Supporting Inclusion In Youth Theatre- A Youth Theatre Practice Symposium - Programme Announcement

Our workshop programme features expert facilitators with strong youth theatre connections and a wealth of knowledge on Inclusive Practice.

Barry McSkeane, National Network Coordinator for Belong To and Youth Theatre Ireland Board member will deliver Youth Theatre – A place you Belong To! In this session, Barry will be exploring what it means to be LGBTQ+ in today’s society, the complexity of language, sexuality, gender identity, and the barriers some face when 'coming out'.

Donna O Keeney, Inclusion Officer at Graffiti Theatre Company, workshop is Demystifying and developing Inclusive Drama and Story-Making. The workshop will provide an insight into working with young people with physical disabilities and offers tips on how to adapt our work to ensure equity for all within our YT spaces.

Aoife Anderson, is the Information Officer with the Dyslexia Association of Ireland and wellbeing officer for Dreamstuff YT. Her workshop, Dyslexia in Youth Theatre, will deepen our understanding of dyslexia for what it is, alongside what it isn’t. So step inside the space of inclusive learning as we explore how we as facilitators and advocates can make our youth theatres more dyslexia friendly.

No stranger to youth theatre, Regina Crowley, MTU Cork School of Music & GAITKRASH Theatre Company delivers a one off workshop Awaken Your Voice! which draws upon the work of world-renowned voice specialist Kristin Linklater.

Returning once again to the hallowed halls of University College Cork, we have put together a remarkable and exciting programme with on focus on Inclusion.

Our inspiring panel of speakers include:

The Act of Creation: Being trans in the world of youth theatre

Kel Menton

Kel is a non-binary writer from Cork. They currently work as an assistant youth theatre facilitator at Graffiti Theatre Company, and as a coordinator for Fighting Words Cork. You can find some of their work published in the Irish Examiner, Playshare, Good Day Cork, and the ROPES literary journal.

Ballyfermot Youth Theatre: From Zoom to in the Room

Steven Tully

Steven Tully is an a Youth Arts Worker, Artist and Youth Theatre Facilitator currently working for Familibase in the Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 community. Steven has spent the last three years establishing the Ballyfermot Youth Theatre, of which he is the lead facilitator. With the support of both Youth Theatre Ireland and Familibase, Steven has taken the youth Theatre from a small online group during the pandemic to a large, diverse group of young people all from the Ballyfermot community.

Towards inclusion - insights from the creation of What I (Don't) Know About Autism

Jody O'Neill in Conversation with Katie Martin

Jody O’Neill is an autistic writer and actor for theatre and screen. She is a recipient of the 2022 Markievicz Award, is Theatre Artist-in-Residence at UCC and Cork Opera House . Katie Martin has worked in a myriad of capacities in youth theatre. She has also worked as an editor, writer and social justice advocate. Her poems have been published in a number of anthologies, magazines and journals both in Ireland and abroad.

Fionn Woodhouse, our academic partner at UCC will then host a short Q&A with our presenters and our delegates.

Over the two days we will host a series of Conversation Hubs, where delegates can have a deeper dive and some more meaningful conversations on topics, themes and responses to our presenters and the workshop programme.

This year's Playshare presentation is a very special one.

In 2021, Youth Theatre Ireland announced a new collaboration with Scripts, Ireland's Playwriting Festival - The George B. Miller Award.

Inspired by the work of the late George B.Miller, this award offered three playwrights the opportunity to each work on writing a play for youth theatre ensembles aged 11-14. Following a shortlisting process, three writers were selected to work on their plays with the support of Dramaturg Pete Mullineaux over a 10 month period.

These three plays are now being presented as staged extracts by Youth Theatre Ireland members as part of the symposium. The plays and Playwrights are:

Initiative by Isaac Quinn

Shadow Selves by Bridgid Galvin

Seabourne by Carley Magee

These will performed by the members of Activate Youth Theatre, Cork, Griese Youth Theatre, Co.Kildare and Co. Roscommon Youth Theatre.

The Playshare event is always one of the highlights of the Youth Theatre Ireland calendar.

You can read more about the George B.Miller Award and our playwrights here.

Download full programme and timetable here

Final Timetable available here - plain text

Find out more about workshops, facilitators and presenters here

Our Early Bird Packages have completely sold out but there are still plenty of two day tickets available for the super low price of only €10. Available from Eventbrite