We are a fearless collective of disabled and non-disabled musicians: a platform that pushes the boundaries of music-making to create art with passion and purpose.
With a diverse ensemble led by the remarkable vision of our artistic director Charles Hazlewood, our performances are a fusion of emotion, innovation, and intrepid artistry. Behind the scenes, we focus on developing careers, building confidence, and fostering collaboration to inspire a fierce ambition and excellence that matches our artistic programme.
About Play with Paraorchestra
Play with Paraorchestra is an opportunity for young musicians, who identify as disabled, have special educational needs, or have access requirements to experience playing on a Paraorchestra project. Over the course of a two-day workshop in October 2026 a small group of young musicians will explore a range of musical styles, with a blend of acoustic and electronic sound worlds, working alongside professional Paraorchestra musicians.
Play with Paraorchestra is a creatively ambitious project for young musicians. It offers the same exciting, collaborative, person-centred way of working as on all Paraorchestra shows, this time for young musicians aged 12 - 17 who are considering a career in music.
All participants on the project must attend with a parent, guardian or carer.
Are you, or is someone you know, a talented, adventurous young musician who wants to experience playing with Paraorchestra? We are looking for six young musicians who either identify as disabled, have special educational needs, or access requirements, and can thrive working in a collaborative environment. They must demonstrate a creative spark, a passion and commitment to playing live music.
You don’t need to formally identify as disabled, for example you might be Deaf or have a hearing impairment, or you might be Autistic or be neurodivergent. At Paraorchestra we don’t work with musicians on the basis of a formal diagnosis, we use the Social Model of Disability to guide our work.
If you are a musician aged 12 - 17, considering a career in the music sector, who has access requirements or works best in an environment with additional support in place then Play with Paraorchestra is for you.
Young musicians applying for this opportunity should be playing at a Grade 5 standard (or equivalent) in musical ability, theoretical understanding, and technical capability. Participants do not need to have achieved a formal Grade 5 qualification to apply for Play with Paraorchestra. We are using the Grade 5 level of musicianship as a guide for young musicians to emphasise the level of musical skill we are looking for from the participants taking part in this project.
Play with Paraorchestra is our version of a ‘side-by-side’ project, where participants will have the opportunity to sit next to professional Paraorchestra musicians and work through set repertoire in a workshop format. The activity itself will be led by Paraorchestra Assistant Music Directors Siobhan Clough and Rylan Gleave. Paraorchestra Artistic Director Charles Hazlewood will lead a session during the two days. The project will culminate in a sharing on the second day for a small invited audience.
This will be an opportunity for young musicians to experience Paraorchestra’s creatively ambitious work and person-centred approach to access, exploring new commissions alongside pre-existing repertoire. The chosen pieces will be arranged in an open score format, meaning that whatever instrument you might play, whether that be an acoustic orchestral instrument or a more modern electronic instrument, there will be a part that works for you and the level that you are playing at.
Over the course of the two days, we will explore a commission written by Liam Taylor-West, a reimagined version of Straylight by Rylan Gleave (first performed by Paraorchestra during The Anatomy of the Orchestra - Drone Refractions, 2024) and some warm up pieces from the CoMA open score repertoire list. All parts will range in difficulty, with some parts being easier to play than others. Part selection and distribution will be made by our Assistant Music Directors to suit the musicians selected with their instrument and musical capabilities in mind.
Successful candidates invited to take part in Play with Paraorchestra will be asked to:
During the Play with Paraorchestra in-person workshops each day will involve:
To apply to take part in Play with Paraorchestra you will need to complete a short application form. This can either be typed or answered with recorded or filmed responses. The application form questions are listed below so you can plan your answers. Each answer has a suggested word limit of 300 words or 2.5 minutes speaking time.
The Play with Paraorchestra application form can be found here.
If you are applying with a video application, please fill out your main details on the application form (https://forms.gle/hVmrJA2SSKrdyiddA) and include a link to your video application in the space provided.
You can share your video in any of the following ways:
We will then shortlist the applications and invite a small number of young musicians to take part in Play with Paraorchestra with us.
Please note the capacity for participants on this project is small, six young musicians, this is to ensure we can deliver this creatively ambitious project with the level of access and person-centred support that is central to our way of working on all Paraorchestra projects. We anticipate we will get more applications that we have spaces for and so unfortunately not everyone who applies will be offered a place on the project. We recognise this can be disheartening, but where possible we will try and provide some feedback on applications and signpost you to alternative opportunities for young musicians.
With school holidays offering many young people the opportunity to take part in creative activities, it’s often a time when interests grow, and future ambitions begin to take shape.
Whether a young person is already engaged in the arts or just starting to explore, there are many different pathways into a career in the creative industries. However, for many families, these routes can feel unclear or uncertain.
Recent research from Netflix and the National Youth Theatre found that 89% of parents from working-class backgrounds would be unlikely to encourage their child to pursue a career in the creative industries. Building understanding and confidence among parents and carers is an important step in helping more young people feel supported in exploring these opportunities.
Parents Unscripted is a new series from Discover! Creative Careers, created in collaboration with organisations across the creative industries. The series shares the perspectives of parents whose children now work in the sector, offering honest reflections on their journeys.
We’re proud to have collaborated on one of the films in the series, developed alongside Discover! Creative Careers and the National Theatre. In this film, Angela Jumbo, mother of actor and playwright Cush Jumbo, reflects on her child’s journey into the industry and shares her perspective as a parent.
You can watch the other films in the series here!
We know that when parents and carers feel more confident about creative careers, it can make a real difference to a young person’s ability to pursue them.
By sharing these stories, Parents Unscripted aims to open up conversations, challenge misconceptions, and highlight the many routes available across the creative industries.
We encourage teachers, industry professionals and partners to share these films with their networks, whether through newsletters, social media, or conversations with young people and their families.
Helping more families understand the opportunities available in the creative industries is a vital step in supporting the next generation of talent.
Find out more about Discover! Creative Careers here.
Find out more about the National Theatre Skills Centre here.
Work experience offers practical, hands-on insight into the theatre industry, helping you build skills, confidence, and a clearer understanding of different career pathways. It’s an ideal first step when exploring a future in theatre. As an initial step, we recommend getting in contact with your local theatre to see if they offer any work experience opportunities.
While many people associate theatre careers with performing, there are a huge number of offstage roles that make productions possible. From stage management and lighting to marketing, producing, costume, sound, and technical theatre, work experience allows you to explore these departments and discover which areas interest you most. Taking part in work experience placements can provide a range of valuable benefits, including:
Understanding How Theatres Work:
Working within a theatre environment allows you to see how different departments collaborate to bring a production to life. This perspective is incredibly valuable if you're considering a career in the sector.
Developing Practical Theatre Skills:
Work experience often gives you the chance to assist with real tasks, whether that’s supporting technical teams, observing rehearsals, helping front-of-house teams, or working with marketing and administration departments.
Building Confidence and Professional Skills:
Being part of a professional environment helps you develop communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills that are essential across the creative industries.
Making Connections in the Theatre Industry:
The theatre industry is highly collaborative. Work experience placements can introduce you to professionals working in the field and help you begin building a network within the industry.
Strengthening Future Applications:
Whether you're applying for drama school, university courses, apprenticeships, or entry-level roles, work experience demonstrates enthusiasm, initiative, and commitment to the sector.
Many theatres and arts organisations across the UK offer work experience placements, shadowing opportunities, and youth programmes. Availability and application processes vary, but the following organisations regularly provide opportunities for young people interested in theatre careers:
London
South of England
Midlands
North of England
North of England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
You may also want to check the websites of theatres local to you, as many venues offer placements throughout the year or during school holidays.
Work experience is one of the most valuable ways to begin exploring opportunities in theatre. It provides a clearer understanding of how productions are created and how different departments work together behind the scenes.
Whether your interests lie in technical theatre, production, stage management, marketing, or theatre administration, gaining offstage experience is an excellent way to start your journey in the industry.
A paid summer work and cultural exchange opportunity for creatives aged 18+.
Camp America offers a paid summer opportunity to live and work at an American summer camp for 9–12 weeks, with performing arts and creative roles available across camps in the USA. This is more than just work experience - it’s a chance to use your creative skills while living the full summer camp life!
Creatives from all backgrounds are placed in roles where they can teach, lead and inspire young people through acting, singing, dance, music, technical theatre and production, while also being part of a wider camp community. Alongside your role, you’ll take part in classic camp activities, build international friendships and experience everyday life in the USA. While we work with specialist theatre and performing arts camps, performing arts roles are available across many different camps, not just specialist ones.
This opportunity is ideal for those who:
Camps generally run from mid-Jun to mid-August – but this can vary by camp and location.
Are you interested in a career at sea and willing to live and work onboard a Disney Cruise Line vessel?
Excellent Recruitment are currently recruiting for the position of Youth Activities Counselor for Disney Cruise Line.
As a Youth Activities Counselor you will interact and supervise children ages 3-17 year old by providing a safe and entertaining environment in their Youth Activities spaces onboard their ships & paradise locations. You will need to be flexible with your work schedule, job tasks, and work locations as you start your new adventure in the Youth Activities department. You will also work in partnership with their Entertainment Host team, by providing program support to ensure all department and shipboard goals are met.
How to Apply:
The brand-new series of In Dialogue - the podcast for emerging artists, is now here. Whether you’re an aspiring theatre-maker, performer, writer, director or producer, then this one’s for you.
Across four episodes, these five artists dive into topics like nailing your audition, building creative partnerships, touring as a performer and producing autobiographical work.
If you're looking to elevate your creativity and your career, make sure to tune in – this is one series you won’t want to miss!
First episode is now available to stream, search Scottish Youth Theatre wherever you get your podcasts or use the link in the bio to listen now.
Guildhall School of Music & Drama’s Backstage Roadshow will take a series of FREE backstage skills workshops directly into UK state schools, introducing children and young people to the variety of creative pathways and career opportunities that exist within theatre, live events, television and film.
Led by industry professionals and designed by the School’s Production Arts staff, the Backstage Roadshow will take professional equipment into schools to provide a crucial insight into one of the UK’s fastest growing sectors and inspire young people to train and work in the creative industries.
Our team will also be offering full technical support to two primary school productions each year, bringing our lighting, sound, and stage management equipment, along with staff to help run your show.
How it works
The Backstage Roadshow will run for the Academic Years of 2024/25 and 2025/26, with support offered for one Primary School production in December and one in June or July.
What do we bring to your school?
For workshops, please complete your expression of interest via this form.
Shortlisted schools will be contacted for an online meeting to discuss the options, prior to a site-visit being arranged ahead of any firm offer for the Backstage Roadshow to visit.
Primary schools, please register here.
Join one of RADA’s upcoming Open Days for an inside look at our Foundation Degree in Technical Theatre and Stage Management.
You’ll have the opportunity to meet our students and staff, explore our training spaces, visit technical departments, and find out more about life at RADA including funding, student support, and career pathways.
Open Days 2025-2026:
At RADA, we enable exceptional technicians, managers, designers and makers to thrive through world-leading, industry-focused training that blends hands-on experience with professional practice.
Whether you’re exploring lighting, sound, props, scenic art, or stage management, our open days are the perfect chance to discover how RADA can help you become a highly skilled and creative theatre-maker.
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!
