
Drama and Theatre Education Alliance: Seize The Day
The Drama and Theatre Education Alliance (DTEA) is an alliance of UK associations working in drama and theatre with, for and by children and young people. Our collective membership includes thousands of individuals, theatres, businesses, schools and universities across the UK.
18th March 2022
Now, more than ever, we need to get the message about the value of Drama and Theatre Education with children and young people to Government, MPs and school governors.
Drama in schools and universities in England is in crisis. Between 2010 and 2017 there was a 24% drop in students taking GCSE Drama. The government has reneged on promised funding for arts subjects in schools and slashed funding in higher education. The Covid pandemic has had a devastating impact upon theatres that produce work for young audiences.
On 18th March, we are asking teachers in schools, lecturers in universities and drama schools, youth theatre practitioners and learning officers in theatres and arts organisations to invite their local MP to come and visit them with the aim of involving all 533 English MPs. We are aiming to have one event in each constituency, and we encourage you to tailor the invitation to meet your local circumstances and passions.
The invitation, which would ideally come from the children and young people themselves, could be to attend either new or existing work, such as:
A short performance by children and young people in a school
A cross curricular drama project in a school.
A drama-centred assembly
A youth theatre performance in a local theatre or community setting
A student production (or extract) in a university, perhaps with a local school invited to attend
A professional performance for children, young people and families in a theatre, school, library or community setting.
Friday 18th March is timed to coincide with World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People on 20 March.
Find out more about how to get involved at: https://www.dtealliance.co.uk/world-theatre-day
