The upskilling workshops are part of our brand-new Artist Development Programme, designed to support emerging disabled artists in developing their professional artistic career and practice. Led by leading disability arts organisations, you will have the opportunity to develop skills to grow your artistic practice.
What can I expect from an upskilling workshop?
When and where are the workshops?
Programme:
Monday 7th September 2026, 3-5pm - ‘Creative Leadership: Making Space to Lead’ with Corali
Dancers from Corali will talk about how to enable learning disabled performers take a lead role in creative processes. By exploring Corali’s own methods of making original dance works, they will showcase how learning disabled creatives can grow in confidence and develop as leaders.
Monday 14th September 2026, 3-5pm - Top Tips for Self-Producing with Alison King (Chief Executive, Turtle Key Arts)
Want to understand what a producer does? Learn about the logistics behind setting up your project, budget tips, funding, how to work with a team and a producer, as well as tips on how to self produce at the beginning of your career journey.
Monday 21st September 2026, 3-5pm - ‘Pathways to Developing Disabled Leadership in the Arts’ with Extant
Artistic Director, Dr. Maria Oshodi of Extant, the UK’s longest performing arts company of visually impaired artists, will lead a session on pathways to developing disabled leadership in the arts. Referencing the different methods which Extant has established over the last 30 years, this session will explore the challenges and successes of practical and tested ideas, such as peer academy theatre training, in-house Artistic Director training and organisational dramaturgy; all through an interactive and lively approach.
Monday 28th September 2026, 3-5pm - TBC
Monday 5th October 2026, 3-5pm - 'Presenting Me' with Access All Areas
Access All Areas’ Artistic Director, Nick Llewellyn, and Associate Director, Emma Selwyn, discuss the ideas behind some of Access All Areas’ shows. They explore autobiographical performance-making through videos and practical demonstrations. Workshop participants will reflect on how they can draw on their own experiences, and use these experiences to think through how to develop potential new contemporary shows.
For more information and to sign up, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Applications are now open for Sprint Festival 2027.
FESTIVAL OVERVIEW:
The most intense hit you’ll find, anywhere in the UK, of ambitious new performance: CPT’s annual SPRINT festival is back! Every Spring, we throw open our doors to artists at the very start of their careers making bold and brand new work. (And "early career" hasn't got anything to do with age - whether you're 18 or 108, we want to hear from you). For four weeks, that work populates our stage, twisting theatre into new shapes and fashioning fantastic experiences for audiences.
In years gone by, SPRINT has showcased early work by artists including Sh!t Theatre, Vijay Patel, Liv Ello, Frankie Thompson, Nina Bowers and more. If you’ve got a current, compelling and cutting-edge performance project brewing, one that needs support or a showcase to be its best self, let us know. We’d love to hear from you.
CALLOUT FOR ARTISTS:
The majority of programming slots will be for work that is finished and performance-ready by March 2026. We will also consider works-in-progress and ‘scratch’ performances.
We welcome and encourage applications from artists from a socio-economic background under-represented in the arts; and/or who identify as:
*This includes people of Black Caribbean, Black African, South Asian, East Asian, South East Asian, Middle Eastern, Arab, Latinx, Jewish, Romany and Irish Traveller heritage.
WHAT WE ARE AND AREN'T LOOKING FOR:
We want: Performance the likes of which we’ve never seen before. New shows, new ways of making theatre, new experiences for audiences.
We don’t want: Revivals of classic plays; academic projects; dance (as opposed to dance-theatre). Much as we love all that stuff, it’s not what Sprint exists to support and stage.
WHAT WE PROVIDE:
The CPT arrangement with SPRINT artists is flexible according to the needs of each show, but our default offer in 2027 is:
DEADLINE: Midday 23 September
For more information and to apply, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Fearless. Collaborative. Powered by young voices. Generator is ThickSkin’s ambitious company for young professional theatre makers, designed to launch the next generation of fearless talent.
The Generator Company will create a brand-new piece of theatre — devised from the ground up, in collaboration with our Artistic Director. Developed and performed at our studio in the heart of Wigan, this show will spotlight raw talent, local stories, and ThickSkin’s trademark visual and physical style.
Sign up to our open auditions for this paid opportunity to perform in ThickSkin’s Generator Company.
Places are allocated on first come first served basis until full.
ThickSkin is looking for ten talented young performers aged 18-25 to join our Generator Company next Spring. Over two intensive weeks in Wigan, you’ll create and perform a brand-new theatre piece, while fully immersing yourself in our innovative creative process.
KEY INFO:
DEADLINE: 17 Nov 2026
For more information and to apply, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Write Night is a series of monthly sessions for anyone interested in writing for the stage.
Sessions are on the first Wednesday evening of every month, run by Soho Theatre’s own iconic Bombay-born, London-based Creative Associate Pooja Sivaraman (Clean Break, Theatre503, Coney) and award winning Walthamstow playwright Sonali Bhattacharyya (Bristol Old Vic, Young Vic, Chichester Festival Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, BBC)
Whether you’re a total beginner or a more experienced writer, Write Night is open to everyone!
Each session will be organised around a theme and you can book them as standalone sessions, or you can book the whole lot! Totally up to you.
SESSIONS:
Wed 2 Sep 7pm-9pm: Adaptation
A workshop all about adapting existing materials into a new play, from novels to films to documentary and verbatim.
Wed 7 Oct 7pm-9pm: Performing Activism
A workshop looking at how theatre troupes around the world use the stage as a medium of protest. What are the tools to keep in hand when you’re writing about something that makes you angry?
Wed 4 Nov 7pm-9pm: Rap, Rhyme and Musical theatre
A workshop all about how to write lyrics and rhyme for musicals and gig theatre
Wed 2 Dec 7pm-9pm: Writing is Rewriting
A workshop on the redrafting process and how to crack pivotal scenes
There will be teaching, writing exercises and discussion (not to mention tea and biscuits). If any or all of the above sessions sound interesting to you, we’d love for you to pop by and try it out.
If you have any questions at all, email us at engagement@sohotheatre.com – we’re happy to help.
For more information and to book, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Want to do more creative freelancing work, but not sure where to begin?
Why not book in a 1 hour 121 with our team to receive personalised support? Maybe you need some support navigating HMRC and self-assessment or would like some pointers on how to organise yourself as a freelancer - get in touch, let us know how we can help and book in a 1 hour 121.
KEY INFORMATION:
Artsadmin offers free one‑to‑one micro‑mentoring for UK‑based artists, producers and creatives working in contemporary performance, socially engaged and live art practice at any career stage.
Creative Support Sessions are friendly, one-to-one conversations with a member of Artsadmin’s team where you can explore your ideas, develop projects, and talk through any professional questions. They are informal, confidential, and tailored to your needs.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Sessions usually last 45–60 minutes and each artist can access one free session per year. You can use a session to:
Sessions can be delivered either online via Microsoft Teams or in person at Toynbee Studios in East London, subject to staff availability. We can provide closed captions for online sessions. We aim to make these sessions as accessible as possible. Let us know your access requirements when booking, and we will work with you to support your needs.
WHO IS IT FOR?
Creative Support sessions are for artists, producers, and creatives working across contemporary performance, interdisciplinary arts, and socially engaged practice. We work with people at every stage of their careers, offering practical guidance, space to reflect, and opportunities to develop sustainable creative practices.
For more information and to book, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Interested in creative writing for performance? Our monthly Writers Drop In is a flexible space to learn, experiment, and develop your creative voice. Every month, we switch things up to explore a completely different style of writing. You will try your hand at everything from scriptwriting for stage and screen to contemporary poetry and spoken word.
Full line-up details for each specific session will be announced closer to the dates, but each workshop follows the same open format. This is the perfect space to gather inspiration, play with fresh concepts, and test out ideas without a massive long-term commitment.
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN:
WHO IT'S FOR:
This workshop is for anyone aged 18–25 interested in creative writing for different performance platforms. All experience levels are welcome, whether you are just starting out or already writing, and want to explore different types of writing.
HOW TO JOIN:
ESSENTIAL INFO:
For more information and to sign up, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Want to feel completely connected to your physicality on stage? Explore how movement works as a powerful storytelling tool in contemporary performance. Whether you are an actor, dancer, or poet, this project will unlock your full physical confidence.
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN:
WHO IT'S FOR:
ESSENTIAL INFO:
For more information and to sign up, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Explore where physical skills meet contemporary storytelling in the exciting world of circus theatre.
Whether your background is in theatre, dance, circus or cabaret, expand your creative toolkit, discover how to build imaginative narratives, and collaborate with other performance makers to create something entirely new.
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN:
WHO IT'S FOR:
ESSENTIAL INFO:
For more information and to sign up, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Looking to hone your stage skills? Whether you’re interested in acting, dancing, or just performing on stage, this weekly Theatre Drop-In gives you space to stay creative, build confidence, and explore new approaches to performance.
Each session offers a fresh focus, from improv and ensemble work to devising and cabaret. Led by experienced facilitators who’ll help you experiment, play, and develop your craft in a supportive, relaxed environment. You can join every week or drop in whenever you can – each session stands alone.
WHAT DO I GET BY TAKING PART?
WHO IS TEACHING THE PROJECT?
Phao May is a Movement Director, Director, Choreographer and Facilitator, working across stage and screen in London. She attained a foundation in Acting from RADA in 2014, and later an MA in Movement Directing and Teaching from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2022. She has collaborated with Soho Theatre, The Bush, and National Youth Theatre and created work for Edinburgh Fringe and The Vaults. Her creative work spans plays, devised work, commercials, music videos and live comedy, working with trained actors and musicians, community groups and comedians.
Isaac Jordan is a theatre director, writer and facilitator. His work focuses on the intersection of community heritage, theatre and storytelling: exploring ways to celebrate and strengthen everyday communities. As well as working with the Roundhouse, he has collaborated with organisations including the Natural History Museum, SPID Theatre, the Pink Singers, UCL, Half Moon Theatre and Richmond Theatre.
Plus guests! We will also have guest tutors for some sessions who will bring their expertise from different elements of theatre and performance.
DO I NEED ANY PARTICULAR SKILLS OR EXPERIENCE TO TAKE PART?
You don’t need any specific skills, but this will be most relevant to people who have done at least a bit of theatre or dance before. Open to all levels – we welcome back people who have attended previous terms.
HOW TO JOIN:
This is a drop in session, just come to the front desk of Roundhouse Studios and pay £2 on arrival. It’s first come first serve with limited spaces so we ask that you arrive fifteen minutes before the start time at the latest to sign in. Latecomers will be admitted only if there is space.
ESSENTIAL INFO:
For more information and to sign up, click the Opportunity Info link below!
