We kicked off a second year of Regional Hub events in the Borders, with workshops, networking and discussions for the local youth theatre sector.

For our first Hub in the Borders, we looked into how we can better support neurodiversity in our youth theatres, took a dive into devising, and explored shadow puppetry. We also had the usual networking, sector support, and the ever-fun games exchange! Practitioners in the Borders joined us in Galashiels from Friday 27 – Sunday 29 September for a fun weekend of professional development.

The aims of the Regional Hubs are to upskill artists; share practice on specific creative areas; create stronger working relationships within regional youth theatre networks; support emerging youth theatre artists; identify future partnerships and projects; and help to shape YTAS’s programming.

Hubs are open to all levels of experience and can be accessed by anyone who uses art and creativity in their work with young people. We lead with a focus on theatre and performance, but the activities explored can be utilised in many youth work or youth arts settings. So, whether you’re a volunteer, a theatre manager, a drama teacher or anything in between, you’re sure to come away with new knowledge and contacts from your region and beyond.

Agenda

Day One: Friday 27 September 2024

• 4pm: Quick Intro from YTAS
• 4.15pm: Supporting Neurodiversity in your Youth Theatre

This practical workshop focused on developing tools, rehearsing exercises and swapping ideas to help better help leaders to make any creative spaces more accessible for neurodiverse young people.

Led by Ink Asher-Hemp (they/them), a self-taught queer, disabled, creator, facilitator, activist, theatre (trouble) maker. Until recently they held the role of Arts Practitioner: Climate Crisis at Eden Court Highlands where they directed community performances, developed staff training, and facilitated a Queer Youth Arts Collective. A core focus of their work is ensuring that accessibility is creatively integrated, practical, honest, and politically articulate.

In Ink’s safe workshop environment, leaders and artists explored their own practice, shared experiences and updated their toolkits. Drawing from their own experience as an artist and facilitator, Ink ensured that all participants left this session with confidence in their ability to support young people with diverse needs in their home youth theatre, classrooms and clubs.

Day Two: Saturday 28 September 2024

• 10.30am: Intro from YTAS: Learn about Membership Support and upcoming opportunities in 2024-2025
• 11am – 3.45pm: Devising… The Editing Process

So you’ve collected loads of material from your young people, but now you’ve got to make a show. Where do you start? What do you keep? What do you leave?

Led by Lou Brodie, this workshop worked with practitioners to focus on how you turn ideas into quality pieces of performance, all while honouring and support young artists in the process.

Lou is a creative facilitator, performance maker and project manager who has has worked extensively across the community, youth arts and young audiences’ sectors. Much of her work is preoccupied with the creation of spaces and performative actions that rely on or question the responsibility of the spectator/participant. She has worked with a range of national and international companies and artists including; Independent Arts Projects, Tramway Glasgow, Lyra Theatre, Platform Glasgow, Imaginate and the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, Mammalian Diving Reflex, Nic Green, Mamoru Iriguchi, Southbank Centre, The WOW Foundation and Visible Fictions. loubrodie.com

• 4pm – 5.30pm: Games Exchange and Networking

Got drama games? Every practitioner’s bread and butter! Running regular workshops with young people involves keeping things exciting and keeping them engaged. But when you’re starting out, it can be easy to get stuck delivering the same ones over and over again. In this one-hour swap shop, early career practitioners (under 25) spent time experiencing games from colleagues and leading the group through their favourites. They came away with a list of new activities, a refresh on the games they’d forgotten, or some twists on the classics.

Led by Emma Barr (she/her), YTAS’ Sector Development Manager. Emma has worked across the UK and Canada as a director and educator, specialising in making theatre for and with young people. With a background in applied theatre, she is particularly interested in how youth theatre can contribute to a young person’s sense of identity and creates a cultural community.

Day Three: Saturday 29 September 2024

• 2pm – 4.15pm: Shadow Puppetry

Shadow puppetry is an ancient tool used to tell great stories. In this workshop we explored this theatrical tool using shadows and light creating new ways to tell shadow stories. During this workshop we created shadow puppets but also looked at what shadow stories could be.

Led by Daniel Livingston, a theatre maker/artist based in Glasgow. Daniel has worked across the U.K and internationally, on many different productions in many different roles from director, designer, scenographer, makeup artist to actor and performer. Daniel’s work merges different art forms together to create a strong visual performance with world building and storytelling at its core. Alongside his work, he has delivered many different workshops, for young people and professional artists. Daniel is currently working with Macrobert Art Centre in Stirling in the role of Creative Artist.

Who is it for?

The event was 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 (aged 16+).

YTAS Membership

Our membership is made up of independent youth theatres, arts organisations with their own youth theatre provision, 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.

This is a safe space and all identities are welcome

YTAS have a zero-tolerance policy against any bullying. This includes but is not limited to: transphobia, homo or biphobia, racism, ableism, sexism, or class discrimination.