Discover how a theatre really works from the inside.
Chichester Festival Theatre's week‑long Work Experience programme gives you the chance to explore a wide range of departments, including Technical, Learning, Education and Participation (LEAP), Marketing, Development, Producing, Finance, Box Office and Front of House. You’ll be surprised by the huge variety of roles that make theatre happen and the many ways your talents can fit in.
They’re looking for passionate individuals who can tell them why this opportunity matters to them and what they hope to gain. By the end of the week, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of where you might belong in the arts, inspiration for future opportunities and insight into the incredible teamwork behind the work on their stages.
For more information and to apply, click the opportunity link below!
The Shedload-of-Future Fund awards £5,000 grants annually to artists taking work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the first time. The fund supports debut performers and companies spanning theatre, comedy, music and the performing arts.
The expanded 2026 Fund is generously supported by Francesca Moody Productions, Multitude Media, Joe Lycett, Nish Kumar, Plosive, and Mick Perrin Worldwide.
For 2026, we’re offering 5 x £5,000 grants.
These bursaries can be used towards any costs associated with bringing your show to the Fringe – whether that’s travel, marketing, accommodation, set, or simply giving yourself the time and space to create.
Applications for the 2026 Fund will go open on 11 March 2026 at Midday. Applications will close when we hit 150 submissions or on 1 April, whichever comes first.
The form has will have four short stages:
Need support applying?
We’re committed to making the process as accessible as possible. If you’d prefer to apply via video, or if there’s anything else we can do to support your application, please get in touch with us at info@shedinburgh.com
As a part of the application form, we’ll ask the following three questions (max 300 words each):
Want to be reminded when applications open? Make sure you’re signed up to the Shedinburgh mailing list!
Last year we awarded £15,000 to new Fringe artists, supporting exceptional new writing to make it to the stage.
Since Fringe 2025, the shows we supported have transferred to Soho Theatre and The Pleasance, been shortlisted for the BBC Popcorn Award, and been featured in The Guardian and Rolling Stone.
Last year’s winners were:
– Hannah Ogbu-Samuel (Tigers, Not Daughters)
– Chakira Alin (Quite the Cowboy)
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.
CRIPtic Arts is incredibly excited to announce the re-launch of our disabled-led artist development programmes for 2026.
Nurturing the practice and work of disabled creatives is integral to us. When we talk about disabled people, we mean“people who face disableist [including audist] barriers”, or “people who identify themselves as deaf or disabled – or are identified by others as deaf or disabled in society”. To find out more about what we mean by this, please see our FAQs.
In 2026, we’re once again running four artist development projects designed for emerging writers, fresh theatre makers, experienced creatives, and cultural leaders: Reach, Launchpad, Breakthrough and Incubate.
Our artistic vision for 2026 is to support disabled people to tell big stories, instead of just being asked to serve our trauma up to non-disabled audiences. We are excited by work that makes space for disabled people to go beyond just telling stories about our lives, diagnoses and struggles, and into the broad, the divergent, the fictional, the historical, the political, and the fantastical – work that deals with big themes, and big questions – whether or not it mentions disability at all.
Applications are open from now until Friday 13 March at 5pm. We can’t wait to connect, read your applications and find our 2026 cohort!
A guide to our friendly application process can be found here.
FAQs for all programmes can be found here.
The Climate Playwriting Prize 2026 will uncover the most exciting new plays about the climate crisis, and support them to find their audiences.
We believe that playwrights have a vital role to play in the conversation around the climate. Theatre is a space for animating audiences, forming communities, and experimenting with form; a space for processing the past, articulating the present, and imagining the future. In order to surface the breadth and diversity of new stories about this planetary moment, the Climate Playwriting Prize is an open invitation to playwrights to respond creatively to this subject matter. Regional and touring theatre is playing a vital role in engaging audiences, and we are partnering with organisations all around the country to deliver workshops to writers, unlocking how they might want to tell their climate story.
This moment is marked by rising temperatures, escalating impacts of change on communities and ecosystems, but also by the potential for us to transform society for a flourishing, equitable future for all life. The need for new stories that help audiences grapple with the realities and possibilities of this crisis has never been clearer
In order to surface the breadth and diversity of new stories about this planetary moment, the Climate Playwriting Prize is an open invitation to playwrights to respond creatively to this subject matter. We are partnering with organisations all around the country to deliver workshops to writers, unlocking how they might want to tell their climate story.
The winning playwright will receive:
The Climate Playwriting Prize 2026 is funded by Climate Spring
Applications open in June 2026 with the deadline in September.
Head over to the opportunity page to read all about what is expected and any requirements.
theatre works!
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.
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 ABTT Theatre Show will once again take place at the stunning Alexandra Palace on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 June.
The ABTT Theatre Show 2026 is the exhibition where the broadest collection of specialist suppliers supporting live performance technology, production and education gather to connect with others in the world of theatre, performance, events, festivals, music and more.
The ABTT Theatre Show draws exhibitors and visitors from all over the world whether they be interested in lighting, audio visual, scenography, rigging, set construction, sound, costume, seating, staging, wigs, make-up, pyrotechnics or anything else employed in a performance. A range of activities will be presented over the two days, including a variety of meetings, debates and seminars and providing spaces for all their sister Associations and organisations to meet in person.
How to book:
