Experience a behind-the scenes tour and interactive sessions throughout the building, with expert advice on career pathways into theatre and live entertainment at one of Bristol's most iconic venues!

Book for either the 4th or 6th November.

This opportunity is part of the West of England Discover! Creative Careers takeover, in collaboration with: Get Into Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Bristol Beacon, St George’s, The Redgrave, Prime Theatre, The Egg Theatre and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Please note, this is for school groups only. Sign up and book via the Discover! Opportunity Finder.



If you love theatre and film, you can study them both in depth on the only course of its kind in Scotland. The innovative BA (Hons) in Theatre and Film combines theory and practice to prepare you for a flourishing career in the creative industries.

And… ACTION! Film and theatre are thriving industries, creatively and commercially. This course will give you the confidence and skills you need to enter careers in theatre, film, teaching, and professions demanding communication and creativity. You will be able to forge your own career path, taking full advantage of a course that is flexible to fit your needs.

We’re pleased to announce that Arts and Homelessness International (AHI) in collaboration with One Roof ODAC will be starting regular scratch nights to be held at Old Diorama Arts Centre (ODAC). The first event will take place on Friday 12th September 2025.

A scratch night is an event where artists/creatives with lived experience of homelessness can show work that is still in progress. This might be a song, a poem, a fragment of a play, or a visual artwork that isn’t yet finished. It’s a space to try things out, to explore, and to begin conversations around work that’s still forming.

These scratch nights are open to artists/creatived with lived experience as well as AHI & One Roof ODAC communities with lived experience of homelessness, creating a safe and supportive environment for artists/creatives at different stages of their careers to share and discuss their work. Discussion will play a huge part in these events.

We are especially keen for creatives and artists with lived experience of homelessness to attend; whether as performers or audience members as your voices and perspectives are at the heart of this programme.

All conversations will be guided by the Critical Response Process developed by artist Liz Lerman. This is a kind and supportive structure for group discussion, enabling valuable feedback from the audience without overwhelming artists with harsh criticism or unhelpful praise. It’s about going deeper, helping artists learn more about their own work and the processes of others.

Each night will feature three or four artists. The work could take many forms—performance, visual sketches, ideas, a few lines of a poem or song lyrics. After each presentation, there’ll be a structured discussion, and then we’ll move on to the next artist.

The atmosphere will be relaxed and informal, with plenty of opportunities to socialise and enjoy refreshments.We hope this scratch nights will become a regular feature of our community calendar—an opportunity to connect, collaborate, and support each other, artistically and socially.

Are you a passionate theatre lover with a keen eye for detail and excellent writing skills? Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to be part of the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you as an Edinburgh Fringe Reviewer!

We are currently seeking Edinburgh Fringe Reviewers to join our Guest Reviewer Programme for the upcoming Edinburgh Festival Fringe. As a Theatre Reviewer, you will play a crucial role in providing insightful and engaging reviews of performances at the festival, helping to inform and guide audiences and artists alike.

Looking for new opportunities, need support with a personal project, or just after some advice?

Book a quick chat with the RicNic team to get unstuck, ask questions, or explore your next steps. We can help with everything from career planning and freelancing to opportunity-hunting, CV reviews, and more.

Our team brings a wealth of experience in event and theatre production, new writing development, and creative careers—and we’re connected to a broad network of industry professionals ready to offer shadowing, mentoring, or a helpful chat. Using proven coaching techniques, we’ll help you clarify your goals, find answers, and leave the session with a clear set of actions—plus our practical advice along the way.

A workshop for the politically engaged and perpetually exhausted. In the face of arts cuts, climate collapse, and rising authoritarianism, what does it mean to keep making political theatre?

Is it still a tool for change or just shouting into the void? This session creates space to reflect, rant, and reimagine: to swap strategies, share frustrations, and ask what resistance looks like onstage today.

All ticket sales will be ​donated to WarChild. The workshop will take place on June 22nd at Riverside Studios, 1:30pm - 3:30pm.

About Sam Rees:

Sam Rees is a critically acclaimed theatre-maker whose work has been staged at leading UK venues, including Summerhall, Oxford Playhouse, Soho, Norwich Theatre, and Jermyn Street. His recent projects include Edinburgh Fringe 2024 sell-out show Lessons On Revolution, praised as ‘compelling and galvanising’ (James Graham), ‘one of my favourites of this year’s fringe’ (Natasha Tripney),‘a heartfelt paean to the politics of hope ★★★★★’ (The Scotsman), ‘the best thing we’ve seen this year ★★★★★’ (The Morning Star), ‘intelligent, questioning documentary theatre ★★★★’ (The Stage), and ‘one of the most talked about shows from this year’s festival’ (The Conversation), and The Food Bank Show, called  ‘utterly magnetic ★★★★’ by Broadway Baby, a show which ‘creates space for radical conversation to happen ★★★★’ by A Young(ish) Perspective), and ‘an exemplary production that defies the rules of the genre’ by Theatre Weekly.

We provide professional development opportunities for actors, writers, artists, designers and makers from the region

We strive to be a creative hub in the city that allows for peer learning and support, nurturing a culture of shared opportunities and experiences to support in career development and sustainability.

We know that all work, at every scale, starts somewhere and that it can be incredibly difficult to access space and support to develop new work in it's initial stages.

As part of our Studio programme, we have created Open Door to new and developing professional work.

Acting Strong: Resilience for Stage-Ready, Mind-Ready Artists.

Acting Strong is a podcast by Generation Arts, made for young people pursuing a career in the performing arts. In each episode, actors and artists from a range of backgrounds share real stories about how they got started, what it’s really like working in the industry, and how resilience helped them through the highs and lows. Honest, inspiring, and full of practical insight—this is a must-listen for anyone dreaming of a career on stage or screen.

Available at the direct link, or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or at Generation Arts website.

This production is supported using public funding through Arts Council England

Acting Strong and Generation Arts are not-for-profit.

Join WEST Youth Zone: Creative Collective 

Aged 13-19? Are you interested in scriptwriting, spoken word poetry, performing and acting? Want to brush up on your acting technique, build your confidence and meet new people?

Every Friday from 5-10pm @ WEST Youth Zone White City we are offering dedicated workshops to our ‘Creative Collective’.

Become a member of WEST Youth Zone for just £5 annual membership and 50p per entry, you’ll unlock a place where you can make new friends, dive into 20+ fun activities a night, relax in a chilled space or try something new. You can also enjoy a tasty hot meal for just £1 in our BiteCity Café!

WEST is open to young people aged 8 – 19 (up to 25 with additional needs) from all backgrounds, for all abilities, and all across West London and beyond, so come and join WEST – Where Everyone Sticks Together!

Explore contemporary performance to develop your creativity, critical thinking and practical skills for a career in creative industries and beyond

Drama in the School of Arts and Humanities provides an exciting and challenging programme with an emphasis on contemporary performance practices. Our approach to teaching and learning integrates theories and practices of performance in order to extend our understanding of Drama as an art form in its social, political and cultural contexts.

Our expert lecturing staff are internationally-recognised researchers with a range of industry-related experience. Students are able to take advantage of our nationally-acknowledged teaching expertise and will have opportunities to extend their experience of contemporary performance practices through contact with part-time staff and key visiting lecturers. The Drama programmes benefit from extensive links with theatre practitioners and key Irish theatre companies, who use our spaces for performances and delivering practice-based workshops.

Drama allows students to learn in a rigorous and stimulating environment where they are encouraged to develop essential skills as thinking creative practitioners.

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