Unfolding Theatre attends Youth Theatre Together Conference
Unfolding Theatre Company Producer Midge Ryall reflects on her attendance at the Youth Theatre Together Conference in June.
One warm Wednesday in June, I stepped into the lobby at Contact Manchester: an organisation dedicated to helping young people aged 13–30 bring their creative ideas to life. I couldn’t imagine a more fitting venue for the next stage of the Youth Theatre Together campaign.
Youth Theatre Together is a campaign group that connects, supports, and advocates for the hundreds of youth theatre organisations across England, which collectively reach over 100,000 children and young people. Following the Youth Theatre Census and the resulting report published in 2024, the campaign brought together more than 150 youth theatre leaders, participants, and trustees to reimagine the future of the sector.
At Unfolding Theatre, we run three youth theatre groups – one in Byker, one in Cowgate, and one for Deaf children from across the region, based in Gosforth. I have the joy of spending two hours every week with the Cowgate Young Theatre Makers. We run a wide range of activities with them, working alongside brilliant artists who respond week to week to the children’s interests: drawing, crafting, script work, improvisation, even cooking. Just recently, we held a pizza party where the young people chose their own toppings, and we made up stories together around the firepit.
In just the nine months I’ve worked with them, the change in confidence has been remarkable. One child, once so shy she barely spoke and often sat out of activities, is now the first to volunteer to perform. The opportunity to stand on stage, to explore and express themselves, is incredibly powerful. These are skills and experiences that last a lifetime.
These are the young people I had in mind when I arrived at Youth Theatre Together.
The day began with powerful creative provocations from six young artists, each reflecting on their own experiences in youth theatre. We then broke into groups to explore our thoughts through different creative mediums.
We talked about many things: value, impact, connectivity, accessibility.
We asked:
What stories do our young people want to tell? How do we create safe spaces for them to share those stories?
How do we ensure our youth theatres are offering meaningful experiences, especially when the idea of ‘value’ (and “value for money’) has shifted so much?
We know that young people stay in youth theatre because they feel safe, happy, and supported – not necessarily because they want to become actors. And that’s more than okay. But what does that say about the options they have elsewhere? Where else can they feel this way?
We reflected on the importance of joined-up support. A young person doesn’t exist in a vacuum – how can schools, services, families, and youth theatres be better connected, working together for the child at the centre?
We talked about snacks. I often joke that I’m the Cowgate group’s ‘Chief Snack Bringer’. But there’s something telling in that. For some children, the snacks are an essential part of what gets them through the door.
Our youth and community groups are bursting with imagination and great stories to tell. But budgets are tight. Every year, a little less is possible. We no longer have the funding to take groups to see inspiring performances, or to make their own shows in the ways we’d like to.
So, what’s this all for?
Youth Theatre Together is now using the ideas and energy from the day at Contact Manchester to shape a business plan for a brand-new organisation that will represent and support the broader youth theatre sector across England. This work is being guided by a steering group drawn from across the sector.