PRESS RELEASE

'All Youth Theatres are different, but they must come together to know it. It is when they come together that these differences can be celebrated and paths, knowledge, thoughts and experiences can be shared. Each youth theatre is a reflection of the community it serves, and gives insight into that community’s needs, issues and problems.’

How to Collaborate Toolkit 2010

The project is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England; the Youth Opportunity Fund and the Chill Out Fund. The Oxfordshire Youth Theatre Collaboration brought together 130 young people 10 artists and 20 youth tutors and leaders as part of the All Together Different programme. The programme brought together nine youth theatres from across Oxfordshire in a series of Exchanges, Master Classes, a Circus Residency and a final Platform Performance of youth theatre.

The All Together Different project was designed to develop youth theatre resources, networks and practitioner skills across Oxfordshire. It also had the broader objective of investigating the processes of collaboration between partner youth theatres with extremely varied constituencies and needs. This Toolkit is intended to share the findings and learning from the programme to a wide audience of industry professionals and funding bodies.

To download this free How to Collaborate Toolkit visit www.oyap.org.uk

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Notes to editors

1. For further details contact Helen Le Brocq, Director, OYAP Trust, The Courtyard Youth Arts Centre, Launton Road, Bicester, OX26 6DJ T/F:01896 602560 admin@oyap.org.uk, www.oyap.org.uk, www.twitter.com/oyaptrust

2. The OYTC (Oxfordshire Youth Theatre Collaboration) network exists to expand and enrich the youth theatre resource of the County, through a programme of shared opportunities and events. OYAP Trust has been driving this collaboration between the youth theatres in Oxfordshire, to share their resources, experiences, and to work together to bring new experiences and skills into the county since 1998. Since 2004, the partnership has also shared resources to work collaboratively and run resources for young people. The OYTC network also has a long history of youth leadership training and as a forum for dialogue for regional youth theatres. This pre-existing dialogue led to the formation of youth theatre companies (e.g. Oxford Playhouse YT) and to a bid to the Arts Council’s Young People’s Participatory Theatre project. This led in turn to a successful funding application with Grants for the Arts, the Youth Opportunity Fund and the Chill Out Fund.

3. OYAP Trust is the independent youth arts development charity for Oxfordshire. We believe all young people, especially those most isolated, vulnerable and at risk, should have the opportunity to learn, grow and have fun through artistic expression. OYAP Trust is the county’s voice for youth arts, leading thinking and developments that offer creative opportunities to young people, especially those at risk. We do this by involving young people in all areas of our work, supporting and working closely with artists and other providers and engaging with strategic players locally, regionally and nationally."

4. This toolkit was written by Martin Heaney - a consultant and researcher in Applied Theatre

5. Photos are available upon request