Go Create – 2026

From 7 January 2026 to 13 February 2026 we worked with students from Brent and Westminster to develop communication, performance skills and boost their confidence, while devising their very own theatre piece…

Over six weeks, Lead Facilitator Julian Spooner and Assistant Facilitators Hannah Lee and Phoebe Rowell John guided two year 5 classes and four year 6 classes through the process of devising, writing, and performing a theatre piece, which included an original song and rap, inspired by a PSHE theme chosen by their school. The topics explored were Dreams and Goals, and Mental Health.

As well as taking part in the weekly workshops, we aim to provide positive exposure to live theatre, so four classes went to see Wicked and two classes The Lion King.

88% of students felt confident in expressing themselves creatively and contributing their ideas

86% of students want to join another Go Live Programme

90% of students are keen on future theatre opportunities

The skills that the young people said they learnt from the programme were:

• Creating characters
• Creating stories
• Speaking clearly
• Working as a team
• Building their confidence
• Stepping out of their comfort zone
• Expressing ideas creatively

Student feedback shows us how important programmes like this are in connecting young people with the life-enhancing benefits of theatre:

‘I enjoyed we get to share ideas with other people.’

‘I like being creative and making my own thing.’

‘I enjoyed working as a team with my class.’

We also asked the teachers to share some feedback from their experience across the six weeks:

‘The sessions were excellent for building the children’s confidence and then giving them opportunities to develop their ideas further.’

‘I really enjoyed watching the children collaborate, listen to each other’s ideas, and work effectively as a team. One group, in particular, stood out for how well they worked together. It was also rewarding to see different children take on leadership opportunities and come out of their shells.’

‘From the very first week, Julian and Phoebe took the time to really understand the children, work to their strengths and develop their ideas. Their patience and commitment was unwavering, and the final performance was testament to their skills, weaving each groups’ work into a beautiful tapestry that made me, their class teacher, and their parents proud.’

We would like to thank our funders, John Lyon’s Charity and The Brown Rudnick Charitable Foundation, for making this programme possible.

Donate today to help ensure every child, regardless of background, has the chance to experience the transformative power of live theatre and open doors for the next generation.

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