Black British Theatre Awards

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

From singing, dance and drama, to set design, costume, music and lighting – our theatre workshops are designed to inspire the next generation of Black British theatre talent. 

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2023

Inspiring the Next Generation of theatre talent!

On this page you will find our upcoming events as well as information on plans for the programme. We rely on sponsors and supporters to make this possible. If you are interested in supporting our programme through a sponsorship package please get in touch.

Thank you to everyone that made our Day of Dance a huge success!

register interest

Our previous outreach events include partnering with the Thea Barnes Legacy Fund (TBLF), to provide a free, immersive experience that offers unique insight into all aspects of theatre disciplines – both on stage and behind the scenes. Our public events provide young people with opportunities to take part in workshops and masterclasses delivered by leading black British theatre performers and creatives. It will act as a catalyst to diversify the future of british theatre. 

mentoring programme

We aim to deliver a mentoring programme to a select number of participants to allow for deeper conversation, support and unique opportunities.

REGISTER INTEREST
MENTORING PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES:
  • Improve access, education and progression opportunities for the next generation of black theatre talent.
  • Provide young people with insight into theatre and the breadth of career opportunities available within the industry.
  • Age specific guidance in three groups: 12-15 years, 16-18 years and 19-21 years, with mentors to provide ongoing support for young people to navigate their education and/or career.
CONTENT EXPLORED:
  • Black British Theatre history
  • Contemporary jazz workshop
  • Acting through song masterclass
  • Lighting & sound workshop
  • Costume & set design workshop
  • Industry panel Q&A
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
  • Young black people aged 10-21 years old
  • Living in the UK
  • Interested in the world of theatre
  • No previous theatre studies or performing arts experience required
  • About to engage or currently engaged in theatre studies

I am a 13-year-old girl of mixed heritage that's passionate about all things performing arts. Growing up in a predominately white borough of london with very little racial diversity, i spent the last few years of primary school being bullied where kids would poke fun at my hair and features. They would ask me questions about my heritage, body shape and skin tone which would make me feel sad and uncomfortable. I travel around london to train in diverse spaces where i can find professional, talented and successful people of colour to learn from and aspire to, and also to learn about my heritage and culture. The workshop provided a safe space where i could train with like-minded people that shared a similar racial identity. No judgment, no prejudice, just dance.

Day Of Dance Participant
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
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ILLUMINATING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE PERFORMING ARTS

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2023 Winners

To Our BBTA Community

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have made the difficult decision not to hold the Black British Theatre Awards ceremony in 2026.

We know this will be disappointing news for our supporters, partners and the wider theatre community, and it was not a decision we took lightly.

The BBTA has always been more than a one-day event. For the past decade, the BBTA has celebrated and championed the outstanding talent, creativity and achievements of Black British theatre.

We remain incredibly proud of everything the awards have achieved and of the community that has grown around them.

While there will not be an awards ceremony this year, our commitment to recognising and celebrating Black British theatre remains unchanged.

We are taking this opportunity to look ahead and consider how best to build on the BBTA’s legacy in the years to come.

We will share further updates in the coming months. In the meantime, please direct any enquiries to info@blackbritishtheatreawards.com.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support of the BBTA. We are deeply grateful to our team, partners, artists and audiences, and we look forward to sharing our next chapter with you.

The BBTA Team