Practitioners rang in the New Year with YTAS at our first Regional Hub in Aberdeen, featuring workshops, networking and lively discussions.

Our Regional Hubs are designed to upskill artists, share practice, support emerging artists, spark ideas for future partnerships, and create stronger working relationships within regions. Practitioners from around Aberdeen joined us at His Majesty’s Theatre from Friday 10 to Saturday 11 January 2025 for a Regional Hub programmed with the support of the team from Aberdeen Performing Arts.

Our first workshop from Shaper/Caper got us warmed up to how we can use movement as the building blocks for creating work with young people and communities, then we joined Ali MacLaurin to think about our productions from a visual perspective and create worlds with impact on a youth theatre budget.

After the classic YTAS favourite of a Games Exchange, Ink Asher Hemp invited artists to explore their own practice, share experiences, and swap ideas to make creative spaces more accessible for neurodiverse young people.

Who are Regional Hubs for?

Regional Hub events are for everyone who uses drama and theatre in their work with young people. This could include youth theatre leaders, drama teachers, youth workers, community learning professionals, theatre practitioners, students, and emerging young leaders (16+).

Bursaries

Thanks to funding from Creative Scotland, the Gannochy Trust, the Macrobert Trust, the Foyle Foundation, the People’s Postcode Trust, the Stafford Trust, the Hugh Fraser Foundation and the JTH Charitable Trust, we are delighted to be able to offer bursary places to attend our Regional Hubs.

Bursaries are available to any YTAS Member, who requires financial support in order to attend a Regional Hub event, and will cover any fees and/or expenses associated with the training. You are welcome to submit an application for multiple sessions at a time.

Read more and apply here.

YTAS Membership

Our membership is made up of independent youth theatres, arts organisations with their own youth theatre provision, drama teachers, volunteer-run charities, freelance practitioners of youth theatre arts, and many more. If you’re interested in joining a national network of like-minded people, be sure to read more on our membership page.

Commitment to Safe Spaces

YTAS strives to create and hold events and spaces where everyone feels welcome and the safety of others is valued. This commitment applies to all our online and in-person services, activities, and communication channels.

We have a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour which creates feelings of unease, discomfort, offence, embarrassment, humiliation, or intimidation, whether intentional or not. This includes but is not limited to; transphobia, homo or biphobia, racism, ableism, sexism, or class discrimination.

For more information about YTAS’ commitments to safety and best practice, read our full statement here.