We are looking for people who can help us build something extraordinary.

The United Youth Theatre Festival (UYTF) is an ambitious project with a clear vision, to bring together young performers, youth theatre companies, creative practitioners and educators from across the UK for a national celebration of youth theatre.

Creating a festival of this nature requires a broad range of knowledge, experience, professional expertise and creative thinking. It needs people who understand the performing arts, people who know how to develop opportunities for young people, people who can build partnerships, and people who have the practical skills to turn an ambitious idea into a successful event. We are therefore looking to establish a diverse committee, bringing together individuals from across the performing arts, education, and cultural sector.

We are not looking for one particular type of person. We want to bring together a team whose collective experience is greater than the sum of its individual parts. Whether you are an established theatre professional, an experienced youth theatre practitioner, a creative leader, a teacher, a fundraiser, a safeguarding specialist or someone with valuable industry connections, your contribution could help shape the future of UYTF.

A committee with breadth and ambition

Our intention is to create a committee that reflects the many different skills required to develop and deliver a national youth theatre festival.

We recognise that the most effective teams are made up of people who bring different perspectives. Artistic knowledge is important, but so are organisation, financial planning, communication, safeguarding, relationship-building and strategic development. We want committee members who can share their professional knowledge, offer constructive ideas, identify opportunities, make connections and take an active interest in the development of the festival.

The following areas represent the types of experience we are particularly interested in attracting. They are not restrictive categories, and applicants may have experience across several areas.

Performers and performing artists

We want to hear from people who have direct experience of performing and understand the creative demands, opportunities and challenges of working in the performing arts.

This could include:

• Professional actors.
• Musical theatre performers.
• Singers and vocal performers.
• Dancers and movement artists.
• Musicians and composers.
• Choreographers.
• Theatre-makers and devisers.
• Voice artists and performers working in film and television.
• Performers with experience of touring, repertory, fringe or large-scale productions.

Performers can bring an invaluable creative perspective to the committee. Their experience can help us understand what makes an inspiring workshop, what young performers need from a festival environment and how to create meaningful opportunities for participants to develop their craft. We are particularly interested in people who can help us connect with the wider performing arts industry and identify practitioners who may wish to contribute to the festival.

Youth theatre practitioners and artistic leaders

Youth theatre is at the heart of UYTF. We want to attract people who understand the importance of youth theatre and have experience of developing, leading or supporting creative opportunities for young people.

This could include:

• Artistic directors of youth theatre companies.
• Youth theatre directors and practitioners.
• Drama school and theatre school leaders.
• Freelance drama teachers.
• Theatre-in-education practitioners.
• Youth arts project managers.
• Community theatre practitioners.
• Directors of productions involving young performers.
• People who have established or developed youth theatre organisations.

Their knowledge will be particularly valuable in ensuring that the festival is relevant, accessible and rewarding for participating companies. We want people who understand the realities of running youth theatre groups, working with young performers, communicating with parents and carers, and creating an environment in which young people can develop their confidence and creativity.

Directors, producers and theatre-makers

People with experience of directing, producing and managing theatrical productions will be important to the development of UYTF. We are interested in individuals who understand the practical and creative processes involved in bringing theatre productions to the stage. This may include professional theatre directors, independent producers, production managers, company managers, stage managers, casting professionals and creative producers.

Their experience could help inform the festival’s performance programme, support participating companies and contribute to the development of professional standards and creative opportunities. We would particularly welcome people who understand the relationship between artistic ambition and the practical realities of producing theatre.

Creative and cultural leaders

We want to hear from people who work in leadership positions across the creative and cultural industries. This may include artistic directors, executive directors, chief executives, producers, cultural strategists, venue leaders, creative entrepreneurs and people responsible for developing arts organisations.

These individuals can bring valuable strategic insight, professional experience and an understanding of how cultural organisations operate. Their contribution may include helping to shape the festival’s long-term ambitions, identifying opportunities for growth, developing relationships with established arts organisations and ensuring that UYTF builds a credible and sustainable position within the wider cultural landscape.

We are particularly interested in people who can bring a national perspective and understand how organisations can work together to create opportunities for young people.

Teachers and education professionals

Education is an important part of the UYTF experience. We want the festival to be an environment in which young people can learn, develop their skills, discover new disciplines and gain confidence.

We would therefore welcome teachers and education professionals with experience across a range of settings.

This could include:

• Primary and secondary school teachers.
• Drama and performing arts teachers.
• Further and higher education lecturers.
• Performing arts tutors.
• Headteachers and senior education leaders.
• Special educational needs and inclusion professionals.
• Curriculum and education development specialists.
• Teachers with experience of school productions and extracurricular theatre.
• Professionals working in youth development and education.

Their insight can help us understand the needs of young people, the value of creative learning and how to develop a programme that complements the work already taking place in schools and youth theatre organisations. We would particularly value people who can help establish connections between UYTF and schools, performing arts departments and educational networks.

Fundraisers, sponsorship and business development professionals

Developing a national festival requires financial planning and external support.

We are keen to hear from people with experience of fundraising, sponsorship, income generation and business development who can help us explore opportunities to support the festival.

Relevant experience may include:

• Arts and cultural fundraising.
• Grant applications and trusts and foundations.
• Corporate sponsorship.
• Business development.
• Individual giving and donor relationships.
• Partnership funding.
• Commercial sponsorship proposals.
• Charity and not-for-profit fundraising.
• Public and private sector funding opportunities.

We want people who understand how to identify potential supporters, develop persuasive proposals and build relationships that can benefit the festival. This expertise could play an important role in helping UYTF develop beyond its inaugural event and establish a sustainable future.

Networking, partnerships and relationship-building specialists

A national festival needs a strong network of people and organisations behind it. We are particularly interested in individuals who have experience of building professional relationships, developing partnerships and connecting organisations across different sectors.

This could include people with backgrounds in:

• Corporate and professional networking.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Business relationship management.
• Partnership development.
• Arts and cultural networks.
• Community engagement.
• Public relations.
• Sponsorship relationship management.
• Industry liaison.
• Professional association and membership networks.

The ability to open doors, make introductions and develop meaningful relationships can be just as valuable as direct financial support.

We want to build connections with theatres, arts organisations, youth theatre companies, educational institutions, businesses, cultural leaders and creative practitioners throughout the UK. If you have an established network and enjoy bringing people together, your experience could be particularly valuable.

Safeguarding

The safety and welfare of young people must remain central to every aspect of UYTF and we face unique challenges in our operations, and as such, this must remain central to the planning of every part of the event, from staffing, to the workshops, and the overnight accomodation and management of.

We are interested in hearing from individuals with professional experience in safeguarding, child protection, welfare, safer recruitment and the development of safeguarding policies and procedures. We recognise that safeguarding is a specialist area requiring appropriate knowledge, experience and accountability.

Marketing, communications and public relations

UYTF needs to reach youth theatre companies, young performers, parents, teachers, arts organisations and potential supporters across the UK. We are interested in people who can help develop the festival’s public profile and communicate its identity, purpose and opportunities.

We want to build awareness of UYTF and communicate a consistent, recognisable identity. People with these skills could help us develop campaigns, reach new audiences, attract participating companies and establish the festival as a recognised name within the youth theatre community.

Event management and festival operations

The successful delivery of a two-day residential festival requires careful coordination and attention to detail. We welcome people with experience in event management, venue operations, logistics and large-scale project delivery.

This could include:

• Festival and event producers.
• Event managers and coordinators.
• Venue operations professionals.
• Stage and production managers.
• Technical theatre professionals.
• Accommodation and hospitality coordinators.
• Transport and logistics specialists.
• Conference and exhibition organisers.
• Project managers.

Experience in these areas could help us develop practical plans for participant registration, scheduling, accommodation, catering, transport, venue use and the many other details involved in delivering the festival.

Finance, governance and administration

Strong organisational foundations are essential to the success and long-term development of UYTF. We would welcome people with experience in finance, accounting, budgeting, governance, administration and organisational management. Their contribution could help support financial planning, budgeting, financial reporting, record-keeping and the development of appropriate organisational procedures.

What if your experience doesn’t fit one of these categories?

The areas above are intended to demonstrate the breadth of experience we are looking to attract. They are not an exhaustive list, and we do not want to discourage anyone who feels they could make a valuable contribution. You may have experience in an area we have not mentioned. You may have spent years working in a completely different industry but have skills that could be valuable to the development of the festival . You may be an experienced professional looking to contribute your knowledge to a new project, or someone at an earlier stage of their career who wants to gain experience and make a difference. We are interested in what you can bring, what you are passionate about and how you would like to become involved.

An opportunity to influence the future of UYTF

This is an opportunity to become involved in the development of a new national youth theatre festival at an important stage in its creation. Committee members will have the opportunity to contribute ideas, share expertise, develop relationships and help establish the foundations upon which future festivals can be built.

We want people who are excited by the prospect of creating something new, who are prepared to share their knowledge and who believe in the importance of giving young people opportunities to experience theatre, develop their creativity and connect with others. You may bring professional expertise, creative experience, industry contacts, specialist knowledge or simply a determination to help make the festival a success.

Whatever your background, if you believe in the ambition of UYTF, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Feel free to get in touch to arrange an informal chat with our Artistic Director by emailing info@uytf.co.uk

Application