The Rep's acclaimed artist development programme, Foundry, is back - with a bold new focus!
You asked, we listened – and have reimagined Foundry in a way that provides deeper support for writers in the region, putting the craft of playwrighting at the heart of a new generation of writers ready to make their mark.
This year, we are placing writers centre stage. Over 12 months, Foundry will champion, nurture and support three emerging playwrights from the West Midlands – artists with distinctive voices that are underrepresented in the industry, whose stories need the space and time to grow.
Whether it’s shaping your first full-length play or refining your process, Foundry is here to help you sharpen your craft and write with confidence.
In addition, Foundry will provide a unique deep dive into what it really takes to bring your work from idea to page and prepare for the stage. The three selected writers will gain inside access to the Rep – the largest producing theatre in the West Midlands – and learn about the producing process, as well as how they can shape their stories for regional audiences and beyond.
You will work closely with the Rep’s artistic team, receiving one-to-one dramaturgical support, practical writing workshops, and dedicated time to explore, develop, and write. At the end of the Foundry process, there will be a rehearsed reading of your work, as well as guidance on writing a funding application if you wish to take your work further after the 12 months.
Foundry is designed not only to support you with writing a script but also to help equip you, the writer, with the tools and knowledge to navigate the theatre sector. You will receive exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Rep-produced productions, gaining insight into how work is developed, as well as access to workshops across various departments, including marketing, producing, creative learning, artistic, and more. Industry masterclasses will provide you with practical advice on navigating the sector, pitching your work with confidence and clarity, and how to build and shape a career that is sustainable.
As a Foundry Artist, you will receive:
Are you passionate about creating characters, worlds and scenes? Do you have a big idea for a theatre script but don’t know how to go about it? Would you like guidance on script writing and storytelling from leading industry professionals?
Script School is a 3-month theatre writing programme for young people aged 19-30* in London who are unemployed or underemployed, and not in education, and do not have a GCSE, A Level or foundation/degree in Drama and performing arts.
Script School is a Level 2, 3-month theatre writing course, run by National Youth Theatre in partnership with UCG (United Colleges Group). Participants work to gain an OCN London Region Level 2 Extended Certificate in Theatre Writing and Storytelling.
Places are available to both NYT members and non-members.
If you have experienced physical, systemic, or attitudinal barriers to accessing the arts, you can extend your opportunity to take part in NYT opportunities including Script School
Examples of people who may have faced barriers to accessing the arts include disabled people, care leavers, young carers, asylum seekers/refugees, people with experience of homelessness, people with experience of the criminal justice system.
NYT has a broad understanding of disability which includes those who are: neurodiverse, chronically ill, have a learning disability, a mental health condition or who are at higher risk from COVID. You might not have thought of yourself as disabled before, but if you experience barriers because of how your body or mind works, you can apply for a membership extension.
The Course will run from the week commencing 23rd February 2026 until the week ending 29th May 2026.
Lessons will be every Monday and Tuesday in person at National Youth Theatre. The hours for these lessons will be 10:30 AM-4:30 PM. There will also be a shorter online Zoom session that will be every Thursday from 5:30 PM-7PM.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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!
Stretch your creative muscles and split in groups, collaboratively (and friendly competitively) work on devising and adapting ideas from stimulus such as articles, published literature, sound and photography, culminating in a sharing at the end of the session. Led by Artistic Directors of StageBase, Eleanor Willis and Gabriela Chanova
Based in London; Moya Jane Studios E9 6ND
Session time from 7pm-9pm on November 4th
More sessions every Tuesday 7-9pm until the 9th of December and get all 6 sessions for £46 with the link below!
Polka’s Catapult Programme consists of two seed funding strands, which are designed to platform underrepresented Artists and to help bring brand new ideas and concepts to life. Both programmes are open to Artists at any stage of their career, and from any creative discipline.
The TYA sector is currently significantly underrepresented with work from artists from the Global Majority, who identify as disabled, LGBTQ+, or who come from a lower socio-economic background. There is also a real need to identify brand new stories for children – those not adapted from books, tv shows or films or western fairy tales. We are looking for artists who can address these gaps, with the very best innovative new ideas for children’s theatre.
First Steps: For brand new ideas for audiences of 0-6 years
Next Steps: For taking that first draft or second R&D to the next stage for audiences of 0-12 years
Both strands offer mentoring, training, free rehearsal space, scratch performance opportunities and tickets to Polka productions.
