MOUSETRAP THEATRE PROJECT’S YOUTH ARTS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE BRINGS TOGETHER 75 YOUNG PEOPLE REPRESE
Founders of Good Chance Theatre in Calais and Mischief Theatre Company
Give Keynote Addresses
Mousetrap Theatre Project’s Youth Forum hosted the first-ever Youth Arts Leadership Conference on Thursday, 27th October at Found111. The aim of this conference was to support the next generation of young arts leaders who are now engaged with their local theatre or arts organisation as a Youth Board member.
This Youth Conference brought together members of youth boards from across London including the Albany Young Creatives, Almeida Young Producers, Chickenshed, Lewisham Youth Theatre, London Youth, National Youth Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Royal Opera House Student Ambassadors, Unicorn Young Company, the Young Vic and Mousetrap’s Youth Forum plus a number of interested individuals.
The inspirational keynote addresses were delivered by Joe Murphy, co-founder of Good Chance Theatre in Calais, which became a lifeline for refugees. The afternoon address was given by Jonathan Sayer, one of the founders of Mischief Theatre Company, who have created the successful West End plays, The Play that Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and The Comedy about a Bank Robbery.
The day offered participatory workshops in Public Speaking, Event & Project Management, PR & Marketing and Fundraising. Sessions were led by Kate Gill & Vicki Hawkins of Blink Theatre Company (Fundraising), Chloe Nelkin, Freddie Todd Fordham & Leah Wainwright of the Barbican’s Marketing & PR Department, Tom Sanderson of AKA and Stella McCabe of Michael Grandage Company (PR & Marketing), John Cooper (Public Speaking), Khloe Dean of Myself Dance UK, Roma Brown of In Sight Theatre and lighting designer Jai Morjaria (Event and Project Management). In the afternoon, delegates attended Challenge Sessions where they worked together to solve real-life situations presented by Tess Berry-Hart of Calais Action, Joshua Taggert of The Bunker Theatre and Jez Bond of The Park Theatre.
Importantly, the day provided an opportunity for members of the youth arts board to meet one another, network, exchange ideas and resources and share best practice. In the evening, they were invited to attend Peter Pan Goes Wrong with complimentary tickets.
Mousetrap’s Youth Forum is a voluntary group of 20 young people, aged 15 – 23. They give the theatre education charity marketing advice on its programmes and activities, recruit young people to join its youth theatregoing clubs, Theatrelive4£5 and Westend4£10, run after-show talks and have a member on Mousetrap’s Board of Trustees. The Youth Forum also organises its own events including ‘The Mousetrap Awards’, which are the only theatre awards voted upon by young people which has been running annually since 2012. In return, Mousetrap offers the Youth Forum members a range of leadership development opportunities and workshops. This Youth Arts Leadership Conference is an extension of this interest in leadership and is planned to become an annual event.
This Conference received funding from the Society of London Theatre.
For more information: www.mousetrap.org.uk
