Claire Beerjeraz
Writer - Director - Performer - Spoken Word Artist - Facilitator - Creative Therapist
Claire Beerjeraz (They/She) is a freelance Writer, Visual Artist, Workshop Facilitator, Performer, Director and Creative Therapist.
Their work focuses on the intersections of their own identity and issues placed within our society, combing creativity with activism. They strive to use their creative mediums for positive change, discourse, and healing.
About Claire
Image by Ella Fradgley
Spoken word
As a spoken word artist, Claire focuses their writing on the intersections of their own identity, lived experiences and issues placed within our society. Claire has headlined at venues across Liverpool such as The Everyman Theatre, Shakespeare North Playhouse, Hope Street Theatre and Tate Liverpool. She has been supporting act for Lemn Sissay at A Lovely Word Festival (2022) and performed for the Mandela family during their civic reception (2022). Claire was part of BBC’s Words First showcase (2022) and more recently, part of Binta Diaw’s Biennal exhibition (2023), voicing poetry for their visual artwork. Claire was A Lovely Word’s poetry slam champion (2023). Claire has also drafted her first short-film Wings, which she is developing with First Take. She is continuing to write and perform, and is currently developing her solo poetry book “Split Tongues” for publishing.
Facilitation
Claire is also an Educator for The Anthony Walker Foundation, delivering anti-racist talks and workshops to schools, colleges and higher educational institutions across Liverpool and beyond.
Claire enjoys hosting workshops that provide a space for empowerment, connection, and creative fluidity.
Claire has developed workshops and facilitated sessions for a broad range of organisations since beginning in 2016, including theatre companies such as Tmesis Theatre and 20 Stories High; educational institutions, including University of Liverpool; and creative organisations such as Writing on the Wall (WoW Fest) and Liverpool’s Everyman & Playhouse Theatres.
With a background of training in Creative Psychotherapy, Claire is able to identify and adapt to the needs of workshop participants. They are particularly passionate about curating personalised sessions, delivering workshops with accessibility and inclusion as a priority.
Writing Credits
An alumni of Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse’s Young Writers programme (2023), and First Take’s Reel Queers Screenwriting programme (2024), Claire’s writing credits span the stage and screen.
These credits include:
Knowlsey Streets: Unveiling Hidden Histories
Short film, commissioned by Knowsley Council (2024)
I love you but..
Short film, commissioned by First Take (2022), screened at Liverpool Fact & Iris Film Festival (2023)
Beneath the Branches
Theatre, Everyman Studio, supported by Everyman Theatre (2023)
Together/Untethered
Theatre, comissioned by Arts for the Blues, Edge Hill University (2023)
A wicked women’s guide to self-love
Writer for original short film, Comissioned by Tmesis Theatre (2021)
Direction
Claire has been working as a director for both Theatre and Screen for 3+ years. They pride themselves in the use of access, tech/stage management experience, and, creative initiative for amplifying storytelling and character embodiment for performers and audiences.
They were previously the Storyhouse Youth Theatre Director (2023-2024), and currently the Storyhouse Young Company Assistant Director (2025). Claire is always interested in growing their directing skills and receives ongoing direction mentorship with directors such as Ameera Conrad.
Their credits and experience includes:
Rooted by Claire Beerjeraz
Director- Unity Theatre & Dukes Theatre (2025)
Is My Microphone On? by Jordan Tannahill
Director- Storyhouse, Garret Theatre (2024)
Knowsley’s Streets: Unveiling Hidden Histories (Film)
Director- Knowsley Council & First Take (2024)
Scenes from Love and Information by Carol Churchill
Storyhouse, Garret Theatre (2025)
Young Storyhouse Monologue Showcase
Director- Storyhouse, Studio 1 (2023)
ATP 20 Stories High Showcase
Assistant Director- Everyman Theatre Studios (2023)
Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Director- Storyhouse, Main stage (2024)
A Wicked Women’s Guide to Self-love (Film)
Director- Commissioned by Tmesis Theatre (2021)
Hear Me Now: Monologue Showcase
Director- Everyman Theatre Studios (2019)
Performance credits
In addition to performing as a Spoken Word Artist, Claire is keen to bring scripts to life on the stage and screen.
An alumni of the 20 Stories High Actors Lab, Claire has performed in a range of productions, and is particularly keen to share unique stories, and platform voices that often go unheard.
Potato Milk
A Turning Worm Theatre production, performed at Liverpool Playhouse Studio (2024)
Saccharine
A Queer BIPOC short film produced by First Take. (2024)
Together/Untethered
Immersive performance, developed through Edge Hill University’s Arts for the Blues, touring the North West (2023)
Hear me now
A monologue showcase, shared at Everyman Theatre (2019)
Who the F--k is Shakespeare?
A 20 Stories High production, to which Claire was a contributing writer, performed at Unity Theatre (2023)
Kaleidoscope
A virtual rehearsed reading, produced by Flood Theatre (2021)
Deported in a Windrush
An original play by Leonisha Barley, shared as a rehearsed reading for Writing on the Wall Festival (2023)
A wicked women’s guide to self-love
Performance concluding an R&D process, produced by Tmesis Theatre (2021)
Claire has also voiced poetry as part of Binta Diaw Biennal Exhibition (2023), and performed for organisations including Liverpool Tate (2021), and Merseyside Academy of Drama.
Visual Art
This piece strips down our human appendages to their bare bone. Taking to its roots, personally and interpersonally, it aims to entice reflections on where we were, where we are, and where we will be; finding a heartbeat of life within the city and the self. Themes: colonisation, heritage, trauma. Sage seeds and pots were placed on soil for audience to take home and plant.
Lay With Me was developed through Homotopia’s Creative Skills Programme.
Liquid Noose is a soundscape and spoken word piece exploring Claire’s connection to water, shaped by the history of slavery. It delves into the harrowing conditions enslaved people faced during transport and the horrifying practice of being thrown overboard. Reflecting on this legacy and its intergenerational impact, Claire said: “I feel a mix of disconnection, rage, and numbness. This piece unpacks my internal struggles and the journey towards healing from a past that erased countless lives, honouring my ancestors and their enduring fight for a better life by reconnecting with these natural elements and pursuing that better life for myself."
Claire centers sustainability in their practice, and works to ensure that the majority of the materials used in their work can have an afterlife.
Lay with me
City and the self exhibition
Commissioned by Homotopia (2024)
Claire’s visual art delves into heritage, religion, and colonialism; the rage, trauma, and healing possessed by it, using materials like soil, sand, and water, paired with spoken word.
Liquid noose
Slavery Rememberance Exhibition
Commissioned by National Musuems Liverpool (2024)
Creative Development
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Creative Development -
Claire is committed to developing their skills as an artist, activist and multi-skilled practitioner. Over the years, Claire has engaged with numerous opportunities for learning and development, and they have enjoyed discovering fresh ways to expand their skillset.
Creative development opportunities that Claire has undertaken include:
First Take’s REEL Queers
May 2023- present
REEL Queers is a training programme for queer creatives interested in the film industry. Through the programme, Claire has completed training in the following courses:
Screenwriting
Make-up for film
Production Management
Set-design
Basic Film making
Directing for Film
Alongside developing their skills on these courses, Claire has gained 3 separate professional credits across the REEL Queers programme. These include: Make-up Artist (Palace at the end of the world, 2024), Production Manager (How to remove difficult stains, 2024), and Actor (Sacharrine, 2024)
Future Leaders Poet Educator Programme Eastside
January 2024 - March 2024
A programme for emerging poets; providing support, shadowing opportunities, and a series of lab-style training workships, with industru experts and other facilitators from across the UK, supporting the artists to gain key skills as a facilitator of poetry and creative educational projects.
QueerINSIGHT
2022 - 2023
A development programme for queer spoken word artists to develop their craft, and create a short film of their own design. Claire entered the programme with an original idea, and was able to create their film with the support of industry professionals.
Tmesis Theatre’s Wicked Women
2020-2021
A creative development course for emerging female-identifying artists. Weekly courses designed to help creatives find pathways into the creative industries, gain confidence, share ideas, build skills, and networks, and develop themselves as a creative business with specialist mentoring and guest creatives. The programme then led to a commissioned project curated by participants.
20 Stories High’s Actors Lab
May 2023 - December 2023
A training programme for actors who experience barriers to gaining roles in the theatre industry.
This programme featured workshops led by industry professionals, a series of mentoring opportunities, and a paid rehearsal process, after which, participants gained a professional credit on the world premier run of Ameera Conrad’s Who the F—k is Shakespeare? (Unity Theatre, 2023)
Young Homotopia’s Creative Skills Programme
November 2023 - April 2024
A development programme for artists to develop and exhibit a creative idea, with support from artistic mentors and creative workshops.
This programme cumulated in Claire’s first exhibition piece, Lay With Me, to be featured at Liverpool’s Royal Standard.
YEP Writers
2022 - 2023
Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse’s Young Writers programme - a year long course, through which Claire learnt the basics of playwrighting, cumulating in a world premier performance of their work at Liverpool’s Everyman studio space.
Awards and Certifications:
Eastside David Andrew Award Recipient (2024)
A Lovely Word Liverpool Slam Champion (2023)
University Excellence Award Edge Hill University (2023)
Liverpool City Region Inspirational Young person Finalist (2023)
BBC Words First Participant (2022)