Contact: Aoibheann Kelly, Learning and Participation Manager.
The Theatre Royal, Wakefield, welcomes three or four placements a year for a few days duration. The students might come from Leeds University, the local Wakefield College or from Leeds City College. For example, this year, a Leeds University student of Performance Management will spend 4 days supporting a showcase for young people. A student from Leeds City College worked on the performance academy for young people. Other topics covered during the induction to placements are Health and Safety, working with the learning and participatory team.
In the past, the universities organised the placements and were generally more involved. But now the selection process is informal. University students sometimes contact the theatre, have an informal chat and are taken on if there is a good match of skills and interests.
Nevertheless, the Theatre aims to ensure that the student’s experience is of high quality. They recognise that this is a challenging area of work: universities need to understand how venues operate; they need to be flexible and accept that students on placement need their support too.
The Theatre has successfully applied for funding for bursary places for designer/director areas of work from the Garrick Foundation.