The Young Curator Programme provides an opportunity for young people to work together as a network under the guidance of venue personnel and a professional theatre practitioner as network mentor. The project starts in July 2023 and culminates in a nationwide festival for young people in June 2024. Three Curators have been engaged at Backstage and for the first six months of their engagement, July to Dec 2023. They will travel to see work and meet their fellow curators at festival events such as GIAF and DFF and will be given the opportunity to avail of learning opportunities in specially commissioned workshops with industry professionals. During this phase the curators will build their skills and confidence in preparation for the task of sourcing and programming work for their festival in June 2024, engaging with the venue team and supported by a network mentor, Maisie Lee throughout this process. This allows the Young Curators to gain a breadth of new skills, both interpersonal, creative and administrative and the project actively demonstrates a route to upskilling younger people in programming and producing and to engaging specifically with younger audiences.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.