Almeida Projects
Almeida Projects is the Almeida Theatre's education and community programme. Founded in its current form in 2003 by Rebecca Manson Jones, after Michael Attenborough's appointment as Artistic Director, Almeida Projects provides an active, creative link between the theatre and its audience, more specifically an audience that may not have considered that the theatre might be for them. Largely inspired by the theatre's productions, Almeida Projects now delivers a range of innovative activities ranging from school residencies to the Young Friend of the Almeida scheme, aiming to encourage a creative exploration of the power of theatre.
"Whether any young person working with us goes on to become a professional writer, actor, director, designer, administrator or technician is of secondary interest. Our aim is to act as a catalyst to their energies, to their hunger to participate - celebrating the creativity of young people in the best way we know how: by offering them our experience, our expertise and our unique theatre." Michael Attenborough
Almeida Projects activity covers the following: durational residencies with partner schools, a subsidised ticket scheme for school groups visiting the theatre, productions of new plays for young people inspired by the main programme, the Young Friend of the Almeida scheme, social networking Teachers' Evenings for local performing arts teachers and a training programme for workshop leaders.
Almeida Projects works closely with eight partner schools in Islington: Central Foundation Boys' School, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Language College, Highbury Fields School, Highbury Grove School, Islington Arts and Media School, Mount Carmel RC Technology College for Girls, The Bridge School and City and Islington College. The Young Friend of the Almeida Theatre scheme was established in May 2008 to enable local young people to take part in activities outside of school. It currently has over 350 members and includes the Young Friend of the Almeida Creative Board, composed of young people who take an active role in planning and promoting all Young Friend activities.
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“One of the things that is most striking about the young generation is that they never talk about their own futures, there are no futures for this generation, not any of them and so naturally they never think of them. It is very striking, they do not live in the present they just live, as well as they can, and they do not plan. It is extraordinary that whole populations have no projects for a future, none at all.”
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946)