What we do

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We help make the lives of young people better through youth theatre.

Since 2004, YTAS has played an instrumental role in building and supporting a vibrant and vital youth theatre sector in Scotland through a combination of youth theatre projects, training and professional development, information and advocacy.

Our Projects

We run a range of projects to help introduce youth into the world of theatre, whether it’s through performance or as a practitioner. Discover our current projects below.

LGBT+ History Month

Next Generation

BUZZ Network

Fringe Days Out

National Theatre Connections Festival 2024

I ♥ YT

Grant-making

Our grant streams focus on development for people who use drama and theatre in their work with young people, as well as for member youth theatres.

Expenses Support: Interchange 2025

Access Bursaries: National Festival of Youth Theatre

Expenses Support: National Convention of Youth Drama 2024

Bursary: Regional Hubs

Bursaries: Dorothy Heathcote Now, International Drama Conference 2023

Expenses Support: National Convention of Youth Drama 2023

Sector Support

We have a range of supports in place that aim to strengthen the youth theatre sector in Scotland.

Training with YTAS

Youth Theatre Arts Scotland often host a rolling programme of training sessions for the youth theatre sector, with both virtual and in-person events taking place.

Employee Assistance Programme

Led by our partners at Education Support, the EAP offers  our freelance members access to a free and confidential support and guidance service that will help them deal with any personal issues which might impact work, health, or wellbeing.

Membership Development Programme

YTAS exists to support our members and starting in 2023, our support offer will become even more bespoke, with a new portal of online resources, and Membership Support Coordinator.

Research

We often carry out research that benefits young people, youth groups, and their leaders.

The Long-Term Impact of Youth Theatre Participation

In 2022, YTAS and the SGSAH carried out research into the long-term impacts of youth theatre participation on participants’ professional and personal lives. Here are the results.

Youth Theatre in Scotland Sector Review 2023

Every few years, YTAS undertakes a review of Scotland’s youth theatre sector to help identify how we’re developing as a sector, and how we can develop further.

Youth Theatre in Scotland Sector Review 2020

In September 2020 we conducted the Youth Theatre in Scotland Sector Review, where we asked the sector to tell us more about the youth theatre activity they run. This helped us capture the big picture of the sector, and identify the ways we can develop further.

Our events

From large national events to small gatherings and working groups, there’s always something happening at YTAS and across the youth arts sector.

Youth Theatre Arts Scotland

Sat 5 Apr 2025: 9:30AM

Interchange 2025

Resources

View our resources for youth theatre groups, theatres, practitioners and professionals

Using AI in funding applications

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in our lives, how could we use its capabilities to assist funding application writing? The National Lottery Community Fund wrote this helpful statement, including tips to help and issues to consider.

YTAS EDI Policies and Action Plans

As part of our EDI toolkit, we’re happy to share the work we’ve done here at YTAS to embed EDI principles into our work and make the world of youth theatre a fairer, more inclusive space.

Find a youth theatre

Browse our network of member organisations from across Scotland and begin your journey into youth theatre

Find a practitioner

Explore our directory of accomplished youth theatre professionals and find the talent you need

Opportunities

Browse a wide selection of jobs, programmes, funding and more