Young Artists FAQs

Young Artists are our workshops for young people in Secondary 1-6.

Who is Young Artists for?

We have two age groups, S1-3 and S4-6. Both groups meet on a Thursday evening.

How many blocks are in a year?

We have four blocks a year.

Block 1 (Aug-Oct) and Block 2 (Oct-Dec) focus on developing ensemble skills, building up individual confidence and exploring different methods of theatrical play.

Block 3 (Jan-Mar) and Block 4 (Apr-Jun) continue to focus on play and experimentation. There is an additional focus on crafting performance, looking ahead to the end-of-year sharing. This work speaks to the ideas and interests of the group members.

When can I sign my child up?

To complement the creative process we have three sign-up opportunities across each year of activity.

• Block 1 (Aug-Oct) on sale in July

• Block 2 (Oct-Dec) on sale in September

• Block 3 (Jan-Mar) and Block 4 (Apr-Jun) on sale in November. For this double block, we offer grown-ups two payment points across these terms – to encourage commitment, alongside making it financially viable.

We welcome new sign-ups during any of these three periods. We don’t offer priority booking for existing attendees.

When possible, we try to offer existing attendees advance notice of when bookings will open.

Is there a waiting list? 

We run a waiting list for each block, so that if a space becomes available, we can make sure other young people get a chance to come along and get involved.

The waiting list does not carry over from block to block or year to year. We offer multiple opportunities for new young people to sign up.

Why have the nights and times changed for Young Artists? 

In 2025-26, the two Young Artist groups met on separate evenings. However, in 2026-27 we are trialling running the two groups on the same evening – on a Thursday. With Young Artists (S1-3) meeting from 5-6.45pm and Young Artists (S4-6) meeting from 7.15-9pm.

This will strengthen the work of the programme, allowing the two groups to feel more connected across the year. It will also ease the transition when S1-3 group members want to make the move into S4-6.

We realise this might be disappointing for some group members who attended on a Tuesday evening, but we believe these changes will create a stronger programme overall and provide a better experience as young people progress through the groups.

Who runs the Young Artists?

Youth programme is creatively overseen by our Participate Director, Catrin Evans, who is also the Safeguarding and Child Protection Lead at the Citz.  

Our Participate Programme Manager, Amanda Glover works closely with the delivery team to map out the activity and manages the week-to-week running of the sessions. She makes sure the young people and the practitioners have what they need and are supported to deliver the work to the highest standards.  

Amanda is also the Deputy Safeguarding and Child Protection Lead and the main contact for parents and families across the year. Any questions contact Amanda.Glover@citz.co.uk  

We are in the process of confirming the lead practitioners for each of the groups for 2026-27. We will ensure group members know who will be leading their sessions before they start. 

Will there be an opportunity for grown-ups to see the work?

The last session of each block will always be an opportunity for our Young Artists to welcome their friends and family members into their creative space. They will share their work and offer an insight into what they have been exploring.

At the end of Block 4, there is a structured sharing, where Young Artists will present a new piece of work. This will be work that they have created or selected to share with their friends and family.

There may be other opportunities throughout the year and this will be communicated to grown-ups ahead of time.

Is this acting training for young people? 

We don’t position our Young Artists programme as actor training.

Our work with young people supports their imagination, builds skills, and nurtures resilience. We encourage young people to explore the world of theatre as broadly as possible.

Do we have a Summer Holiday programme? 

In Summer 2026 we didn’t offer a Summer Holiday programme. Plans for Summer 2027 are under consideration now and details will be released in Spring 2027.