Open Works is a bold celebration of theatre, offering a platform for the most exciting and dynamic artists in South Yorkshire.
With a focus on fresh perspectives and powerful stories, the festival will present world premieres, and original plays that bring unheard stories to the stage.
Committed to supporting artists at every stage of their journey, the festival promises compelling performances, and a chance to experience cutting-edge theatre.
The Open Works Festival will take place between Mon 28 September and Sat 10 October 2026 across the Montgomery Theatre and Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse at Sheffield Theatres.
The festival will feature work from our Associate Companies – Forced Entertainment, Roots Mbili, Stand and Be Counted and The Bare Project – alongside work by LUNG and Swans Productions.
There are four ways for artists to have their work presented as part of Open Works 2026.
Applications for Performance Ready, Work-in-Progress, and Rehearsed Readings are open now until Sun 22 March 2026. Application for Scratch will open this summer.
To support the development of new work in our region we will be running Open Working, a series of workshops focused on making and producing skills.
There will be opportunities for up to 25 people to join Open Working, with participants randomly selected from all eligible submitted applications to all of our Open Works opportunities.
We welcome and encourage applications from artists from backgrounds under-represented in the arts, including but not limited to those who identify as D/deaf and/or disabled, neurodiverse, global majority and/or migrant, and LGBTQ+.
We are proud to be partnering with New Earth Theatre to develop a range of opportunities for British East and Southeast Asian artists as part of Open Works 2026.
We want to create a platform for BESEA artists in our region, so we are allocating slots as part of our Work-in-Progress, Rehearsed Readings, and Scratch opportunities for BESEA artists. In collaboration with New Earth Theatre we will also be offering bespoke mentoring and networking packages for BESEA artists.
New Earth Theatre is the leading and longest-running British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) touring theatre company in the UK. Their mission is to bring nuanced BESEA representation to the widest possible audience.
Primary Play Your Part is a project providing newly commissioned playscripts to primary schools. The brand-new playscripts are written specifically for primary-aged students to perform. Along with a range of supporting online resources and CPD sessions, the project aims to guide primary schools through the process of creating their own in-school productions.
As part of the project, schools will receive:
We will be holding in-person CPD workshops at The Old Vic and online drop-in sessions to support teachers with their productions. A link to sign up to these will be shared once applications are complete.
In-person CPD workshops
Mon 23 Mar, 4.30–6.30pm: how to direct large casts of young actors
Wed 22 Apr, 4.30–6.30pm: how to sustainably design your show
These two-hour workshops will be led by industry professionals and will support schools and teachers to put on a successful show in their school.
Online drop-in sessions
Wed 25 Mar, 4.30–5.30pm: session one
Thu 23 Apr, 4.30–5.30pm: session two
These one-hour drop-in sessions will be led by The Old Vic’s Education Manager, offering help and support to schools and teachers on the programme.
Worcester Theatres are proud to announce an exciting opportunity for 16–21-year-olds to develop skills and gain hands-on experience in the technical theatre industry through the NT Connections Technical Theatre Programme, held at the Swan Theatre in Worcester. Committed to breaking down barriers within the arts industry, Worcester Theatres aim to make careers in theatre more accessible to young and emerging talent across Worcestershire.
The NT Connections Technical Theatre programme is a free opportunity and is ideal for any young person looking to build new skills, get real backstage experience, and learn how theatre really works behind the scenes of a production. The programme will take place over three days on Monday 30 March, Tuesday 31 March and Wednesday 1 April 2026 at the Swan Theatre.
Participants will learn the basics of stage lighting, sound and backstage communication systems, and take part in specialist workshops including lighting programming, sound mixing, flying and rigging, and hands-on sessions using QLab software. They will also gain practical experience with professional technical equipment and provide technical support for productions during the NT Connections Festival 2026 at the Swan Theatre. A £50 travel bursary will be available to support travel costs, and the NT Connections Technical Theatre Programme is funded by the National Theatre.
The NT Connections Technical Theatre programme can be the start of a promising career in the technical theatre industry, as proven by Worcester Theatres’ Theatre Technician, Lewis Carey who took part in the programme back in 2022.
Lewis Carey, Theatre Technician at Worcester Theatres said, “I first took part in the NT Connections Technical Theatre programme four years ago at Worcester Theatres, and got to oversee how a professional theatre puts on multiple shows. After completing my first successful NT Connections technical theatre programme in 2022, I was hired as a Junior Theatre Technician though an apprentice scheme at Worcester Theatres.
I have since been involved in the NT Connections Festivals for the last three years, with last year running all of the lighting programming and designing for the events. The programme gave me a great opportunity to start my career and work with people who have lots of experience in theatre and all aspects of the technical industry.”
A CPD opportunity for teachers to embed drama and creativity into their teaching, through working with a Bristol-based theatre company, Travelling Light.
Want to shake up your physics lesson but need some inspiration? Join Travelling Light on an exploration of how to incorporate more Drama into your classroom. Find out how a team of artists and teachers used arts-based learning to refresh their existing curriculum, whilst supporting pupil oracy, emotional literacy and wellbeing.
Key aims of the session:
Slots available in Bristol (8th Dec), Weston-Super-Mare (9th Dec) or Bath (11th Dec).
Please note, this is for teachers only.
Experience a behind-the scenes tour and interactive sessions throughout the building, with expert advice on career pathways into theatre and live entertainment at one of Bristol's most iconic venues!
Book for either the 4th or 6th November.
This opportunity is part of the West of England Discover! Creative Careers takeover, in collaboration with: Get Into Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Bristol Beacon, St George’s, The Redgrave, Prime Theatre, The Egg Theatre and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Please note, this is for school groups only. Sign up and book via the Discover! Opportunity Finder.
The Bruiser Ambassadors is a youth steering group. Members meet regularly to help develop Bruiser’s education and community engagement programme. The group is open to young people living in Northern Ireland aged 16+
The theme for our summer programme this year is Books and Story Telling!
We will take inspiration from Oscar Wilde’s sparkling comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest. Participants will be encouraged to explore the play’s themes of mistaken identity, love, and social conventions, and use these ideas to create their own performances.
Through lively workshops and creative exploration, they will devise unique theatre pieces that capture Wilde's wit and charm, bringing his timeless satire to life on stage.
Taught by a team of professional facilitators, this course is perfect for those studying Drama/Performing arts for GCSE and A level.
At the end of the week, family and friends will have the opportunity to join us for a sharing of their work, showcased in the Naughton Theatre.
Dates: Monday 18 – Saturday 23 August
Join WEST Youth Zone: Creative Collective
Aged 13-19? Are you interested in scriptwriting, spoken word poetry, performing and acting? Want to brush up on your acting technique, build your confidence and meet new people?
Every Friday from 5-10pm @ WEST Youth Zone White City we are offering dedicated workshops to our ‘Creative Collective’.
Become a member of WEST Youth Zone for just £5 annual membership and 50p per entry, you’ll unlock a place where you can make new friends, dive into 20+ fun activities a night, relax in a chilled space or try something new. You can also enjoy a tasty hot meal for just £1 in our BiteCity Café!
WEST is open to young people aged 8 – 19 (up to 25 with additional needs) from all backgrounds, for all abilities, and all across West London and beyond, so come and join WEST – Where Everyone Sticks Together!
We hope the Studio will be a home for playwrights of all levels of experience, helping us to connect and making a range of opportunities accessible in a joined-up, sustained writing package.
If you become a member of the Studio (it’s completely free!) you can access:
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