For years you could hear the cry of education funding bodies, the sound echoing through the corridors of drama schools; “widening participation, widening participation widening participation”. Like an army on an inclusion crusade we took up arms (although some of us had already buckled up) and marched forth taking the message to all who would listen. Under-represented communities heard our calls and across the land initiatives sprung forth like fields of spring daffodils (I missed a promising career as a poet).
My school set up visits to over 40 schools and colleges, a deaf actors course, helped Full Body & the Voice in Huddersfield (if you don’t know their work shame on you!), forged links with NYT, Yellow Earth Theatre Company etc, etc, etc.
The more astute amongst you will already have sussed the plot of this little story.
Last year our widening participation funding was pulled, they didn’t even wait for the recession! Now obviously we think we are the most incredible school in the history of drama schools, but keeping all these initiatives afloat in a sea of stormy economics is just a tad tricky. Yet we are keeping the work we do outside of our core programmes going because it matters. It matters because the belief that we should do it didn’t spring from a committee room meeting of funding managers but from a belief that theatre is for all, really is for all.
So you know where you can put your goalposts? Anywhere you like.
Adrian Hall
Co-Director
ALRA