Running a Youth Theatre is back and better than before.
England’s Youth Theatre NPOs* have teamed up to offer free, regular, online spaces to discuss the practice and practicalities of running a youth theatre today.
You told us you wanted more space to unpick challenges and dream big for the youth theatre sector. So we’ve reshaped how Running a Youth Theatre will work in 2025.
RAYT Foundations:
A 1 hour intervention led by a leading Youth Theatre, sharing their experience or organisational approach in a key area, with space for you to interrogate your own practice and speak to others working in the sector.
These sessions are open to anyone working in youth theatre – just sign up for free here and you’ll receive more information and a Zoom link by email.
Sign up to any RAYT Foundation Session
RAYT Forums:
A 1 hour deep dive into the challenges you’re experiencing in that area. You’ll break out into smaller groups and interrogate one or two challenges, listening to each other and providing a space for active problem solving and learning.
These sessions only have 15 spaces, and require you to apply by answering a few simple questions. We’ll then curate a space to ensure we have a balance of perspectives, and let you know 1 week before the date if you’ve been allocated a space.
Apply for RAYT Forums
Here’s what we have coming up in the first half of 2025. We will release sessions from September to December in August 2025:
February
RAYT Foundations
11th February, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Building a programme of work with Company Three
RAYT Forum
25th February, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
with Company Three
March
RAYT Foundations
11th March, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Co-Creation with Young People with 20 Stories High
RAYT Forum
25th March, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
with Prime Theatre
April
RAYT Foundations
8th April, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Fundraising and Finance with 20 Stories High
RAYT Forum
22nd April, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
with Theatre Factory
May
RAYT Foundations
6th May, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Recruiting and Supporting Staff with Company Three
RAYT Forum
20th May, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
with Mortal Fools
If you can’t make it to the Foundations sessions, don’t worry. We will share the recording from the session on the Company Three website.
Please note that all Foundations sessions are open to anyone working in youth theatre – all you need to do is sign up and you will receive more information and a Zoom link a week before the session.
Whereas Forum sessions only have 15 spaces – so you’ll be required to apply by answering a few simple questions. We’ll then curate a space to ensure we have a balance of perspectives, and let you know 1 week before the date if you’ve been allocated a space.
*NPO stands for National Portfolio Organisations, companies which are regularly funded by the Arts Council England.
We are: 20 Stories High, Burnley Youth Theatre, Company Three, Theatre Factory, Mortal Fools, Prime Theatre.