Lyric life

The event brought together teachers, theatres, creatives, young people and exam board representatives to examine the ways in which all could work together to make drama education in the UK the best it can be.

The opening panel featured Kwame Kwei-Armah (Artistic Director, Young Vic), playwright James Graham (Ink, Labour of Love), actress Cherrelle Skeete (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Seagull), Paul Webster (Edexcel Subject Adviser for Drama), Katy Brown (Head of Performing Arts, Hampstead School), Titilayo Bamgbose (current A-Level student, Young Court member) and Michael Adewale (current A-Level student, Lyric Ensemble member).

Each shared their own first encounters with drama education, and how these had influenced (and in some cases, totally changed) their lives to come.

They shared creative visions for what drama education could look like, and practical steps that might be taken to keep creativity at the top of the educational agenda.

The break-out sessions and workshops which followed led to many rich conversations and newly forged connections. What is the place of drama education in today’s world? How do we best serve young drama students’ interests? How do we build a strong, imaginative, next generation workforce for the theatre industries? What should theatres be offering to schools? What would a future curriculum for drama education look like?

All these questions and more were posed, and at the end of the event it felt like a vital conversation had begun. More to follow!

Written by Emma Rees

Watch the short film below to find out more.

Click here to download the Creative Learning Symposium Report