Arena Theatre's Project Xpedition expands numbers

To facilitate the demand from young people, the Arena Theatre has increased its Project Xpedition 2024 intake.

The University's Arena Theatre is delighted to announce the increase in intake for its Project Xpedition programme for 2024, as a result of the demand of young people in the local community for spaces on the project.

Within the first three weeks of advertising, Project Xpedition had already become oversubscribed for the initial ten places that were offered: including a large intake of young people who attend Virtual Schools and are in the care system.

Delivered by the Arena Theatre and Flexus Dance Collective, this performance and arts management programme for young people, aged between 11 and 15 years, offers the opportunity to produce and perform in their own arts event at the Arena Theatre to promote the work of young people in the local region.

Project Xpedition aims to empower young people with invaluable skills and insight into the Creative Industries, providing an inspiring creative and performance opportunity with an experienced team of industry professionals.

Throughout the project, young people attend workshops by creative professionals on career pathways such as photography, marketing and promotion, social media, technical theatre and access and inclusion. These workshops all contribute to a Level 1 Bronze Arts Award that project participants receive upon finishing Project Xpedition.

The project culminates with a week-long intensive where young people create their performance with Neil Reading, Artistic Director of the Arena Theatre, and Katy Sterran, Artistic Director of Flexus Dance Collective. In the run-up to the intensive, they are also tasked with marketing and promoting the performance themselves.

During the past three weeks, staff from the Arena Theatre and professional artists from Flexus Dance Collective have delivered workshops to Coppice Performing Arts School, Barr Beacon School, and Ercall Wood Academy to give students a taste of what the project can offer.

Neil Reading, Artistic Director of the Arena, said: "Engaging young people with the Creative Arts is at the heart of our mission at the Arena Theatre. This programme has developed into an intriguing gateway for young people to explore the many and varied career options available through the Creative Arts.”

For more information about Project Xpedition, please visit the Project Xpedition webpage.