SURVIVE & THRIVE, 2020

Films // Slime Into the Sea, The Hijack

Other Projects // Homes of Hope

Creative Leads // Nataliya Kharina, Maya Shimmin, Ibrahim-Farouk Sesay

Theme // Adapting in Challenging Times

Partners // The Yellow, Woodland Grove Care Home

Funding // Arts Council, National Lottery Awards for All

Performance Venue // Online

Within the first few weeks of the pandemic we moved Brent Youth Theatre online; learning a different way to produce theatre together with our young people. The intention was to have as much fun as possible in this dark time, so we opened brand new projects and spent three nights a week creating together. We also partnered with Woodland Grove Care Home for a pen pal project, sharing experiences and support between young and old. Due to the remote way of working we adopted, we had participants join us from across London, and even from elsewhere in the UK.

“I have always been quite shy but Drama brought a new light into my life. During lockdown I had nothing much to do, as soon as I found BYT I joined immediately. Despite the fact of it being weird and online I found that zoom meetings were easier to act in. The teachers have been amazing and extremely supportive, they helped me discover my love for acting and singing. In short - BYT is the best thing that happened to me during the dark months of lockdown.”

(BYT participant, 2020)