More than £30,000 Has Been Raised
The Arena Theatre has been successful in raisingmore than £30,000in funding to develop work with Wolverhampton’s children and young people. Three projects have been underway for some months and now the young people are ready to share their performances with the public.
On March 21st and 22nd, pupils from West Park Primary School and Penn Hall School will be sharing with audiences the work they have done on the project Counter Culture. This is a heritage, education and theatre project in which the children have been working with Wolverhampton City Archives and professional artists on creating a piece of theatre based on their own research and interviews they have conducted with Wolverhampton people. The children visited shops, snack vans, the police station, library, Citizen’s Advice Bureau and a host of other locations to find out about how people communicate and make relationships over the city’s counters. Their performance will take place at the Arena theatre and all tickets cost £1. The main funder for this project is Heritage Lottery Fund. Tickets are available from the Arena Theatre box office.
Since last September, a group of secondary school pupils have been meeting at the theatre every Monday eveningas the Arena Young Rep, a youth theatre developed in association with Birmingham Repertory Theatre. On April 2nd and 3rd, the young people will perform at the Rep in a production of Macbeth. This is part of the Young Rep Festival. Tickets are on sale now from Birmingham Repertory Theatre. The Arena Young Rep will be looking to recruit new members at its taster session on Wednesday 28th May, and there will also be a week-long summer school commencing on Monday 28th July. Places can be booked from the Arena’s box office. The Arena Young Rep has received financial support from the William Adlington Cadbury Trust.
Four young people have started their Arts Award journey at the Arena, working towards their Silver and Gold awards. They are able to access unique opportunities offered by the theatre to work with theatre professionals and get involved in events and activities at the theatre.
Theatre Development Officer Alison Vermee said “The Arena is delighted to be able to offer such great, innovative, opportunities to young people in the city. We very much hope that people will support them by coming to see the work they have created.”
