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi
We Are Free To Change The World: Lyndsey Stonebridge
39:21|In this episode of OffScript Josephine Burton is joined by Professor Lyndsey Stonebridge. They delve into Hannah Arendt's belief in collective action as the essence of freedom. Lyndsey discusses Arendt's life, her impact on political philosophy, and her relevance in contemporary social movements. Exploring how her theories inspire artists and activists today, the conversation highlights Arendt's idea of politics as something we perform in public and the power of human resilience and action.Get your tickets for the live events for We Are Free To Change The World by going to the Dash Arts website : https://www.dasharts.org.uk/we-are-free Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiPhoto of Lindsay Stonebridge by Ione Saizar.---Headlines in the episode:00:00 Introduction to OffScript00:46 Exploring Freedom with Lyndsey Stonebridge 02:56 Hannah Arendt's Life and Influence 12:51 The Relevance of Arendt's Ideas Today23:24 Art, Performance, and Political Action 28:42 Navigating Dark Times with Hope 40:22 Conclusion and Upcoming Events
We Are Free To Change The World: Ready?
55:50|What does it take to prepare for change — artistically, emotionally, politically? This episode of OffScript was recorded live at the opening event in Dash Arts’ We Are Free To Change The World series.Through performance and conversation, the event explored the conditions that help artists and creative activists find their ground to listen, to make, to resist, and to come together.Hosted by Dash Arts’ Artistic Director Josephine Burton, the conversation features Bishi Bhattacharya, Lehni Lamide Davies, Carole Cadwalladr, and Sam Lee, reflecting on readiness rooted in care, courage, and collective imagination.Find out more about their work here:https://www.bishi.co.uk/ https://www.lehnilamide.com/contact https://broligarchy.substack.com/about http://samleesong.co.uk/ Get your tickets for the live events for We Are Free To Change The World by going to the Dash Arts website : https://www.dasharts.org.uk/we-are-free Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi
We Are Free To Change The World: Peter Kennard
38:08|In this episode of We Are Free to Change the World, Dash Arts’ Artistic Director Josephine Burton is joined by the legendary artist Peter Kennard.Inspired by Hannah Arendt’s belief in our freedom to begin anew, Josephine and Peter examine how art becomes a form of political action—shifting public consciousness, exposing injustice, and giving shape to the possible futures.They discuss the challenges of making radical work in increasingly authoritarian and fearful times, and why visual art still has the power to mobilise, unsettle, and inspire.Peter shares stories from five decades on the frontlines of artistic dissent, reflecting on collaboration, solidarity, and the urgent need to make work now more than ever.Get your tickets for the live events for We Are Free To Change The World by going to the Dash Arts website: https://www.dasharts.org.uk/we-are-free Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi
We Are Free To Change The World: Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC
40:39|“[Dash] reaches beyond the creation of its work and its interpretation of human experience. You go to places that others don't.”For Dash Arts’ 20th anniversary, OffScript host Josephine Burton is joined by one of the UK’s leading champions of justice, Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC.Helena and Josephine explore how the arts and the law shift public imagination, from movements for social justice to the urgent need for transitional justice in Ukraine and beyond.She also reflects on her decades-long groundbreaking work in fighting for human rights, women’s rights, and miscarriages of justice—and why jury trials are essential to any healthy democracy.Get your tickets for the live events for We Are Free To Change The World by going to the Dash Arts website : dasharts.org.uk/we-are-free Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi
We Are Free To Change The World: Clive Lewis MP
36:23|In the second episode of our mini-series, "We Are Free to Change the World," inspired by Hannah Arendt's call to action, Dash Arts' Artistic Director Josephine Burton is joined by Labour MP for Norwich South, Clive Lewis. From his House of Commons office, Clive Lewis discusses the struggle for freedom within contemporary politics. The conversation explores his belief that the "only real freedom we have is the freedom to... find out about the world around us," and his concerns about the "grim authoritarianism and a culture of fear" stifling creativity and genuine engagement in the Labour Party.Join Josephine and Clive as they discuss the essential role of imagination and art in shaping political visions—from science fiction to the NHS, and the loss of social democratic parties’ ability to “dream big.” They also explore the difference between optimism and pragmatic hope as a driving force for political change, Clive’s experience as a participant in Dash Arts’ speechmaking workshops and the need for collaboration and solidarity to counter increasing polarisation and fear.Get your tickets for the live events for We Are Free To Change The World by going to the Dash Arts website : https://www.dasharts.org.uk/we-are-free Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi
We Are Free To Change The World: Clare Farrell & Ian Bruce
52:56|Through a series of live and digital conversations - we’re exploring how artists and activists challenge, inspire, and motivate us to see the world differently. Join Josephine Burton as she sits down with musician and artist Ian Bruce and campaigner Clare Farrell to discuss creativity, activism, and the courage to imagine radical change. In this groundbreaking episode, hear how artists are transforming protest, challenging systemic barriers, and creating spaces for people to come together. From Extinction Rebellion to grassroots movements, discover how creative individuals are reimagining democracy, confronting climate crisis, and building solidarity. Provocative, inspiring, and deeply human, their conversation reveals how we can all play a role in changing the world. Recorded in the Bureau of Silly Ideas on the 7th anniversary of Clare co-founding Extinction Rebellion. Get your tickets for the live events for We Are Free To Change The World by going to the Dash Arts website : https://www.dasharts.org.uk/we-are-free Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi This podcast is marked explicit for language only.
When The Real World Crashes In (Part 2)
30:58|In part 2 we’re looking at the impact of politics on the most recent productions from Dash Arts. We explore our 2025 production of The Reckoning, which brought real-life testimonies from Ukraine to the stage, and the upcoming 2026 production of Our Public House, inspired by speeches from people across England. Marina Pesenti, former Director of the Ukrainian Institute, looks back at how more than a decade of artistic research, events and productions deepened our understanding of the Ukrainian context and enriched the work. Similarly, playwright Barney Norris reflects on the challenges of continuing to navigate the shifting political and social landscape in the UK and its influence on Our Public House.Go to the Dash Arts website for your tickets to We Are Free To Change The World; a new series of three Dash Cafés exploring how artists and creative activists respond to the urgency of our times. Through performance, film and conversation, each event will bring together creative voices to consider how we act and how we do this together. Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf Majidi And you can hear audio taken from Dash Arts’ production of The Reckoning at Arcola Theatre in May-June 2025