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

Learn how YTAS will be encouraging the youth theatre sector to join us in marking LGBT History Month in February 2024.

National Theatre Connections Festival 2024

National Theatre Connections Festival is looking for YOU...th theatres in Scotland!

Fringe Days Out

YTAS had over £2000-worth of Fringe Days Out tickets available for our members in 2023, open to all members across Scotland.

Directors’ Development Programme 2022-2023

The youth theatre Directors' Development Programme was an eight-month mentoring and development programme for eight selected directors. The programme ran from August 2022 to March 2023.

BUZZ Network

Leading arts organisations from Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Belgium and Germany have been awarded funding from the Creative Europe programme of the European Union to cross-pollinate youth theatre practice across the continent for the first time.

New Territory

Funded by the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Creativity Targeted Fund, New Territory was a partnership project between Youth Theatre Arts Scotland, Toonspeak Young People’s Theatre and Ignite Theatre delivered across Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire and West Lothian.

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.

Bursary: Regional Hubs

Bursaries: Dorothy Heathcote Now, International Drama Conference 2023

Expenses Support: National Convention of Youth Drama 2023

Grants for Youth Theatre 2022

Bursaries: YTAS Sector Training Programme

Bursaries: Directors’ Development Programme 2022-2023

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

Wed 6 Dec 2023: 12:30PM

Info Session: National Festival of Youth Theatre 2024

Youth Theatre Arts Scotland

Fri 12 Jan 2024: 4:00PM

Regional Hub: Inverness

Resources

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

Youth Theatre in Scotland: Current Use of EDI Data

In 2020, YTAS conducted the Youth Theatre in Scotland Sector Review, where we asked the sector to tell us about their activity. At the same time, we also asked how they use EDI data.

Creative Scotland’s EDI Resources

Creative Scotland’s resources and information is designed to help practitioners understand Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and how they might develop their practice or organisation to ensure that EDI is implemented across programmes and organisational structures.

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