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Youth Drama Sessions

Tuesdays 6.15pm – 7.15pm

Langworthy Cornerstone, 451 Liverpool Street, Salford, M6 5QQ

Our Youth Drama Sessions are free and open to young people with learning disabilities aged 10 – 24 years, who wish to be creative and learn arts and drama skills. Youth Drama sessions explore creativity, imagination and team building. We play drama games, create art works and connect with performers and artists across DIY Theatre. Members will develop in confidence as they are encouraged to share their artistic skills through Drama, Music and the Visual Arts.

We are working on the “Life of My Favourite Toy”

In the spring term we explored technical aspects of theatre including lighting and sound. Youth Drama Members wanted to use these skills to make a performance on the idea of toys going on a journey. Thanks to the groups successful application to the NHS Salford CCG Youth Wellbeing fund we can now make this happen.

This Summer term the group are working with Molly & Phil to explore theatre techniques, lighting, sound design and music! We will be making a performance called “Life of My Favourite Toy”.
During Youth Drama Sessions we will devise the drama, work out how lighting and sound will be used in the performance and we will record our own sound effects using a sound desk and a variety of props.
We will also be working  with musician Sarah Atter to create song lyrics as part of the performance.  The music sessions are a space to explore musical instruments and how the group might use them to create sound effects.

Contact Molly to find out more – molly.stedman@diytheatre.org.uk

This work is being funded by NHS Salford CCG with support from Salford CVS.

Arts Award

We offer the Arts Award Qualifications (Levels Explore – Gold) across Passing the Baton Youth Arts Programmes. Young people participate in a range of art forms, including Drama, Music & Circus which develop communication teamwork and collaboration skills.  Throughout the Arts Award journey participants reflect upon and develop their work; essential skills for further study & workplace opportunities.

In 2020, three young people achieved their Explore Arts Award with our Youth Drama Sessions – partially completing their portfolios whilst working remotely during Lockdown! Congratulations to Eve, Georgia & Shay! Each developed a Circus Inspired character, collaborated to write songs, make music & short improvised scenes. They worked with DIY members to learn about our performance piece ‘Patient 36’ and with professional circus company ‘Poppins Presents’.

In 2021, three Bronze Arts Awards were awarded. Visit our news page from the time to find out what Viv, Georgia and Lewis did to get their Bronze Arts Awards.

Viv said that what she liked best about the project was…

I really enjoyed thinking about images that could go with the song, and how the song conjured up lots of images in my head.”

Well done everyone!

Circus Tricks!

Circus Tricks! is a Circus Inspired Music and Drama Project. It is aimed at children and young people with learning disabilities. There are a series of animated videos and an activity pack. These can be done with young people at home, in a classroom or in a youth club setting.

Take a look at the project here:  Circus Tricks Resource page

Thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund for their support for this work.