A wall of posters, pictures and joy from all of the attendees
Blog post by Jade Campbell
Helen and I made a trip to Manchester on Wednesday 18 & Thursday 19 at Contact, we were part of an incredible event: Youth Theatre Together. A group of 6 Arts Council England NPO Youth Theatre organisations: Company 3, 20 Stories High, Mortal Fools, Prime Burnley Youth Theatre & Theatre Factory led by Ned Glasier & Emmy Lahouel, worked together to find out all about the many Youth Theatres in England. As a direct response of the Youth Theatre Census, they invited individuals and organisations across England to apply to attend to the Youth Theatre Together event: A space for Youth Theatre Leaders and workers to come together and imagine a new future for our sector together and vision what a new youth theatre development agency might look like.
We had a rich and joyful two days, sharing ideas, dancing, sharing food, being creative, meeting new people, dreaming and visioning for the future without restrictions. There was a series of workshops where we danced, discussed, created and shared our visions for the future – collective dreaming and sharing. I was particularly inspired by the young artists in residence who shared a creative intro and response to the two days, who actually made me cry; because their creative responses expressed and articulated the love, passion and need they have for youth theatre. A safe space for young people to thrive as creative humans.
5 young people sit on the stage next to one another smiling.
This next phase of the process is vital, organising a steering group and developing this new Youth Theatre Development Agency – one that is fit for purpose, supportive and resourceful for the sector as a whole. We need advocacy for Youth Theatre now more than ever, the incredible Teaching Artists, Youth Leaders, Facilitators, Directors, Artists, Practitioners – are working tirelessly and often with little to no resource, making the most incredible theatre with children and young people. Funds are scarce, but passion and enthusiasm is in abundance. After an inspiring and hope-full two days, I am reminded that young people are the future, we need to invest time, energy and resource into their next steps, not just for the sector but for society as a whole. Lets dream big and with an open heart!
Here are a few photos from Day 1, taken by the wonderful Ingrid Turner.
It was great to see the wonderful Alix Harris founder Beyond Face hosting conversations and being part of this event too. A fellow South West representative at the event (there weret many of us thats for sure)
Smiley happy audience in the auditorium at Contact
4 people sat in a circle, 2 people are laughing
3 rows of posters across the stage, written to capture the 2nd day of rich conversation
A busy stage and auditorium
People clapping and looking at the stage
6 people stand on the stage in a line, 1 person reading from a piece of paper and holds a microphone
A group of people dancing in a studio, their hands are crossed over their chest and they are leaning slightly to one side.
3 people on stage, two are seated, one person is standing and talking into a microphone, everyone is smiling
4 people are one stage, 3 are standing and one is sitting in the background. The middle standing person is reading from a piece of paper and holding a microphone.
A group of people dance in a studio, they have their hands ion their, Nuna Sandy is leading the dance and is smiling. Nuna was an amazing dance leader, she made me feel like I could actually dance.. She is the Creative Dircetor and Joint CEO of Company Three.
4 people stand in front of electronic music equipment and microphone singing
8 people are on the stage, 4 are standing and 4 are sitting, they are presenting their ideas back
2 people sit o the stage, 1 person sits in the middle talking into a microphone
A birds eye view of 8 people sat around 4 small round tables with paper and colourful pens.
2 people stood on the stage smiling next to a microphone
A group of people stand on the stage presenting back, one person is talking into a microphone
A busy auditorium
A group of people stand around a long piece of paper
A group of people dancing in a studio with their arms in the air.
4 people stood o the stage adn one person is holding a sign that says ‘ADVOCACY’
2 people face each other dancing in a studio, smiling
A group of people dancing in a studio
A birds eye view of a group of people dancing on a stage aand an audience watching
3 people stand on stage holding 3 signs up
A group of people dancing in a studio with one arm in the air.