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Miranda Johnson investigates a theatre project giving children wings.

Pegasus Theatre, home of Oxford Youth Theatre, is also home to the ambitions and aspirations of a large number of young people. Participants include a mix of those in state and private schools, of black and white, of asylum seeker, refugee, so called hard to reach, disadvantaged and ordinary middle-class backgrounds, of those in school and out. But this mix is no accident, it is something Pegasus has worked hard to achieve.

Euton Daley, Artistic Director of Pegasus, vision has had a lot to do with driving the theatres success. He says, My ambitions for Pegasus has been, and still is, for it to be a vibrant, creative, learning organisation that is open to new ideas, approaches and ways of doing things. I want to see cultural references and heritage informing and influencing the work. We need to incorporate young people who arent engaged in arts or cultural activities into our provision. It is so important that disadvantaged youngsters, as well as those from more secure backgrounds, really get a chance to learn what achievement is, and what they are capable of.

Pegasus is currently in the process of improving and extending the fabric of the theatre. The current rehearsal space is a temporary post-war school dinner hall, and it has been clear for a while that something needed to be done. Arts Council England, South East has come to the rescue with a £2.7m grant towards a £6.3m extensive rebuild of its premises in east Oxford. The theatre has also been given funds from Oxford City and Oxfordshire County Councils, and the young people who help run Pegasus are currently busy raising their share of the final amount needed. The building work is scheduled to begin in 2008. This involvement in fundraising provides a clue to its success. Young people are integral to Pegasus. They not only come there to learn, to dance, to act and to enjoy themselves, they also work backstage and front of house, write and edit the Theatres newsletter and take an active and vociferous part in the management of the Theatre. Pegasus gives them a voice and the chance to become real decision makers.

In keeping with Pegasus ethos, young participants have recently been talking to the theatres architects, Feilden Clegg Bradley, who are drawing up plans for the new build. Discussions range from the style of the building and the entrance for public and performers, the colours to be used throughout, to smaller details like door handles and guttering. This works because the young people really care, even the more disaffected feel at home in the theatre. It is a place they have taken on and feel valued in.

Its the belief that the participants must choose to participate that underpins Eutons philosophy for Pegasus. The young people, whatever their backgrounds, need to buy in to the work: Its their choice. Even when we do targeted outreach work, it is vital that the participants elect to engage rather than being told to. Outside the school environment, learning is not about right and wrong; its about exploring, taking risks, trying something out, not being afraid to fail as long as the support is there to enable learning from that failure. Pegasus recognises that everyone, whoever they are, has something to contribute: an idea, an energy, a humour, a story, a particular cultural reference. Like all powerful ideas, its also simple, but one that looks set to see the company through its next phase of its development.

Miranda Johnson works for RM Communications, a PR and event management partnership specialising in the arts.
e: mirandajohnson@btinternet.com