The United Youth Theatre Festival (UYTF) is about opportunity, discovery and bringing young people together through a shared passion for theatre. Taking place over an exciting two-day residential festival, UYTF offers young performers the chance to step outside their usual theatre environment, explore new creative experiences, develop their skills and connect with young people from across the UK.

We want every participant to leave feeling inspired, more confident, creatively challenged and, most importantly, part of something bigger.

Workshop Masterclasses

One of the central elements of UYTF is our programme of specialist workshops and masterclasses. Across the festival, participants will have access to a varied programme of practical sessions designed to introduce new techniques, develop existing skills and encourage creative exploration. Our workshops cover a wide range of theatrical disciplines, giving young people the opportunity to try something completely new or concentrate on an area of performance they already love.

The programme includes:

• Film & Television Acting
• Shakespeare & Classical Acting
• Physical Theatre
• Stage Combat
• Scare Acting
• Improv Masterclass
• Character Acting 101
• Musical Theatre Masterclass
• Street Dance Masterclass
• Mask Theatre
• Mime Master
• Stand-up Comedy Masterclass
• Magic & Illusion in Theatre
• Voice Acting Masterclass
• Drama Games Exchange

Each workshop provides a different opportunity to experiment, collaborate and learn. Participants will work alongside other young performers, explore different approaches to performance and gain practical experience in disciplines that may be new to them. We want young people to discover abilities they didn’t know they had, find new interests and return to their own theatre companies with fresh ideas and inspiration.

Learn from theatre professionals

UYTF aims to connect young performers with the wider professional theatre industry. Our specialist masterclasses are designed to give participants access to experienced practitioners who can share their knowledge, techniques and professional experience. From acting for screen and voice performance to musical theatre, movement and specialist theatrical skills, participants will have the opportunity to learn from people working across different areas of the performing arts.

For teachers and leaders

We recognise that sometimes, being a teacher or youth theatre leader can be hard, lonely and filled with challenges, and know that you want the best for your students. For youth theatre leaders, teachers and directors, we provide dedicated professional development opportunities through our teachers masterclasses available throughout the day whilst your youth troupes are enjoying the various workshops on offer. These sessions provide an opportunity for adults working with young performers to exchange ideas, explore practical approaches and develop their own creative and leadership skills.

We believe that supporting the people who work with young performers is just as important as supporting the performers themselves.

Take to the stage

We invite youth theatre companies from across the UK to bring their productions to UYTF and share their work with an audience of fellow young performers, teachers, directors and theatre enthusiasts. This is an opportunity to take your production beyond your usual rehearsal room or local performance venue and present your work in a professional theatre environment.

Performance opportunities will be available in dedicated slots ranging from 25 minutes to one hour, accommodating a variety of productions, performance styles and company sizes. We welcome original plays, devised productions, contemporary drama, classical theatre, musical theatre, comedy, physical theatre, adaptations and experimental performance.

Whether your company has spent months developing an original production or has an existing show it would love to share, we want to hear from you.

We want every participating company to enjoy the experience of performing in a professional theatre environment. Each company will receive a designated get-in and rehearsal period ahead of its performance. This will provide time to familiarise themselves with the space, organise their staging and undertake essential technical preparation.

Experience professional theatre

UYTF isn’t just about taking part in workshops and performing. We also want participants to experience the excitement of watching professional theatre. The festival programme includes a dedicated professional theatre performance, giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy a production in a professional theatre setting.

For many young performers, seeing professional work can be just as inspiring as participating in it. It offers an opportunity to experience different creative approaches, observe professional performers and discover new possibilities for their own theatrical development. It’s also a chance for everyone to come together and enjoy a shared theatrical experience as part of the festival.

Make friendships and become part of something bigger

We believe that one of the greatest opportunities offered by UYTF is the chance to meet other young people who share your passion. Youth theatre can sometimes feel like a small world. You spend your time working with the same company, performing to familiar audiences and developing productions within your own community. And that's fantastic, but UYTF opens that world up.

Over two days, you’ll meet young performers from different towns, cities, schools and theatre companies. You’ll share experiences, exchange ideas, watch one another perform and discover just how much you have in common. Friendships can be formed in workshops, backstage, over meals, during performances and throughout the festival. We want participants to feel welcomed, included and valued, regardless of their experience, background or the size of the company they represent. The festival is about collaboration rather than competition, encouragement rather than comparison and celebrating the achievements of young people together.

Our ambition is to create a national youth theatre community that continues long after the festival has finished.

A residential festival experience

UYTF is designed to be much more than a day of workshops. The residential element gives participants the opportunity to immerse themselves fully in the festival, spend time with their fellow performers and enjoy the experience together. The programme includes shared meals, overnight accommodation, and dedicated social time.

These moments are an important part of the festival. They allow young people to relax, make friendships and enjoy being part of a wider theatrical community away from their usual rehearsal environment. From the excitement of arriving and meeting other companies to the final celebrations before departure, we want the entire weekend to feel like a special occasion.

Take something away with you

We want every participant to leave UYTF with more than memories of a fantastic weekend. We want them to leave with new skills, new friendships, new ideas, increased confidence and a renewed enthusiasm for theatre. For some, it might be discovering a passion for a new performance discipline. For others, it might be the experience of performing on a professional stage, making friends or simply finding the confidence to try something they had never considered before.

Every participant’s experience will be different, and that’s exactly how it should be.

One festival. Countless opportunities. The United Youth Theatre Festival is a celebration of everything that makes youth theatre special. It’s about giving young people the opportunity to perform, develop, discover, connect and belong. It’s about bringing companies together, celebrating creativity and recognising the incredible work taking place in youth theatre communities across the UK.

Two days. One united community. Countless opportunities. Welcome to UYTF!