A three-day taster course designed for cis and trans women and non-binary individuals aged 18yrs+, offering practical Back of House skills that can lead to entry-level roles as apprentices or casual technicians in theatre.
This initiative is part of our ongoing effort to challenge inequality and improve access across the industry. Over the three days, you will gain hands-on experience and training in stage, hemp flying, knots, lighting and sound set up and operation. The course will also explore pathways into working in the industry.
Key Information:
For more information and to book, click the Opportunity Info link below!
A six-month funded programme for artists with bold new ideas
What would you make if you stopped worrying about whether it was too ambitious, too political, too different, or too difficult?
We're looking for bold new ideas that respond to the world we live in now.
About SHIFT Artist Labs:
SHIFT Artist Labs is a 6-month funded programme running between January and July 2027, for artists with ideas that need the time, care and investment to grow.
We know that many artists carry work that has been put on hold: ideas that have been self-censored, scaled back, deprioritised, or simply haven’t had the resources to develop. SHIFT Artist Labs exist to help those ideas take their next step.
We are looking for projects that ask difficult questions, challenge dominant narratives, and ask who gets to tell stories and on whose terms. Joyful or provocative, intimate or epic, we’re interested in stories that feel alive to the present moment.
What the Programme Offers:
Five projects will receive a tailored package of investment including:
The Process:
You'll be matched with a dramaturg, a producer, an industry steward, and join a programme of workshops with the wider SHIFT network.
Important Dates:
The compulsory workshops will run for 2 hours either in person or on Zoom during:
The programme will conclude with an in-person sharing on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 July 2027.
Travel for the in-person days and accommodation for the two-day final sharing will be covered for artists based outside London.
Who Can Apply:
You cannot apply with a project that:
Available Places:
To ensure the programme reaches artists across regions and communities, the five available places will be allocated to:
In line with Tamasha’s mission and values, we are particularly interested in supporting work by Global Majority artists.
For more information and to apply, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Join us for a conversation with theatre maker and aerial artist Farrell Cox, exploring her career as an interdisciplinary artist.
Farrell will share how she brings different disciplines into her work, how she decides which skills to draw on for each project, and how she weaves her lived experience into the stories she creates.
We’ll also explore how to recognise and make the most of your full creative skillset, and how to keep creating and developing your practice within the current challenges facing the theatre industry.
An informal session with space to reflect, share ideas and explore new possibilities for your own creative practice.
Key Information:
For more information and to reserve your place, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Applications are now OPEN for Young Techs 2027.
Our Young Techs programme is a FREE introductory training programme for 18–25-year-olds who want to develop practical skills and explore a career in backstage theatre.
This introductory training programme gives participants hands-on experience in lighting, sound and stagecraft, working alongside professional theatre technicians and industry practitioners.
Course Summary:
All eligible applicants will be invited to join us at a Selection/Interview workshop at Stratford East on Wednesday 9 December, 4:00-5:15pm or 6:30-7:45pm.
Participants on this programme will be paid a training bursary when working on specific shows.
For more information and to apply, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Join award-winning producer, writer and co-founder of the Women's Prize for Playwriting, Ellie Keel, as she offers insights into how to enjoy a successful career in theatre, even in a cultural climate where artistic opportunities can seem fewer in number and more competitive when they do exist.
In a world where artists need to be entrepreneurs as well as creatives, we'll explore how to maintain vision and volition, through a mix of identifying gaps in the market, creating opportunities, building relationships, and taking strategic risks with the reward of making the work you want to make.
This Masterclass will reveal how to start new ways of working, how to sustain yourself both commercially and creatively, and how to find the support you need to make things happen. Ellie will share her experiences of engaging and retaining stakeholders, garnering support, and – whether staging a play or starting a prize competition which evolves into a registered charity – learning the skill of effective fundraising.
This Masterclass, aimed at early- to mid-career theatre-makers, will equip participants with practical tools, fresh insights and clearer ideas about what they will make next.
Key Information:
For more information and to book, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Please note: This event has been fully booked. Join the waitlist for the chance to secure a place!
What is the BA (Hons) Stage Management?
East 15’s BA (Hons) Stage Management is a three-year, industry-focused degree providing professional training for production and technical roles across theatre, film, television, live events and the wider creative industries.
Following a shared first year, students specialise in one of three pathways and graduate with one of the following degrees, depending on their chosen area of focus:
Based at our Loughton Campus, the course prepares you to graduate as a skilled, confident professional ready to enter the industry in specialist roles.
Why this course?
The BA (Hons) Stage Management offers an immersive, vocational experience that mirrors the realities of professional production work and is designed as a stepping stone into specialist industry roles.
From the outset, the course combines practical production work with specialist technical training. In your first year, you’ll build a strong foundation in core stage management and technical theatre skills. From Year Two onwards, you’ll specialise in one of three professional pathways aligned with distinct areas of industry demand:
This focused training allows you to develop in-depth expertise and a clear professional identity, equipping you with the advanced technical skills required across theatre, film, television and live events.
Throughout the course, you’ll be embedded in production teams and work on professional-standard public productions, taking on increasing responsibility as your skills develop. In your final year, you’ll undertake an industry placement, which frequently leads directly to first professional contracts or opens doors to employment opportunities, giving you a significant advantage when entering the industry.
Who should apply?
For more information, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Planning your next steps in performing arts training?
The Stage's annual How to Choose Your Drama School guide is here to help!
Curated using insights from more than 1,000 respondents to our 2026 drama school survey, the guide brings together practical advice and expert guidance to help aspiring performers make informed decisions about their training and future careers. Now its own standalone supplement, this is the perfect comprehensive guide to share with your students and wider networks.
To read the guide, click the Opportunity Info link below.
Key Information:
What is the Bronze Award for Theatre Technicians?
The Bronze Award is a 5 day programme which gives candidates knowledge and understanding of best practice, whether they are working in regional rep, touring, multiart form studios, community theatre, the West End or as a freelancer. The Bronze Award delivers the first vocational step for professional development for the theatre technician and also opens opportunities to progress to other ABTT Awards.
Who can do the Award?
Both members and non-members are eligible, though ABTT members receive a discount. The ABTT Bronze Award is suitable for anyone with an interest in technical theatre, whether in a professional or amateur capacity. While no formal prior qualifications are required, this award is designed for those with a basic working familiarity with a theatre environment. It provides essential tools and knowledge to help newcomers and early-career team members safely and effectively work backstage.
How is the Award structured?
The Bronze Award consists of five 1-day courses, followed by the Bronze Award Assessment. Candidates who achieve a pass, merit, or distinction in the assessment will receive a Bronze Award Certificate and become eligible to apply for ABTT Silver Awards. Candidates who are unsuccessful this time or are unable to complete all 5 days of the programme are encouraged to continue working towards achieving the full Award certification by completing any outstanding training and the Award Assessment within 2 calendar years. Certificates of completion are available in the meantime, to recognise training days that have already been attended.
You can also book each 1-day course individually.
What do the Courses cover?
For more information and to book, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Key Information:
What is the Bronze Award for Theatre Technicians?
The Bronze Award is a 5 day programme which gives candidates knowledge and understanding of best practice, whether they are working in regional rep, touring, multiart form studios, community theatre, the West End or as a freelancer. The Bronze Award delivers the first vocational step for professional development for the theatre technician and also opens opportunities to progress to other ABTT Awards.
Who can do the Award?
Both members and non-members are eligible, though ABTT members receive a discount. The ABTT Bronze Award is suitable for anyone with an interest in technical theatre, whether in a professional or amateur capacity. While no formal prior qualifications are required, this award is designed for those with a basic working familiarity with a theatre environment. It provides essential tools and knowledge to help newcomers and early-career team members safely and effectively work backstage.
How is the Award structured?
The Bronze Award consists of five 1-day courses, followed by the Bronze Award Assessment. Candidates who achieve a pass, merit, or distinction in the assessment will receive a Bronze Award Certificate and become eligible to apply for ABTT Silver Awards. Candidates who are unsuccessful this time or are unable to complete all 5 days of the programme are encouraged to continue working towards achieving the full Award certification by completing any outstanding training and the Award Assessment within 2 calendar years. Certificates of completion are available in the meantime, to recognise training days that have already been attended.
You can also book each 1-day course individually.
What do the Courses cover?
For more information and to book, click the Opportunity Info link below!
Calling all emerging theatre makers, students, creative facilitators, and actors!
Discover the power of African storytelling and the universal power of personal stories in this dynamic, hands-on workshop led by award-winning producer and writer Lydia Idakula.
In this workshop, you will explore how personal experiences, history, culture and imagination can be transformed into compelling stories. Through conversation, creative exercises, film, writing and group discussion, you’ll explore themes of identity, belonging, memory and imagination, uncover the themes that matter most to you and begin developing your own original story idea.
Whether you’re an aspiring writer, performer, theatre-maker, or simply someone with a story to tell, this workshop offers practical tools for finding your authentic voice while introducing you to the richness and diversity of African storytelling traditions. No previous writing experience is required – just curiosity, creativity and a willingness to explore.
Expect an inspiring, welcoming and interactive session where you’ll connect with other creatives, share ideas in a supportive environment and leave with fresh inspiration for your own creative journey.
Come ready to write, reflect, create, and discover that every great story begins with the courage to tell it.
Key information:
For more information and to book, click the Opportunity Info link below!
