The People's Palace Projects is an independent charity based at Queen Mary University of London. The organisation, set up in 1996 and made a charity in 1998, explores how the arts can help with social justice. With an international focus, projects have taken place in West Africa, South America and the UK.
Staging Human Rights was a project working in Brazil that reached out to 20,000 prisoners and 1,000 prison guards over its 4 stages between 2000 and 2005.
The project won first prize in the Prêmio Betinho de Cidanania e Democracia, an award for work that promotes human rights, citizenship and democracy.
Drama workshops, human rights dialogue and public forums were all part of the project which explored the boundaries between performance, human rights, and the criminal justice system in São Paulo.