The Northern School of Art is supporting an event celebrating youth theatre which has attracted young people from across the north east and Yorkshire.

Groups from Newcastle, Hexham, Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees, Barnard Castle and York are set to attend a special festival for northern youth theatre groups organised by NAYT (the National Association of Youth Theatre) on Saturday 20 October.

The event, which is designed for young people aged 12-18, is now in its 11^th year and is taking place this year at Northern Stage in central Newcastle for the first time.

Supported by Arts Council England and sponsored by The Northern School of Art, the youth theatre festival features a series of high quality workshops for all participants.

These include techniques from one of the UK’s leading stage combat companies, RC-Annie, a workshop focusing on gender from the award-winning Milk Presents, a session working with people’s stories by Newcastle’s Curious Monkey and a theatre-making workshop exploring their work with disabled artists by the pioneering theatre company Graeae.

Regional youth theatre festivals are an opportunity for youth theatres from across the UK to come together to meet other groups, share practice, network and share work.  All of the groups attending have been invited to share a short piece during the afternoon on the theme ‘Out City, Our Stories’.

The Northern School of Art’s Vice Principal, Pat Chapman, said that the School welcomed the opportunity to support an event that supports young people’s skill development outside formal education.

“We are very pleased to support the work of NAYT which for many years has been enabling young people to fulfil their dreams, and just as importantly, develop personal confidence and key skills.  The youth theatre festival offers a wonderful opportunity for them to work with amazing and inspirational professional theatre companies.

“This is all important if we are to keep young people coming into the thriving UK Creative industries especially the stage and screen sectors which are booming.”

The Northern School of Art runs a number of degree courses offering a wide range of stage and screen skills at its Hartlepool campus including the Acting for Stage and Screen programme which welcomed its first intake of students this September.

Further information about courses at The Northern School of Art are available at www.northernart.ac.uk