Wan Smolbag Theatre (WSB) was started by a small group of actors in 1989. Artistic Director Peter Walker and writer Jo Dorras were interested in starting a community theatre group that would take plays about topical issues out to schools and communities. Their first short play was about washing hands to prevent diarrhoea and was funded by UNICEF through the Ministry of Health.

While drama remains at the heart of WSB’s activities, the organisation has expanded over the past 34 years and now has youth centres in Vila, Luganville on the island of Santo, and a community centre in Pentecost. The Vila youth centre also has a nutrition house, and an all weather sports field for basket ball, futsal and hockey.  Kam Pusum Hed or KPH family planning clinic also runs out of the Port Vila centre with three full time nurses and a group of young peer educators who inform young people about contraception and STI’s. Attached to KPH are V Pride, Vanuatu’s own LGBTQI group, advocating for fair treatment for sexual minorities.  

Wan Smolbag also hosts the Vanuatai turtle monitors network, with over 400 members throughout the islands, working to help with land and sea conservation efforts. The group also has strong connections with many peri-urban settlement areas around the centre in Port Vila.  

Wan Smolbag is core funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Oxfam. WSB has produced many films over the years, including a 10-part television series, Love Patrol, that ran for 8 seasons and was shown all over the Pacific. Wan Smolbag still produces films every year.  Wan Smolbag also produces comic books, booklets and posters for communities, NGOs, schools and government departments. Wan Smolbag’s materials are distributed throughout the South Pacific and have reached many countries outside our region. 

WSB has over 120 full-time and part-time staff: actors, director, scriptwriter, finance and administrative staff, graphic artist, research officers, nurses, peer educators, youth workers, film and sound technicians, and managers.