Are you interested in exploring set and costume design for the stage? Are you aged between 16 and 19? Then our free seven-week course Introduction to Stage Design could be for you!

In weekly sessions you will:

• take part in a variety of workshops and masterclasses gaining practical hands-on experience in the art of design for the stage.
• explore and develop your skills and understanding of the creative process, including the interrelated disciplines of prop making, working at scale, model making, costume as well as the stage designers’ relationship with other creatives and artists.

The course will culminate in an exhibition opening in our Wolfson Gallery at the National Theatre on 7 April 2026 (time to be confirmed). The exhibition will be open to the general public from Wednesday 8 April to June 2026.

The course is free to take part in and takes place at the National Theatre, on London’s South Bank. Access support and travel bursaries are available to those in the Greater London area.

Who is this course for?

• The course is suitable for anyone interested in art, painting, design, craft, making or fashion.
• No formal training is required but you may have undertaken a GCSE, A Level, BTEC or other qualification in Art, Design, Graphics, Fashion, Textiles or CDT.
• This opportunity takes place at the National Theatre on the South Bank in London, and therefore we aim to offer and prioritise places to those based in London, or who can travel to London easily and safely throughout the programme.

This course is not suitable for anyone who is currently enrolled on or who has completed an art foundation or undergraduate art degree.

We are committed to diversity and access by prioritising engaging young people that we recognise are currently underrepresented in stage design:

• Young people who identify as trans and/or non-binary
• Young people from the Global Majority
• Young people from working class backgrounds
• Young people who identify as D/deaf or disabled

Applications for SYC 2026 are now open!

Storyhouse Young Company (SYC) is a FREE acting training programme for 18–25-year-olds who are interested in performing.

SYC is a 2-phased programme offering 16 weekly training sessions of practical workshop and masterclasses with professional artists. Followed by an intensive 4 week rehearsal and production period with a leading professional director.

SYC is designed to give you the opportunity to develop your theatre and performance skills. You will be supported by a team of professional artists with a wealth of experience in the industry to make a show to be presented in our theatre spaces.

When do sessions happen?
The programme will start in January 2026 with weekly training sessions every Tuesday evening. The 4-Week Rehearsal phase will begin in May with rehearsals happening every night (Monday-Friday).

Do I need to have experience?
You do not need to have experience to apply. SYC is a training programme and an opportunity to gain performance skills and experience.

How many people do you recruit to SYC?
We recruit between 13-16 young people per year to join SYC.

Application Process
Auditions will be on Monday 15 & Tuesday 16 December 2025.

Are you curious about how theatre really works behind the scenes? Interested in lighting, sound, video and automation? Are you aged between 14 and 18? Then our free technical theatre programme could be for you!

Nationwide Young Technicians offers an exciting opportunity to:

• Develop technical skills
• Discover routes into the industry
• Learn from top industry professionals about sound, lighting and stages

You do not need theatre or technical experience to join our Nationwide Young Technicians programme, just be curious about what goes on behind the scenes.

In weekly online Zoom workshops you will be introduced to the basics of technical theatre through demonstrations and practical activities.

This project is free to take part in.and runs on Tuesday evenings, 5pm - 8pm from Tuesday 13 January 2026 to Tuesday 24 March 2026. In order to apply you must be able to attend all of the sessions.

Who is this course for?

• You could be interested in theatre and don’t want to be on stage but are curious about what goes on backstage
• You might be thinking about a career in technical theatre
• You love sound tech, are interested in electrical engineering, editing, mixing, gaming, architecture, design and want to know more about how this works on stage
• You could be at school, college, in work, or not in education – everyone is welcome
• Places on this course are prioritised for those who live outside of London or are not able to access our in-person course. Applications for Young Technicians (our in-person course) will open in summer 2026.

We are committed to diversity and access by prioritising engaging young people that we recognise are currently underrepresented in technical theatre:

• Young people who identify as women and girls
• Young people who identify as trans and/or non-binary
• Young people from the Global Majority
• Young people from working class backgrounds
• Young people who identify as D/deaf or disabled

There are up to 50 places available on the course, priority will be given to those who show a passion for theatre and interest in backstage, especially those that identify with any of the underrepresented groups in the industry.

Are you aged 21-25? Do you live, work or study in Lambeth or Southwark? Are you interested in leadership within the Theatre industry?

If this sounds like something you are interested in, the application form to join our Artistic Leadership Lab is now LIVE! 

This five-week programme is designed for young people aged 21-25 who are passionate about theatre and keen to develop as future leaders. Focusing on leadership in the arts, participants will explore the core skills required to lead effectively, discover their own strengths and leadership style, and learn how to communicate and deliver a creative vision. Participants will gain practical insight into the steps involved in turning artistic ideas into reality whilst receiving 1-1 mentoring and the opportunity to pitch an idea to industry professionals.

On our programme you will: 

• Build your artistic confidence and develop core leadership skills essential for leading effectively within the arts and creative industries. Discover your personal leadership style, gaining confidence in your strengths and identifying areas for growth. 
• Learn how to articulate and deliver a creative vision, from concept to realisation. 
• Receive 1-to-1 mentoring throughout the programme 
• The opportunity to pitch an idea to industry professionals, gaining practical insight and feedback from experienced theatre leaders. 

Please see below the key dates to take part in this programme:

Wednesday 14th January 2026 – 18:00-20:30 
Wednesday 21st January 2026 – 18:00-20:30 
Wednesday 28th January 2026 – 11:00-16:00 
Wednesday 4th February 2026 – 18:00-20:30 
Wednesday 11th February 2026 – 11:00-16:00 

A travel bursary is available for this programme. 

Sustaining a freelance career in the creative industries means more than just talent, it’s about knowing how to navigate an ever-changing sector, where to find opportunities, and how to turn ideas into income. That’s where our fully funded Skills Bootcamp comes in.

Over several weeks, you’ll gain the insight, confidence, and practical tools to strengthen your business foundations and build a more resilient freelance practice. Designed specifically for creative freelancers, this programme helps you develop the skills, mindset, and strategies to thrive, not just survive.

Key Information:

Dates: Monday 12th Jan, Wednesdays 21st - 11th Feb, then half term break followed by Wednesday 25th Feb - 18th March

Duration: 1 day a week for 9 weeks, 10am to 5pm (with breaks)

Venue: Central Bristol, TBC

Full Fee: Free

Level: Level 4

• The training will be mostly in person, with online support from your tutor and the MUTI team outside of this.
• This is a level 4 course based on IfATE accredited occupational standards, the aim is that you gain new skills, understanding of the sector and support into new work. 
• Aimed at early or mid career Freelancers working in the Creative Industries, by completing this program you will be well-prepared for sustainable employment opportunities in the industry.

Clean Break’s Creative Facilitation training focuses on using theatre practices to safely bring creativity into women only groups and spaces.

Participants will gain the tools they need to deliver theatre workshops with people who have experienced trauma, or to bring creative interventions to their group work or 1-to-1 sessions with clients.

Benefits of the training session

Clean Break’s Creative Facilitation training focuses on using theatre practices to safely bring creativity into women only groups and spaces.

Participants will gain the tools they need to deliver theatre workshops with people who have experienced trauma, or to bring creative interventions to their group work or 1-to-1 sessions with clients.

Who is this training for?

This one-day training is for anyone who works with, or is interested in working with people in challenging or vulnerable circumstances, and wants to safely bring creativity into their practice. You could be a groupworker, facilitator, theatre maker, or frontline practitioner of any kind.

What the training covers

Through a mixture of interactive exercises, group work and discussion, our Creative Facilitation training provides participants with the space to build their confidence as facilitators and develop a rich toolkit to improve their practice. This session covers:

• Clean Break’s approach: Understand the foundational principles that drive Clean Break’s work.
• Safer Spaces: Develop your approach to holding spaces from Clean Break’s trauma-informed practice.
• Boundary Setting: Learn effective techniques for setting and maintaining boundaries.
• Inclusive practice: Build an anti-oppressive framework for holding women-only spaces.
• Challenging Situations: Develop and rehearse the skills to navigate challenging situations with women in vulnerable circumstances.
• Unlocking Potential: Explore transformative creative exercises designed to support women in reaching their full potential.

Why Clean Break

For over four decades, Clean Break has been working creatively with women with lived experience of the criminal justice system or who are at risk of entering it. The only organisation of its kind, we use tools from the world of theatre to help women build confidence, self-esteem and gain new skills.

Our work in the theatre, criminal justice and women’s sectors gives us a valuable and unique perspective on the power creativity holds to change lives, when practiced safely by trained facilitators.

Seed funded performance opportunity for artists of any discipline, at no cost to the artist with 100% of Box Office split in your favour!

Do you have an idea or work-in-progress that would benefit from £200 seed funding, production support and 2 free performances with 100% of the box office split going to you? Now's your chance to take part in our early-career development programme to receive the live feedback you need to take your project to the next level...

We are now calling out for artists to take part in our Summer season of SHIFT+SPACE, running from 13th February until the 18th April 2026. SHIFT+SPACE is a free performance opportunity in our central London venue, with 100% of Box Office retained by artists, plus seed funding, in-kind rehearsal space and marketing support, all of which is designed to encourage artists to get live audience feedback at an early stage of creating new work.

We are particularly keen to hear from companies that are led by Black, Asian, and/or Global Majority artists, Disabled or Deaf artists, Working Class artists, and/or trans artists.

Previous SHIFT + SPACE artists include theatrical new writing readings, drag/character comedy, shadow puppetry, dance and performance art, sound installations and more! What makes our programming different from other work-in-progress festivals is our unique feedback model - where you receive feedback on your first showing and you are encouraged to use your second showing to try out a shifted version the following day.

Delve deep into the Gonsalves Method - a Meisner inspired acting approach. Add effective and speedy character discovery to your toolkit, experience continuous presence and attention and learn how to make the most out of your impulses and senses.

An opportunity for actors to revisit their training and keep warm.

Running weekly every Tuesday evening - Nov 4, Nov 11, Nov 18, Nov 25, Dec 2, Dec 9 at 7pm-9pm.

LOCATION

Moya Jane Productions:

Studio 104, Platform Studios (West), 107-117 Morning Ln,

London E9 6ND

PRICE

£8.50 per session OR

£46 all Labs access

12 weeks of workshops covering basic acting techniques, scene study, auditioning/ self-taping, career development and more, taught by working industry professionals!

This is an online acting course for beginner/intermediate level actors.

The actors in the course will have the opportunity to learn from working and professional actors, agents, directors and casting directors from London and Hollywood. The curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the industry, including acting techniques/casting sessions, scene study, auditioning and self-taping, voice work (covering accents and voice techniques) and career development. The course is suitable for international students as it will be conducted online via Zoom.

At the end of the course, students will have gained a solid foundation in acting techniques, an understanding of the industry, and the skills and confidence needed to pursue a career in acting. Additionally, students will finish the course with an online showcase to industry guests – directors/agents/casting Directors and producers including agency RS talent and film producer Alex Fidelski.

Students will receive access to our online Actors Gym Membership, where they can practice their craft in between classes online (at home) develop their self-tape technique and complete the self-tape course and then upload practice self-tapes, and network with other actors and industry professionals.

Quick-fire scratch nights for adventurous new writing in theatre and performance! The Scrap is an open-access night for writers, actors and directors to try out new ideas, meet one another, and showcase their work in front of an audience. Live music, good drinks, and cool new theatre.

Here we're looking for companies or ensembles to present a short work or excerpt from a piece they've been developing independently - usually about 25 minutes, max 30. These would be pieces that already have a team attached, and which have undergone development, rehearsal, and more thorough preparation. We usually programme one or two scratches per Scrap.

We're looking for work (or an excerpt) that is 20 - 30 minutes in length, that has a team already attached, and has undergone some previous workshopping (but which hasn't received a full-scale production).

We try to place no strictures on form, content, genre, team or style for our scratches: absolute minimal gatekeeping. All we ask is that you be adventurous and try something new!