Right across the UK, over 130 theatres host Shakespeare Schools Festival and become part of the world’s largest youth drama festival

Our network of theatres enable young people to perform on their local professional stage – a transformative process for students which develops confidence, articulacy and teamwork.

SSF host theatres welcome 65,000 audience members to see the Festival each autumn. Working with SSF enables theatres to unite people in their local community and anchor their venue at its heart, building long-lasting relationships with new audiences and participating schools. Partner theatres can benefit from media opportunities and new key local contacts, featuring in SSF’s nationwide and local press – last year, many theatres were also visited by their local MP and councillors during the festival.

Theatres in every region of the UK host SSF and benefit from the opportunity to:

• engage with up to 120 local students per night, their teachers and wider school communities;
• engage a new audience demographic - 40% of audiences at Shakespeare Schools Festival evenings had not visited their theatre before, and 83% said that they were likely to come back*
• meet new artistic associates - SSF hires over 100 regional artists throughout the UK to deliver the running of the Festival workshops and performance days;
• increase the diversity of performers on your stage. We inspire children from disadvantaged, minority ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and also rural communities, to get involved: the numbers of SSF performers from these demographics are above the national averages**
• publicise their venues through media and press coverage of SSF nationwide
• become part of a national network of Shakespeare Schools Festival Partner Theatres

To find out more about hosting the Festival please contact festival@shakespeareschools.org .

*According to our 2015 survey of SSF audience members

**According to our 2016 survey of students participating in SSF