Calling all South West-based early-career or aspiring freelance theatre makers!

Wondering how and when you pay your tax, or how to claim back expenses? If you are a freelancer based in South Gloucestershire, Bath or North & East Somerset, check out this free course on how to navigate this essential part of being self-employed.

Overview:

A practical guide for self employed people who need to do a tax return.

This event is only available and is free for small businesses, sole traders and residents based in South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset.

This workshop aims to help you feel more confident about how to declare your business earnings on a tax return.

What will I learn?

Please note: this is a group business education class about how to manage your business reporting for tax purposes, to either assist you to be able to do your own tax return or else help you get your business figures ready to give to a third party / accountant so that they can do it for you. You will not receive individual accountancy advice; this is also not a tax return completion service. Whilst we will do our best to help you in the time available, after the course, you will remain responsible for completing your own tax return by the deadline and for the accuracy of your own figures submitted to HMRC.

Who should attend:

This course is primarily aimed at those currently registered as self employed with HMRC, and who need to complete their 24-25 tax return. The very newly self employed who will be due to complete their 25-26 tax return from April 2026 onwards would also benefit.

The workshop will be particularly suitable for people on lower incomes who may be unable to afford to hire an accountant and so need to manage their own tax reporting. Even if you believe no income tax will be due as you are on a very low income, for people on means tested benefits, the level of profit declared can affect the amount of benefits you receive, so it is still important to know how to work out your figures accurately.

Are you aged 16-30 and interested in an exciting volunteer position at a leading theatre, where you can meet new people and gain new skills? 

At CFT, we're committed to offering affordable tickets to world-class theatre and to reaching and growing younger audiences. As a Prologue Ambassador, you’ll help spread the word about our free Prologue scheme that gives 16-30s access to affordable tickets for shows at CFT. 

If you are interested in developing your skills and understanding of marketing and watching more theatre in 2026, this is the perfect opportunity for you!

Start date: February 2026

Interview dates: Group interview on Tuesday 20 Jan 2026

Learn to create Hair, Wigs, Makeup & Prosthetics for Film and TV.

What you'll do on the course:

Course details:

This course is based in London but open to people across the UK.

Course Overview: 
 
Study takes place over three years at Midlands Academy of Dance & Drama, Richmond House, Nottingham City Centre. Students work in small classes and receive direct teaching time each week.
 
The course is delivered through classes, projects, workshops and performance opportunities. During the course students engage in a range of performance projects.
 
In the second year, skills are further explored in collaboration classes which include peer integration and team teaching to enhance your creativity and help you to make connections between subjects.
 
Additionally, there is time given to focus on detail and help develop independence and confidence in each individual’s practice. (Course content is subject to change).
 
This degree program will be structured to provide students with real-world skills, such as acting, singing, dancing, choreography, production, and stage management, all underpinned by a strong academic foundation in musical theatre history, theory, and analysis. Graduates of the program will be fully equipped to enter the workforce as versatile, multi-talented professionals prepared to work in theatre, film, television, and other performing arts sectors.
 
Students will have the unique opportunity to work on live productions, attend masterclasses with industry professionals, and engage in collaborative projects that reflect the dynamic nature of the musical theatre industry. The combination of academic study and practical experience ensures that students graduate not only with a degree but with a portfolio of work and professional skills that can be immediately applied in their careers. Both institutions are dedicated to producing highly skilled professionals who are not only artistically capable but also possess a strong theoretical understanding of the industry.

Future Leaders leadership booster for 19-26 year olds interested in off-stage and management roles.

Connect with UK theatre and dance leaders to explore your next step in theatre management, festivals, events producing and administration.

Running in February to June 2026, FUTURE LEADERS features Insight Visits to 3 regional theatres plus bite-sized online skills workshops, mentoring and meetings with industry experts.

Open to anyone aged 19-26. Future Leaders is free, flexible and designed to fit around work or study commitments. Travel bursaries and access costs available. Half of the places will be offered to people from underrepresented backgrounds who may experience barriers becoming part of the UK’s theatre workforce.

Want to know more? Check out the online information pack, drop in to a virtual info session on Thursday 11th Dec 1pm-1:30pm & Tuesday 16th December 6pm–6.30pm or book a chat with one of the team.  Apply by Sunday 11 January 2026.

English Touring Opera are looking for Stage Management Placements to join their team for the Spring 2026 season rehearsal period. 

This opportunity will see you spend over five weeks with the Stage Management team, largely based in rehearsals, observing and contributing to the day-to-day running of the rehearsal process. You will also experience the technical rehearsal process for two new operas at the Hackney Empire, and you will be invited to attend the opening night performances at the Sheffield Lyceum, with travel and overnight accommodation paid for by English Touring Opera.

Key Dates:

Salary:

About English Touring Opera:

For over 40 years, English Touring Opera (ETO) has held a unique place in the opera industry as the only mid-scale touring company offering regional venues and thousands of audience members outstanding live productions and impactful learning and participation projects, with the largest geographical reach of any UK company, from Devon to Durham and Canterbury to Chester.

At the heart of their ethos is making exceptional artistic experiences available and accessible to everyone, through a commitment to touring ambitious programmes of high-quality, innovative opera productions that engage and inspire over 33,000 people every year. Central to ETO’s programming is their award-winning Learning and Participation Programme, which annually works with over 8,000 children and adults nationwide in schools, workshops, and community projects.

To apply:

We are looking for a Lighting Placement to join our production team for our Spring 2026 tour.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is eager to learn and gain practical skills in lighting, stage electrical work, and touring productions. You’ll work closely with our Head of Lighting, Production Electricians, and wider production team, gaining first-hand experience in a professional touring environment.

Key dates:

Salary:

About English Touring Opera:

For over 40 years, English Touring Opera (ETO) has held a unique place in the opera industry as the only mid-scale touring company offering regional venues and thousands of audience members outstanding live productions and impactful learning and participation projects, with the largest geographical reach of any UK company, from Devon to Durham and Canterbury to Chester.

At the heart of our ethos is making exceptional artistic experiences available and accessible to everyone, through a commitment to touring ambitious programmes of high-quality, innovative opera productions that engage and inspire over 33,000 people every year. Central to ETO’s programming is our award-winning Learning and Participation Programme, which annually works with over 8,000 children and adults nationwide in schools, workshops, and community projects.

To apply:

Pentabus run an annual, six month scriptwriting course for young writers aged 18 – 30 who are based in Shropshire, Wales and the West Midlands.

Through a series of in-person and online workshops, young writers are guided and supported by experienced scriptwriters and a professional director to develop a new short script. Learning and working collaboratively throughout the course, these scripts are brought to life with help from a professional creative team and ultimately performed by professional actors as part of our annual Young Writers Festival in July.

No previous experience of playwriting is necessary as this programme is aimed at young people who may not even know they’re writers yet, as well as those who have some experience of writing.

Throughout the course you will:

What is the time commitment?

There are a mixture of in-person and online sessions, spread out across 6 months.

Write Night is a series of monthly sessions for anyone interested in writing for the stage.  

Sessions are on the first Thursday 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:

Thu 8 Jan, 7pm: Adaptation
A workshop all about adapting existing materials into a new play, from novels and films to documentary and verbatim

Thu 5 Feb, 7pm: Structure & Hope
A workshop all about structure, how to get to the end of your draft, and writing from a place of hope.

Thu 5 Mar, 7pm: Writing is Rewriting
A workshop on the redrafting process and how to crack pivotal scenes.

FUSE International is a festival that offers an eclectic programme of music, theatre, dance, comedy, visual arts, spoken word, circus and more...

The next FUSE International will take place from 26 June – 5 July 2026. FUSE International is a platform for artists aged 5 – 30, and things are only becoming more ambitious every year. Applications are open from 19 November – 11 January 2026.

FUSE International is an international celebration of live performance and creativity. Their programme is packed with inspiring, funny and thought-provoking shows that bring us together through live performance. With theatre, dance, comedy, cabaret, visual arts and more – there is something for everyone, and it’s all created by young and emerging artists from around the world.

The festival replaces the International Youth Arts Festival (IYAF) which has taken place each summer since 2009. Over 80 events across film, music, theatre, visual arts and more take place over the ten days of the festival which is curated and presented by charity Creative Youth.

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