Here we’d have a profile of the sector in the country. I’ve used the notes from our mapping meeting for now, but we could each write up something more specific.
One Line:
A group or organisation which engages young people as active participants in the performing arts and where their participation is central to the motivation of the creative process.
One Paragraph:
Youth Theatre is a specialist youth work practice which focusses on the creative, personal and social development of young people through their voluntary involvement in performing arts activities.
Through active engagement in this community, young theatre-makers develop their skills, talent and confidence to realise their potential.
- Youth Theatre grown from an amateur dramatics background, and grew more professionally in the 1970/80’s as teaching theatre became more regular. Many YT’s based in the regional theatre.
- Around 2000 an influx of profit making stage schools appeared, which created concerns around quality and competition for non-profit sector.
- YTAS (then Promote YT) was set up as a body to sit separately and help to support and develop the sector. Help to create moments for both young people and leaders to come together as a national community.
- As a small country the community are able to stay connected and network.
- Events like NFYT emphasise this national community, and reflect this role of YT as a place for young people to feel most themselves.
- More recently, many groups inspired by international work, developing more autobiographical and YP led work. Practise has developed a lot over the last 10-15 years thanks to influences from across Europe.
- Drama as a subject in school is very separate to YT practise. Much less additional drama activities in schools and so we concentrate on non-school work.
- Mixture of volunteer led community groups, and local council, charged and free.
- Scotland has a strong TYA performance sector, and there are some challenges and questions around how these fit together. They are much more disconnected than we’d like, with young people as artists being much less accepted in this area.
- Current focus and challenge for the sector is being able to evidence how YT practice improves YP’s wellbeing, in order to campaign funding and support. Post-covid it is likely there will be a much larger threat to how theatres will sustain their YT and participation practise
Case Studies
BUZZ PARTNER: Youth Theatre Arts Scotland