Papatango Discuss their Young Barnet Foundation Membership

Papatango Theatre Company are an Olivier Award-winning theatre company that champions the next generation of brilliant playwrights, especially those who might otherwise lack pathways into theatre.

Our opportunities are free, open to anyone, and anonymously assessed.

Our discoveries have won BAFTAs, Critics' Circle, OffWestEnd, Alfred Fagon and Royal National Theatre Foundation awards, premiering in over twenty countries. Every year we provide free training, performances, publication, and bursaries to thousands of people, helping anyone, anywhere, make or share in brilliant new theatre.

We became aware of Young Barnet Foundation (YBF) via our work in several Barnet-based schools and whilst applying for funding to expand our provision in the borough. We became a YBF member in April 2020 and joined in order to develop and promote our work more widely in the borough.

Joining YBF and having one to one support from Nick as our designated Development Officer has been enormously helpful. As a tiny team working fully remotely, being ‘on the ground’ in all our delivery boroughs is challenging – so the partnership brokerage support we have received has been invaluable! Nick has been brilliant at suggesting potential partners, facilitating introductions/meetings, and providing regular updates and check-ins.

In the past year we have collaborated with other YBF members Barnet Carers and the Center of Excellence. We are also currently in touch with the Stonegrove Community Trust about working with young people in their community and have met with Live Unlimited to explore a potential collaboration next year. All of these connections and partnerships have been established via introductions by YBF.

We were also included as a delivery partner on a Space2Grow#29 funding application submitted by the Center of Excellence in March 2023 to support their ‘Change Makers Boys/Girls’ programme.

We have delivered our free playwriting programme for two groups of young carers (via Barnet Carers) and two groups of young people based on the Grahame Park Estate (via the Center of Excellence). Our creative learning programme has traditionally focused on formal education settings, so these collaborations have given us the opportunity to develop and strengthen our provision for young people in the community who often have limited access to the arts.

In addition we have also partnered with Hendon School this year and hope to work with Saracens High School next year – both via introductions made by Tina Kaponi, YBF’s Schools Liaison Lead.

We have renewed our YBF membership and would 100% recommend YBF to other local organisations looking to make connections and develop partnerships with schools and/or other community organisations in the borough!

Find out more about becoming a member of Young Barnet Foundation here.

Find out more about Papatango here.