Alongside 20StoriesHigh, CompanyThree, MortalFools, PrimeTheatre and TheatreFactory, Burnley Youth Theatre has commissioned the largest survey of youth theatres since 2011. More than 414 youth theatres responded to this survey, representing more than 100,000 young people and more than 9,000 salaried staff, freelancers, volunteers and trustees. This data has been compiled into ‘The 2024 Youth Theatre Census,’ and the results of this report revealed the lack of support for the youth theatre industry, despite proven impact it has on the lives of young people.

This commissioned report calls for a new national strategy for youth theatre in England, to transform our sector forever.  Data from the census details:

• Youth Theatre is big – supporting more than 100,000 young people a year and employing more than 4,000 salaried and freelance staff.
• Youth Theatres are struggling financially, with 31% of youth theatres operating on less than £10,000 a year
• Youth Theatres are supporting more complex issues related to mental health, the cost of living crisis, academic pressures and pastoral needs
  
• Youth Theatres are not accessible enough – with only 20% offering all their places for free and a patchy approach across the sector to access, equity and data.
• Youth Theatre leaders are isolated and exhausted – with many youth theatres wholly or largely dependent on volunteer staff.

The Census shows that youth theatres are providing an extraordinary range of activities – making shows, technical theatre training, writing workshops, residentials and digital workshops, as well as educational support, free meals, mentoring and mental health first aid.Despite this, the total income for youth theatres in England (estimated at around £23m) represents the equivalent of just £200 per participant per year. The lack of funding means youth theatre is highly reliant on volunteer staff, while paid staff often work beyond their paid hours.

Smaller youth theatres with the least funding are less likely to be able to provide free places or have policies and procedures to remove barriers to participation.  It is hard to measure the impact of this on participation because demographic data collection is extremely inconsistent and often non-existent.

The survey was commissioned by National Portfolio Organisations Burnley Youth Theatre, 20 Stories High, Company Three, Mortal Fools, Prime Theatre, and Theatre Factory. It was funded by Arts Council England and supported by a coalition of national organisations including BarrowFull, Get Into Theatre, the National Association of Youth Theatres, National Theatre Connections, National Youth Theatre, National Youth Music Theatre, SOLT/UK Theatre and NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association).

The six commissioning companies’ summary report calls for the creation of a new national development agency for youth theatre. They say this new body is necessary to increase connectivity and income, support the least well funded youth theatres and help others who are struggling to become more sustainable.

The director and consultant Ned Glasier, who led the Census project, says:

The youth theatre census shows how important youth theatre is in England – to young people, our communities, and the theatre industry. But it also tells us how hard and exhausting it is to run a youth theatre at the moment – and how precarious the sector is as a whole.

There are thousands of brilliant and dedicated youth theatre leaders who go above and beyond to support young people every week, often with little or no pay or recognition. We know that the less money and support that a youth theatre has, the harder it is to operate safely, support the complex needs of young people and make sure the work is accessible to all young people. 

We need more joined-up, strategic support for youth theatre everywhere, but particularly those companies struggling with very little money, and those for whom sustainability feels like a pipe dream. They deserve more resources, more support and more recognition.

That will only happen if we get everyone with a stake in youth theatre around the table to form a new national development agency to support and advocate for our work.

Read the full report!

Read the report summary!

Read the easy read summary!