Actor Michael Sheen has accepted an invitation to become Patron ofThe National Agency of Wales for Theatre for Young People. A BAFTA and Laurence Olivier Award-nominated Welsh actor, Michael is perhaps best know for his portrayal of Tony Blair in the Stephen Frears directed films The Deal and The Queen and Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa Born in Newport and brought up in Port Talbot, Michael was a member of the National Youth Theatre of Wales before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. The Agency was officially launched in March at the Agor Drysau International Festival of Theatre for Young Audiences in Aberystwyth. Over the last thirty years, Wales’ eight Theatre in Education/Theatre for Young People companies have worked consistently to develop, promote and deliver a professional Theatre service for young people and the wider community. Funded by the Arts Council of Wales and individual Local Authorities, this unique network of companies is the most lasting and comprehensive theatre provision for young people ever created. The Agency provides a legal framework for the development of best practice in the pursuit of excellence in the creation of a dynamic theatre culture that takes into account the best interests of children and young people. In 2002 the eight companies received an additional investment of funding from the Arts Council of Wales to stabilise and develop the work across Wales. A recent Audit of Activity, undertaken by the companies, provides evidence of considerable development and increase in the volume and distribution annually of the work over the last six years from 33 to 56 productions, 841 to 1,840 performances, 841 to 1,598 school visited and 88,862 to 151,831 attendances. This vast amount of activity also provides substantial employment opportunities for actors, composers, playwrights, directors, musicians, designers and technicians providing long-term economic benefits for the industry and for Wales as a whole. It has also generated the development of new writing and innovative new initiatives and partnerships which have led to visits to other countries giving the work status on the World stage. In July 2008 the ACW, working with the Agency, facilitated a Symposium on Creative Entitlement at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama which was attended by theatre arts and education practitioners and young people. As a follow up to this, the Agency is organising a National Conference to be held in March 2009 – ‘Creative Entitlement – Practice into Policy’. For further information please contact Julia Davies at Gwent Theatre on 01873 853167 E-mail: gwenttie@uwclub.net Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Cwmni’r Fran Wen, Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch, Gwent Theatre, Spectacle Theatre, Theatr Iolo, Theatr na n’Og, Theatr Powys |
| Gwent Theatre web site: |
| Julia Davies e-mail: gwenttie@uwclub.net |
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 |
Older news
stories have been carefully archived.
2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999