Future Makers
Our Process
Future Makers is our creative process, bringing young people’s voices, ideas and experiences into the plays we create.
In practice, Future Makers is a year-round programme of creative activities in schools, youth groups and communities which invites young people to work together with playwrights and artists. Through big conversations, hands-on drama workshops, and inspiring collaborations with professional theatre practitioners, we empower young people to be more confident, creative and resilient. In turn, they help us – and the playwrights we commission – to tell timely, authentic stories.
This Future Makers process leads directly to the creation of our shows, which tour to venues and schools around the country.
“…such an unforgettable experience that has truly changed my life. Every session I would be so excited to expand my mind and learn.”
Future Makers connects young people, artists, and teachers who work together as peers to develop skills and share big ideas.
Future Makers enables complicated conversations to happen, where young people develop agency and creativity through sharing insights.
Future Makers shapes our shows with writers, enabling us to tell relevant, authentic, and relatable stories.
Future Makers activities are divided into four distinct strands.
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Provides young people, artists, and teachers with the opportunity to learn new skills such as music composition, poetry, theatre making and design to help develop their artistic toolkit.
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Offers a platform for young people to discuss big and often crunchy topics while enjoying a meal with peers and invited guests.
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In-depth collaborations with artists and practitioners in small groups, where young people co-create new artistic work.
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Provides opportunities for young people to come together, share their work, and discuss future themes and focuses.
Resident Writers and the Brian Way Writers’ Room
Key to our Future Makers work is our Resident Writers. Through our Brian Way Writers’ Room, our Resident Writers each receive a generous fee to collaborate with young people in schools and community spaces across the UK. Over six to twelve months, this experience provides the writers with research and ideas to conceive relevant, authentic stories. At the end of the residency, the writers are invited to pitch at least one idea for a show, informed by the ideas, perspectives and lived experiences of young people. These pitches are considered for commission to develop into a Theatre Centre future touring production.
Our Resident Writers work is a strand of our Brian Way Writers’ Room. Read more about this and our Resident Writers here.
“one of the most creatively fulfilling experiences I’ve ever had.”
Our National Reach
“After Future Makers, I’ve learnt that I can relate to people a lot more than I thought”
We work all over the UK including our Crawley Hub where our HQ is based, and nationally. We continue to work in Lewisham in South London, where we were based previously, and in Sheffield in South Yorkshire. These hubs serve as pivotal centres for us to forge enduring connections with communities, young people, and schools alike.
Our Future Makers activity allows us to embed ourselves within diverse locations, nurturing meaningful relationships with young people, artists and teachers and fostering a sense of belonging. By engaging closely and over an extended period, we can truly understand the unique needs and aspirations of the communities we serve, resulting in initiatives that genuinely reflect and empower the voices and talents of our young people. Whether it's through community workshops, school partnerships, or collaborative projects, our hubs are steadfast beacons of creativity and inspiration, propelling us towards a future where the arts are accessible to all.
Current Collaborations
“Future Makers helped me be more honest with myself and see other people’s perspective”
Wordfest
“When Theatre Centre come in, these workshops also inspire us as teachers. So in our lessons we try do something a little bit different, a bit more creative, and a bit of a different way of working ”
Previous Collaborations
